[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":322},["ShallowReactive",2],{"news-malawis-new-national-anti-corruption-strategy-a-state-of-the-art-approach-1040":3,"news-malawis-new-national-anti-corruption-strategy-a-state-of-the-art-approach-1040-similar":71,"i-heroicons:arrow-left-20-solid":317},[4],{"id":5,"status":6,"date_created":7,"date_updated":8,"title":9,"type":10,"body":11,"date":12,"topic":13,"slug":20,"activity":21,"nid":24,"topics":25,"activities":28,"programme":29,"area":29,"websites":30,"language":29,"image":32,"translation_of":29,"countries":43,"tags":66,"authors":67,"images":68,"translations":69,"content":70},9782,"published","2022-05-26T22:55:36.000Z","2026-05-29T22:21:55.000Z","Malawi’s new National Anti-Corruption Strategy: a state-of-the-art approach?","News","Congratulations to our partners in Malawi on the launch of the new Malawi National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS II).\n\nWe are delighted to have been able to contribute our multi-disciplinary expertise to what we believe is a state-of-the-art anti-corruption strategy that will have real impact on corruption in Malawi over the next five years.\n\n### What makes Malawi’s new strategy stand out\n\nNACS II is evidence-based. It draws on multi-stakeholder consultations and extensive research on the state and drivers of corruption in Malawi, plus a [political economy analysis](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fpublic-governance\u002Ftechnical-assistance). The methodology is based on a review of international evidence about best practices in drafting national anti-corruption strategies.\n\nWith the support of an expert advisory group, the NACS II drafting committee was able to analyse this wealth of evidence to identify goals, priorities and key areas of activity that respond to the actual challenges and expectations of all sectors of Malawian society.\n\nNACS II has concrete, complementary goals that Malawians across the board care about:\n\n*   Improving the quality and accessibility of public services.\n*   Promoting rule of law by strengthening the ability of law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute corrupt individuals and recover their illicit assets.\n*   Promoting a culture of integrity and accountability.\n\nThese goals are closely related. Strengthening rule of law, for example, allows law enforcement agencies to better tackle corruption in service delivery. Social audits by civil society organisations can help promote integrity in public services.\n\nNACS II is inclusive and participatory. It draws on the results of consultations with civil society groups, including those representing youth and women, and business representatives.\n\nAt a meeting of the UNCAC Working Group on Corruption Prevention focused on developing effective anti-corruption strategies, it was emphasised that this multi-stakeholder participation is critical to ensure buy-in and promote ownership of the strategy across Malawian society.\n\nOne key finding – echoing a message heard in many other countries – is that the private sector is “ready and willing to become a more active partner in fighting corruption”. This is why the NACS II [promotes Collective Action](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.baselgovernance.org\u002Fblog\u002Fno-time-present-anti-corruption-collective-action-malawi) as a way to achieve sustainable and strategic engagement of the private sector in the fight against corruption in Malawi.\n\n### Looking forward\n\nIn the many stakeholder meetings and surveys conducted in support of NACS II, one message was loud and clear. Malawians care greatly about corruption and are ready to mobilise – to support the anti-corruption activities, to monitor their implementation and to make sure they are locally owned.\n\nAll of us at the Basel Institute look forward to supporting this process and seeing its positive impact on Malawian society. Watch this space.","2019-12-11",[14,15,16,17,18,19],"Anti-Money Laundering","Asset Recovery","Collective Action","Private Sector","Prevention"," Research and Innovation","malawis-new-national-anti-corruption-strategy-a-state-of-the-art-approach-1040",[22,23],"Research","Anti-corruption interventions",1040,[14,26,16,17,27],"Asset Recovery and Enforcement","Prevention Research and Innovation",[22,23],null,[31,16],"Main page",{"id":33,"storage":34,"filename_disk":35,"filename_download":36,"title":9,"type":37,"created_on":38,"modified_on":38,"charset":29,"filesize":39,"width":40,"height":41,"duration":29,"embed":29,"description":29,"location":29,"tags":29,"metadata":42,"focal_point_x":29,"focal_point_y":29,"tus_id":29,"tus_data":29,"uploaded_on":38},"7e13a650-4ad0-4a16-933a-63e293f4f961","local","7e13a650-4ad0-4a16-933a-63e293f4f961.webp","tmp.webp","image\u002Fwebp","2025-05-12T21:21:17.000Z",71134,1400,802,{},[44],{"id":45,"news_id":46,"countries_id":60},7435,{"id":5,"status":6,"user_created":47,"date_created":7,"user_updated":48,"date_updated":8,"title":9,"type":10,"body":11,"image":33,"date":12,"topic":49,"slug":20,"activity":50,"nid":24,"topics":51,"activities":52,"programme":29,"area":29,"websites":53,"translation_of":29,"language":29,"countries":54,"tags":55,"authors":56,"images":57,"translations":58,"content":59},"03bebfd8-0b40-4a2a-820d-b9d9c13b9de6","3d9ff205-1640-4f34-b5b6-86977f51bbd6",[14,15,16,17,18,19],[22,23],[14,26,16,17,27],[22,23],[31,16],[45],[],[],[],[],[],{"id":61,"name":62,"code":63,"latitude":64,"longitude":65},153,"Malawi","MW",-13.25431,34.30152,[],[],[],[],[],[72,94,115,149,172,203,225,245,267,290],{"id":73,"body":74,"status":6,"type":10,"date":75,"slug":76,"title":77,"image":78,"countries":79,"topic":80,"activity":81,"tags":83,"nid":84,"topics":85,"activities":86,"authors":87,"images":88,"websites":29,"area":29,"programme":29,"language":89,"translations":90,"translation_of":29,"user_created":47,"date_created":91,"user_updated":29,"date_updated":29,"content":92,"link":93},10616,"From grassroots transparency tools to global business integrity networks, this year’s finalists for the [International Collective Action Awards](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fget-involved\u002Fawards) show the breadth, creativity and growing impact of Collective Action around the world.\n\nPublic voting is now open and everyone is invited to help choose the winners.\n\nThe Awards recognise organisations advancing business integrity through Collective Action – bringing together businesses, governments, civil society and other stakeholders to tackle corruption and strengthen fairer, more transparent markets. The winners will be announced during the [6th International Collective Action Conference](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fget-involved\u002Fevents\u002Ficac-2026) in Basel, Switzerland, on 9–10 June 2026.\n\nPresented by the Basel Institute on Governance since 2022, the Awards celebrate initiatives that demonstrate how Collective Action can deliver practical solutions to shared integrity challenges across sectors and regions.\n\n### A diverse field of finalists\n\nThis year’s finalists reflect the growing diversity of Collective Action initiatives worldwide. They range from long-running international integrity networks supporting small businesses, to innovative digital tools improving transparency in public infrastructure, to emerging platforms creating new opportunities for business engagement in global anti-corruption policymaking.\n\nThe shortlisted initiatives also highlight the geographical reach of Collective Action efforts today, with finalists working across Africa, Latin America, Europe and global multilateral platforms.\n\nAn international jury selected the finalists from a strong field of nominations representing a wide variety of sectors, approaches and partnerships.\n\n### Gretta Fenner Outstanding Achievement in Collective Action\n\nThis category is named in honour of the Basel Institute’s late Managing Director, [Gretta Fenner](https:\u002F\u002Fgretta.baselgovernance.org\u002F). It recognises organisations that have made a sustained and significant contribution to advancing Collective Action and promoting business integrity over time.\n\nThe 2026 finalists are:\n\n*   Alliance for Integrity – a global multi-stakeholder initiative that has built integrity networks across 16 countries and supported hundreds of trainers and companies in strengthening compliance and anti-corruption practices, particularly among SMEs.\n*   Anti-Corruption Collective Action Impact Centre – hosted by the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA), the Centre supports locally led anti-corruption initiatives worldwide through mentorship, training and practical implementation support.\n*   Integridad Corporativa 500 (IC500) – a Mexican transparency benchmark initiative that evaluates the anti-corruption policies and governance practices of the country’s 500 largest companies, helping drive measurable improvements in corporate transparency.\n\n### Collective Action Inspirational Newcomer\n\nThe Inspirational Newcomer category recognises initiatives active for fewer than two years that have already shown strong promise and early impact.\n\nThis year’s finalists are:\n\n*   COSP Private Sector Platform – launched by the United Nations Global Compact and UNODC to create new opportunities for private sector participation in global anti-corruption policymaking linked to the UN Convention against Corruption.\n*   CoST Malawi Infrastructure Transparency Initiative: Red Flags Algorithm – an innovative digital tool that uses data analysis to identify potential corruption and procurement risks in public infrastructure projects in Malawi.\n*   TRIPODE: Collective Action for Business Integrity and SME Inclusion in Mexico – a joint initiative helping companies, especially SMEs, navigate integrity expectations through practical guidance, peer learning and public-private dialogue.\n\nAlthough very different in focus, the finalists all demonstrate the value of collaborative approaches in addressing complex integrity challenges – whether through technology, policy engagement or hands-on support for businesses.\n\n### An international jury with deep expertise\n\nThe finalists were pre-selected by an international jury bringing together expertise from governance, anti-corruption, journalism, international law and public policy.\n\nThe jury included Nathalie Delapalme, CEO of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, Nicola Bonucci, former OECD Director of Legal Affairs and Basel Institute Board member, Rhoda Weeks-Brown, former General Counsel of the IMF, and award-winning investigative journalist Sheila S. Coronel of Columbia Journalism School.\n\nTheir collective experience spans anti-corruption policy, rule of law, investigative journalism, international governance and responsible business conduct, reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of Collective Action itself.\n\n### Cast your vote\n\nPublic voting is open until 2 June 2026.\n\nVisit the [Awards page on the B20 Collective Action Hub](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fget-involved\u002Fawards) to learn more about the finalists and cast your vote in each category.\n\nThe Collective Action Awards are supported by the Siemens Integrity Initiative.","2026-05-20","cast-your-vote-in-the-2026-collective-action-awards-2969","Cast your vote in the 2026 Collective Action Awards","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fa69747f0-c2e6-48f5-8e19-4e059e545b2f?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[16,17],[82],"",[],2969,[16,17],[],[],[],"English",[],"2026-06-04T21:13:46.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fcast-your-vote-in-the-2026-collective-action-awards-2969",{"id":95,"body":96,"status":6,"type":97,"date":98,"slug":99,"title":100,"image":101,"countries":102,"topic":103,"activity":104,"tags":106,"nid":107,"topics":108,"activities":109,"authors":110,"images":111,"websites":29,"area":29,"programme":29,"language":89,"translations":112,"translation_of":29,"user_created":47,"date_created":91,"user_updated":29,"date_updated":29,"content":113,"link":114},10617,"As the use of virtual assets accelerates worldwide, so too does their appeal to criminal actors looking to move money faster, hide transactions more effectively and stay one step ahead of enforcement authorities.\n\nAnd it’s natural that when people discuss crypto-related crime, the focus is often on governments, regulators, law enforcement agencies and the private sector – crypto exchanges, financial institutions and blockchain intelligence firms.\n\nWhat about international organisations, non-profits, expert networks and professional associations – what role do they play behind the scenes? And how much impact can they really have when it comes to tackling illicit activity involving virtual assets?\n\nThese questions were at the centre of a [webinar](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002FIOs_virtualassets) co-hosted by the Basel Institute on Governance and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The discussion brought together experts from the OSCE, the Basel Institute, the Financial Intelligence Unit of Moldova, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime.\n\nAcross the discussion, speakers kept circling around the same point: the crypto-crime field does not need more vague talk about cooperation or more one-off awareness workshops. It needs practical, sustained and operational forms of support that help investigators, prosecutors and financial intelligence units respond to increasingly sophisticated criminal activity.\n\n### Beyond awareness raising\n\nA recurring theme throughout the discussion was the gap between recognising the problem and building the capability to address it.\n\nSpeakers noted that crypto-related crime evolves faster than most institutions can adapt. Bots on the Telegram messaging app are now providing money-laundering-as-a-service, as one speaker noted by way of example. Criminal actors – and bots – exploit regulatory gaps, fragmented information-sharing systems and uneven levels of expertise across jurisdictions.\n\nAt the same time, many authorities are still in the early stages of developing operational capacity.\n\nThis is where international organisations and networks can play an important role. Not simply by producing guidance documents or organising workshops and conferences – which are necessary but not sufficient – but by helping countries build practical and lasting capabilities.\n\nThe OSCE shared examples from its regional [project on mitigating the money laundering risks of virtual assets](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002FIOs_virtualassets), which supports participating states across Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus, Central Asia and Mongolia.\n\nOne example was Moldova’s sectoral national risk assessment on virtual assets. Beyond identifying vulnerabilities, the process helped prompt institutional action and legislative development.\n\nThe OSCE also pointed to measurable operational outcomes linked to its capacity-building support. Institutions supported through the programme, for example, traced more than USD 100 million in illicit crypto assets in 2025 alone.\n\n### Why PowerPoint presentations are not enough\n\nSeveral speakers emphasised that complex investigations involving virtual assets and asset recovery require highly specialised expertise that cannot be built through isolated workshops.\n\nInvestigators need opportunities to apply knowledge in real cases. Financial intelligence units need ongoing mentoring and technical support. Prosecutors need to understand not only the technology itself but also how to present complex digital evidence in court.\n\nThe Basel Institute highlighted the importance of long-term engagement with practitioners. The approach of its [International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR)](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fasset-recovery) includes combining case-centered training with hands-on mentoring, operational support on live cases and efforts to foster collaboration between different government agencies and with the private sector.\n\nTogether with highly effective train-the-trainer programmes, the focus is on helping agencies develop capabilities that can evolve alongside changing technologies and criminal methods, rather than delivering isolated workshops.\n\n### Networks that make cooperation operational\n\nThe webinar also challenged the tendency to talk about “international cooperation” in abstract terms. In practice, it’s difficult to develop trusting relationships between individuals and institutions operating in very different legal and cultural contexts, especially where there are language barriers.\n\nIn this environment, organisations such as the OSCE, Basel Institute, UNODC and the Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime can act as connectors between sectors, jurisdictions and professional communities. They can:\n\n*   help investigators and practitioners exchange expertise and emerging typologies;\n*   create trusted channels for faster information sharing;\n*   connect authorities facing similar challenges across jurisdictions;\n*   support the development of common standards and approaches; and\n*   bridge gaps between public authorities, financial institutions and technical experts\n\nOne example is the Global Coalition’s proposal to develop a framework for sharing illict crypto wallet attribution data between public authorities – a major need, especially for jurisdictions without the resources to purchase multiple blockchain intelligence tools.\n\n### Research and analysis as a basis for action\n\nAnother important thread running through the webinar was the role of research and evidence-based analysis.\n\nAs technologies and criminal typologies evolve rapidly, policymakers and practitioners need reliable analysis rather than hype or speculation. Speakers discussed how international organisations support countries by analysing emerging threats, identifying trends and helping governments design informed legal and operational responses.\n\nSpeakers highlighted several concrete projects, such as UNODC research into [scam compounds](https:\u002F\u002Ftrack.unodc.org\u002Ftrack\u002Fen\u002Ftrack\u002Fresourcehub\u002F2025\u002Finflection_point_global_implications_of_scam_centres_underground_banking_and_illicit_online_marketplaces_in_southeast_asia.html) and cyber-enabled fraud in Southeast Asia and into the links between [cybercrime and corruption](https:\u002F\u002Ftrack.unodc.org\u002Ftrack\u002Fen\u002Ftrack\u002Fresourcehub\u002F2025\u002Fthe_nexus_between_cybercrime_and_corruption.html), and the Global Coalition’s research on links between gaming and crypto-related financial crime.\n\n### A rapidly evolving challenge\n\nThe webinar closed with a discussion on what aspects of collaboration participants would most like to strengthen in the virtual assets space.\n\nWhile perspectives differed, there was broad agreement that current models of cooperation and capacity building are still not moving fast enough to match the pace of technological change and criminal innovation.\n\nIt’s been said many times, but it warrants saying again: As virtual assets continue to evolve at breakneck speed, so too must the international response.\n\nThe discussion demonstrated that international organisations, non-profits and professional networks can have significant impact – particularly when they focus less on rhetoric and more on operational support, sustained partnerships and measurable outcomes.\n\n### Speakers\n\nWith thanks to our moderator, Vera Strobachova-Budway, Head of the Economic Governance Unit, OSCE, and to our excellent speakers:\n\n*   Erlin Agich, Associate Anti-Corruption Officer, OSCE\n*   Valentin Draganel, Deputy Head, Financial Intelligence Unit Moldova\n*   Alexandru Donciu, Specialist, Financial Investigations – Virtual Assets, Basel Institute on Governance\n*   Fabrizio Fioroni, AML\u002FCFT Advisor, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)\n*   Michal Gromek, Chair, Digital Assets Task Force, Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime\n\n### Learn more\n\n*   View the recordings: browse the [full playlist](https:\u002F\u002Fyoutube.com\u002Fplaylist?list=PLYRnhpCcnLP8mqlkcvhkC5kNXuX1M7ax4&si=HeEsEW6u_V9OnsCb) or go straight to individual interventions: [Vera Strobachova-Budway](https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002FPyjFVx3Da1I), [Erlin Agich](https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002FyxyKjh2qbc0), [Valentin Draganel](https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002Ffn-P6Q1Q04Y), [Alexandru Donciu](https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002Fi6AoR2bBGGk), [Fabrizio Fioroni](https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002FJCET83V2nFk) and [Michal Gromek](https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002Fb18ACqpIM64), plus the final [lightning round](https:\u002F\u002Fyoutu.be\u002Fu61VF8rxR5k).\n*   Sign up to the second joint Basel Institute-OSCE webinar on the role of [investigative journalists in tackling crime linked to virtual assets](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fjournalism_virtualassets), on 2 June 2026.\n*   Read the OSCE’s [Decoding Crypto Crime – A Guide for Law Enforcement](https:\u002F\u002Foceea.osce.org\u002Foceea\u002F587475) in multiple languages.\n*   Learn more about the [OSCE Virtual Assets project](https:\u002F\u002Fprojects.osce.org\u002Fvirtualassets).\n*   Learn about the Global Coalition’s [Digital Asset Task Force](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gcffc.org\u002Fsectors\u002Fdigital-asset-task-force-(datf)) and how you can get involved.\n\nThe Basel Institute’s training opportunities are now open to individuals – learn more about short online courses on [crypto and blockchain compliance](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fcrypto-aml-training) and [financial investigations and asset recovery](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fassetrecovery-openenrolment); plus [postgraduate courses on anti-corruption and asset recovery](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fstudy).","Blog","2026-05-19","virtual-assets-real-world-crime-and-the-search-for-effective-responses-2967","Virtual assets, real-world crime and the search for effective responses","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fb16bddc0-613b-402f-baca-77cc9a835cd9?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[14,15],[105],"Events",[],2967,[14,15],[105],[],[],[],[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fvirtual-assets-real-world-crime-and-the-search-for-effective-responses-2967",{"id":116,"body":117,"status":6,"type":97,"date":118,"slug":119,"title":120,"image":121,"countries":122,"topic":123,"activity":124,"tags":126,"nid":138,"topics":139,"activities":140,"authors":141,"images":142,"websites":29,"area":29,"programme":29,"language":89,"translations":143,"translation_of":29,"user_created":47,"date_created":144,"user_updated":145,"date_updated":146,"content":147,"link":148},10621,"In this article, Celia Lourens examines the role of cross-sectoral trust for a functional business environment. Collective Action, she argues, can be an approach to overcoming trust deficits between relevant stakeholders. Celia Lourens supports the organisation of our 6th International Collective Action Conference.\n\nAt its core, anti-corruption Collective Action is about tackling corruption challenges together, rather than alone. Collective Action is primarily driven by businesses, often in collaboration with government representatives and civil society, to address a shared challenge and attain a common objective.\n\nBuilding trust is one critical element of Collective Action efforts, as it requires a genuine and sustained willingness from all involved stakeholders to collaborate.\n\n### Trust across sectors: the foundation of effective markets\n\nMarkets depend on trust – not only between businesses and their customers or employees and their organisational leadership, but between the institutions that shape the business environment:\n\n*   Business relies on regulatory bodies to create fair and predictable markets.\n*   Governments depend on businesses to act with integrity, beyond merely meeting compliance requirements.\n*   Civil society holds both public and private sectors accountable whilst advancing transparency and public confidence.\n\nWhere these relationships are founded in trust, business ecosystems function more effectively and markets remain stable.\n\nYet, cross-sector trust is increasingly under strain. Geopolitical volatility, tightening regulations and elevated complexity within supply chains are creating distance between the very actors who need to collaborate.\n\n### The cost of low-trust systems\n\nWhen trust between the private sector, government and civil society breaks down, the consequences are immediate: slower transactions, higher compliance costs and due diligence burdens, duplicated oversight and heightened reputational risk. Oversight becomes adversarial, compliance turns reactive and businesses invest more time managing risks than creating value.\n\nIn an era of heightened competitiveness, trust across sectors becomes the most valuable currency. Where it is systemically weak, a vicious cycle takes hold: low trust demands heightened scrutiny and more controls, which in turn erode trust further. Government enforcement of standards becomes inconsistent and civil society turns sceptical rather than being a partner.\n\nBreaking this cycle requires a different approach – one built on shared commitment, sustained engagement and coordinated action. This is where Collective Action comes into play.\n\n### Collective Action as a trust-building mechanism\n\nIn practice, Collective Action enables organisations to jointly raise integrity standards across industries, develop sector-specific norms and tackle systemic risks such as bribery and unethical conduct. Its ultimate objective – and the key incentive to participate in Collective Action initiatives – is to create fairer, more transparent markets where companies can compete on equal terms.\n\nBut beyond its role as an anti-corruption approach, Collective Action also serves as a powerful trust-building mechanism. In a low-trust environment, individual organisations acting ethically on their own can find themselves at a disadvantage. Collective Action changes this dynamic. Shared commitments level the playing field, the involvement of multiple stakeholders builds credibility and joint accountability mechanisms increase transparency.\n\nOver time, this collaborative approach fosters trust where it is hardest to achieve – between actors with different roles, responsibilities and pressures. The result is a shift in systemic behaviour that lowers the cost of doing business and drives a more predictable business environment.\n\n### From compliance to competitive advantage\n\nToo often, doing business with integrity is treated as a compliance obligation rather than a source of competitive advantage. Yet, in high-trust business environments, stronger partnerships and faster decision-making enable organisations to withstand disruptions. Organisations invested in building trust across their business ecosystem are better positioned to navigate complexity and sustain long-term value.\n\nCollective Action supports this shift by helping to shape markets that reward integrity, moving beyond a risk mitigation exercise.\n\n### Building trust in practice\n\nThis is exactly the focus of the [6th International Collective Action Conference](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fget-involved\u002Fevents\u002Ficac-2026), taking place on 9–10 June 2026 in Basel, Switzerland.\n\nBringing together leaders from business, government and civil society, the conference is designed as a space not just for dialogue, but for practical exchange. It showcases how Collective Action initiatives are being implemented across sectors, what makes them effective and how they can be adapted to different contexts.\n\nThe conference reflects a core conviction: trust across sectors does not happen by default but must be actively built. Organisations that commit to building trust together, as a collective, will not only manage risks more effectively, but help shape a new competitive advantage rooted in integrity.\n\n### Learn more\n\n*   [6th International Collective Action Conference 2026](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fget-involved\u002Fevents\u002Ficac-2026)\n*   [B20 Collective Action Hub](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com)\n*   Working Paper 56: [Anti-corruption Collective Action: A typology for a new era](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fexplore\u002Fpublications\u002F2397)\n*   Book: [Collective Action in practice: a game-changer for business integrity](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fexplore\u002Fpublications\u002F2407)","2026-04-20","building-trust-how-collective-action-strengthens-business-ecosystems-2959","Building trust: how Collective Action strengthens business ecosystems","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fc470512d-6eaf-404e-86ec-545ebd052655?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[16,17],[125],"Insights",[127,130,134],{"tags_id":128},{"id":129,"name":16},909,{"tags_id":131},{"id":132,"name":133},830,"Business integrity",{"tags_id":135},{"id":136,"name":137},982,"Anti-corruption",2959,[16,17],[125],[],[],[],"2026-06-04T21:13:50.000Z","b0662e2a-864d-4888-a1b7-4342b7570b30","2026-06-05T10:40:20.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fbuilding-trust-how-collective-action-strengthens-business-ecosystems-2959",{"id":150,"body":151,"status":6,"type":10,"date":152,"slug":153,"title":154,"image":155,"countries":156,"topic":158,"activity":159,"tags":161,"nid":162,"topics":163,"activities":164,"authors":165,"images":166,"websites":29,"area":29,"programme":29,"language":89,"translations":167,"translation_of":29,"user_created":47,"date_created":168,"user_updated":48,"date_updated":169,"content":170,"link":171},10605,"> These administrative steps are where asset recovery really happens… when dirty assets are transformed into resources that support law enforcement and serve the public good.\n\nWith these words, [Oscar Solórzano](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fabout\u002Fpeople\u002Foscar-solorzano), Head of Latin America at the Basel Institute on Governance, captured the often unseen but transformative impact of asset recovery. \n\nHis remark follows a high-level meeting in Peru marking the final phase of a pioneering international agreement.\n\nOn 26 March 2026, the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights of Peru hosted the Meeting of the States Parties to the [Tripartite Agreement between Peru, Switzerland and Luxembourg](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fit-takes-three-tango-switzerland-luxembourg-and-peru-sign-agreement-return-usd-26-million) on the transfer of confiscated assets. \n\nOpened by Minister Luis Enrique Jiménez Borra, the meeting brought together key Peruvian institutions alongside representatives of the Swiss authorities to review progress, assess institutional impact and discuss the next steps towards closure.\n\n### From frozen assets to public benefit\n\nThrough this cooperation, assets derived from corruption cases and previously frozen abroad have been returned to Peru and reinvested in strengthening the justice system. \n\nProjects funded under the agreement have enhanced the capacity to investigate and prosecute corruption and organised crime, improved coordination between institutions and strengthened mechanisms for asset recovery and asset management.\n\nThe National Program for Seized Assets ([PRONABI](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.gob.pe\u002Fpronabi)) has overseen the transparent and accountable administration of these funds, ensuring they directly support institutions at the forefront of combating corruption.\n\nHighlighting the broader significance of the initiative, Minister Jiménez Borra stated:\n\n> International cooperation can turn assets derived from corruption into concrete tools for strengthening justice and public integrity. The Tripartite Agreement shows how recovered assets can be reinvested to benefit citizens and strengthen the rule of law.\n\n### Strong international partnership and Swiss engagement\n\nPeru’s tripartite collaboration with Switzerland and Luxembourg has provided a strong framework for cooperation. It demonstrates how countries can work together to return illicit assets in a transparent and impactful way. \n\nThe Basel Institute on Governance, through its [International Centre for Asset Recovery](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fasset-recovery) (ICAR), has played a central role in supporting implementation by providing technical advice and accompanying institutions throughout the process. \n\nPaul Garnier, Ambassador of Switzerland to Peru, noted: \n\n> This meeting provides an important opportunity to review the current status of the project and the progress achieved so far. Switzerland also values the continued technical support provided by the Basel Institute on Governance throughout the implementation of this initiative. \n\nDuring the technical session, Oscar Solórzano and [Límberg Chero](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fabout\u002Fpeople\u002Flimberg-chero), a senior member of the Basel Institute’s [Public Finance Management programme in Peru](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublic-finance-peru), shared reflections on the implementation, impact and sustainability of the projects.\n\nCelso Alfredo Saavedra Sobrados, Executive Coordinator of PRONABI, emphasise that:\n\n> PRONABI has worked to ensure that the restituted funds are administered with transparency, efficiency and accountability, so that they directly contribute to strengthening the institutions responsible for combating corruption.\n\nHe also highlighted the close and timely technical support provided by the Basel Institute on Governance during the implementation of the project.\n\n### Setting a regional example for asset recovery\n\nThe experience demonstrates how sustained international cooperation, combined with targeted technical support, can ensure that recovered assets deliver tangible benefits for citizens and reinforce the rule of law.\n\nIt also offers a compelling example for other jurisdictions, showing that asset return can be both practical and impactful when underpinned by trust, transparency and shared objectives. \n\nThe hope is that this model will inspire further mutually beneficial efforts to return stolen assets and put them to work for the public good.","2026-04-02","where-asset-recovery-really-happens-peru-advances-landmark-restitution-initiative-2949","Where asset recovery really happens: Peru advances landmark restitution initiative","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Facf1f9c4-3c0f-46da-a4c6-cb846ceacb26?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[157],7806,[15],[160],"International cooperation",[],2949,[26],[160],[],[],[],"2026-04-15T22:45:17.000Z","2026-05-29T22:22:39.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fwhere-asset-recovery-really-happens-peru-advances-landmark-restitution-initiative-2949",{"id":173,"body":174,"status":6,"type":97,"date":175,"slug":176,"title":177,"image":178,"countries":179,"topic":180,"activity":181,"tags":182,"nid":185,"topics":186,"activities":187,"authors":188,"images":189,"websites":29,"area":29,"programme":29,"language":89,"translations":190,"translation_of":29,"user_created":47,"date_created":191,"user_updated":48,"date_updated":192,"content":193,"link":202},10607,"Corruption is not just a collection of isolated acts by individuals. It is a complex, adaptive system that evolves in response to efforts to control it. And seeing it this way opens up new possibilities to tackle it more effectively.\n\nThis was the central message of a recent Basel Institute on Governance research webinar exploring how corruption evolves and what this means for designing interventions that remain effective over time.\n\nTwo senior researchers from the Basel Institute's Prevention, Research and Innovation – Dr Claudia Baez Camargo and Dr Jacopo Costa – were joined by Dr Maria Nizzero, Head of Sanctions Policy at UK Finance and Associate Research Fellow at RUSI, to explore corruption's networked nature and its implications.\n\nThese implications are practical as much as conceptual. Understanding corruption as a networked, adaptive system changes how corruption, organised crime, sanctions evasion and related threats need to be addressed in practice.\n\n### Corruption as a dynamic system\n\nA recent [academic paper](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fconceptualizing-evolution-corruption-empirical-analysis-italy) by Dr Baez Camargo and Dr Costa highlights a key gap in how corruption is typically analysed. While it is widely accepted that corrupt and criminal strategies change over time, the mechanisms driving that change have received far less attention.\n\nTheir analytical framework suggests that corruption evolves through changes in the behaviour of individuals within networks, shaped by shifts in the broader environment. These shifts may include stronger enforcement, legal and regulatory reforms, technological developments, or wider political and economic change. When new strategies prove effective, they spread across networks through collaboration, brokerage and imitation.\n\nA case study of Italy illustrates this process. In the early 1990s, corruption operated through relatively centralised, pyramidal structures linked to political parties. Over time, following scandals, reforms and increased scrutiny, this system became more fragmented and decentralised. Corrupt practices moved away from formalised exchanges and became more networked, informal and embedded in relationships.\n\nThe outcome was not less corruption, but different corruption.\n\nAs Dr Costa noted, corruption and anti-corruption are engaged in an “uninterrupted dance”, in which “very often, corrupt actors are two steps ahead of us”.\n\n### The concept of the “kleptocratic enterprise”\n\nLooking at corruption through a network lens also opens up new ways of thinking about how to tackle it.\n\n[Research by Dr Nizzero and co-authors](https:\u002F\u002Fgiace.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2026\u002F01\u002FGIACE_Kleptocratic-Enterprises_NizzeroHeathershawMayne.pdf) Professor John Heathershaw and Professor Tom Mayne highlights the persistent challenges of asset recovery and enforcement in cases of large-scale corruption. Illicit wealth is often concealed through complex ownership structures, dispersed across jurisdictions and distanced from its original source over time. Legal frameworks may exist, but applying them effectively remains difficult.\n\nA key part of the problem lies in the role of professional service providers. Lawyers, accountants, real estate actors, company service providers and others help move, manage and shield assets. These actors often operate across borders and may serve a wide range of clients, including both organised crime groups and politically exposed individuals.\n\nThis has led to the idea of a “kleptocratic enterprise”: a networked system in which clients demand services such as concealment and asset protection, and a range of actors supply those services. Viewing corruption in this way shifts attention towards patterns of conduct, relationships and enabling structures.\n\nIt also suggests that tools used to tackle organised crime, such as anti-racketeering or anti-mafia approaches, may offer useful insights. These frameworks often focus on networks rather than individuals, combine multiple legal tools and allow for a broader understanding of harm, including the impact on society.\n\nAt the same time, responses must remain grounded in due process and the rule of law. Stronger measures can create new risks, including displacement of illicit activity to other jurisdictions or unintended consequences linked to overreach. The challenge is to expand the toolkit without compromising core legal principles.\n\n### When enforcement creates new risks\n\nField research by the Basel Institute under the EU-funded [FALCON project](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.falcon-horizon.eu\u002F) shows how quickly corrupt and criminal networks adapt to enforcement pressure.\n\nAt the [Port of Rotterdam](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fwp-58), increased inspections and surveillance aimed at tackling drug trafficking made insider access more valuable. Corruption became a critical mechanism for bypassing strengthened controls, illustrating how enforcement can shift incentives in ways that reinforce the role of corruption.\n\nAt the Kapitan Andreevo border crossing between Bulgaria and Turkey, changes linked to EU accession, including new regulatory frameworks and stronger border controls, were followed by new forms of corruption and criminal activity. These included routinised extractive practices, shifts in smuggling strategies and the emergence of new actors.\n\nAcross both cases, the pattern is consistent. Measures designed to reduce corruption and illicit activity can reshape how those activities are organised and carried out.\n\n### Why networks are so resilient\n\nOne reason corruption adapts so effectively lies in the nature of the networks themselves.\n\nAs Dr Baez Camargo explains, enforcement-focused approaches can become a “whack-a-mole game” when underlying incentives remain unchanged. Efforts to close one avenue often lead to the emergence of another.\n\n[Informal networks](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fquick-guide-23-informal-networks-and-anti-corruption) are particularly resilient because they are built on more than financial exchange. Trust, personal relationships and shared social norms play a central role. These elements are difficult to detect, harder to regulate and highly adaptable.\n\nCriminal and corrupt networks are also flexible and opportunistic. They can shift strategies, routes and methods quickly, drawing on significant resources and expertise. Formal institutions, by contrast, operate within legal and procedural constraints, which can limit their ability to respond at the same pace.\n\n### Towards more adaptive responses\n\nIf corruption behaves like a complex adaptive system, anti-corruption efforts need to reflect that reality.\n\nOne emerging approach is to place greater emphasis on understanding systems rather than focusing narrowly on individual interventions. This involves mapping relationships, incentives and behavioural patterns in much greater depth, and remaining alert to how these evolve over time.\n\nIt also requires a shift away from strictly linear theories of change. Fixed indicators and predefined outcomes can miss important developments, particularly when systems are dynamic and interconnected. A more flexible approach allows practitioners to identify early signals of change, whether positive or negative, and adjust their strategies accordingly.\n\nAs Dr Baez Camargo puts it, “we cannot keep thinking that change is linear”. A better understanding of systems, combined with the ability to detect and respond to change, is essential for staying relevant in rapidly evolving contexts.\n\n### A shift in perspective\n\nTaken together, these insights point to a broader conclusion. Corruption is not static, and responses to it cannot be static either.\n\nUnderstanding corruption as a networked, adaptive system changes how problems are defined and how solutions are designed. It brings greater attention to relationships, incentives and enabling structures. It also highlights the importance of anticipating how systems will respond to interventions.\n\nFor practitioners working on corruption, organised crime or related risks, this shift is increasingly important. Integrating it into programming should help us not only respond more quickly as corruption adapts – i.e. whack the moles more rapidly when they pop up. It should also help us design flexible, creative and context-sensitive interventions that can genuinely disrupt these resilient illicit networks and themselves adapt to remain effective over time.\n\n### Learn more\n\n*   [Conceptualizing the evolution of corruption: an empirical analysis from Italy](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fconceptualizing-evolution-corruption-empirical-analysis-italy), by Dr Jacopo Costa and Dr Claudia Baez Camargo.\n*   [Corruption as a facilitator of drug trafficking in the port of Rotterdam](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fwp-58), by Dr Saba Kassa and Dr Jacopo Costa \n*   [The Kleptocratic Enterprise: Lessons from organised crime to target transnational corruption and strengthen asset recovery in the UK](https:\u002F\u002Fgiace.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2026\u002F01\u002FGIACE_Kleptocratic-Enterprises_NizzeroHeathershawMayne.pdf), by Dr Maria Nizzero, Professor John Heathershaw and Professor Tom Mayne\n\n### Webinar recording\n\n\u003Ciframe allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.youtube.com\u002Fembed\u002FETQto16U_q4?si=yrjbtCTRmQ5ceTPo\" title=\"YouTube video player\" width=\"560\">\u003C\u002Fiframe>\n\nDisclaimer\n\n_This webinar and summary are part of the FALCON (Fight Against Largescale Corruption and Organised Crime Networks) project. FALCON is funded under the European Union’s Horizon Europe Framework Program Grant Agreement ID 101121281. The Basel Institute on Governance, as an associated partner without the right to receive funds directly from the European Research Executive Agency, has received funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). The contents of this summary are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union, the European Research Executive Agency or SERI._","2026-03-25","corruption-is-a-complex-adaptive-network-what-does-this-mean-for-anti-corruption-policy-and-practice-2945","Corruption is a complex, adaptive network. What does this mean for anti-corruption policy and practice?","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Faf37ba1d-85e1-4724-ab47-4e58056330c6?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[18,19],[105,22],[183],{"tags_id":184},{"id":136,"name":137},2945,[27],[105,22],[],[],[],"2026-04-15T22:45:18.000Z","2026-05-07T21:29:58.000Z",[194,195,196,197,198,199,200,201],1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fcorruption-is-a-complex-adaptive-network-what-does-this-mean-for-anti-corruption-policy-and-practice-2945",{"id":204,"body":205,"status":6,"type":97,"date":206,"slug":207,"title":208,"image":209,"countries":210,"topic":211,"activity":212,"tags":213,"nid":214,"topics":215,"activities":216,"authors":217,"images":219,"websites":29,"area":29,"programme":29,"language":89,"translations":220,"translation_of":29,"user_created":47,"date_created":221,"user_updated":48,"date_updated":222,"content":223,"link":224},10608,"_Criminal assets can cross borders in hours, while international asset recovery often struggles to keep pace. The INTERPOL Silver Notice is designed to close this gap by enabling earlier identification and tracing of criminal assets across jurisdictions. Can this new instrument fundamentally change how law enforcement responds to the rapid flight of illicit wealth?_\n\nCriminal funds can be moved across jurisdictions, layered through shell companies or converted into digital assets in a matter of hours. By contrast, international legal cooperation frequently moves at a far slower pace. The mismatch between the speed of asset flight and the pace of enforcement is one of the central reasons why several international bodies estimate that a very high proportion of [criminal assets](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.interpol.int\u002Fen\u002FNews-and-Events\u002FNews\u002F2025\u002FINTERPOL-publishes-first-Silver-Notice-targeting-criminal-assets#:~:text=Valdecy%20Urquiza%2C%20INTERPOL%20Secretary%20General,of%20criminal%20assets%20remain%20unrecovered.) ultimately remain unrecovered.\n\nINTERPOL’s Silver Notices seek to narrow this gap. They provide law enforcement with an early, structured mechanism to identify and trace assets across borders, strengthening one of the weakest stages of asset recovery: the initial [identification of criminal assets](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fblog\u002Finterpols-silver-notice-paving-way-improved-asset-recovery). For practitioners dealing with fraud, corruption, money laundering and organised crime, Silver Notices reflect a shift toward treating asset recovery as an enforcement priority rather than merely a consequence of criminal conviction.\n\n### The state of play\n\nINTERPOL launched the Silver Notice as a pilot initiative in January 2025, involving 52 jurisdictions across all regions. [As of November 2025, 133 Silver Notices and 35 Diffusions had been published](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.interpol.int\u002FNews-and-Events\u002FNews\u002F2025\u002FTogether-Against-Crime-INTERPOL-General-Assembly-approves-blueprint-for-future) at the request of 39 countries, linked to suspected financial harm exceeding EUR 30 billion, according to INTERPOL.\n\nSwitzerland does not currently participate in the pilot and therefore does not issue Silver Notices. However, Swiss authorities may still receive Silver Notices and share information through existing police cooperation channels.\n\nIn November 2025, during the 93rd INTERPOL General Assembly in Marrakech, delegates approved the extension of the Silver Notice pilot, allowing additional jurisdictions to participate. For practitioners, this expansion matters: broader participation directly increases the likelihood that assets can be identified and preserved before they are moved beyond the reach of enforcement authorities.\n\n### What is the Silver Notice?\n\nINTERPOL Notices enable countries to share critical criminal intelligence and request operational assistance across borders. A Silver Notice is a non-coercive intelligence tool designed to support the identification and tracing of assets linked to serious criminal offences. It does not, by itself, authorise the freezing, seizure or confiscation of assets. Any such measures must be taken in accordance with national law and applicable judicial procedures.\n\nIn practice, Silver Notices may be used to:\n\n*   flag bank accounts, real estate, corporate holdings and digital assets;\n*   identify beneficial owners or persons exercising control over assets;\n*   enable secure and structured intelligence sharing between participating jurisdictions.\n\n### From identification to legal action\n\nOne of the most persistent challenges in cross-border asset recovery lies in the slow and often complex operation of Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) mechanisms used to gather evidence or freeze assets. Evidentiary thresholds and procedural requirements vary widely across jurisdictions, and delays in cooperation can allow assets to be dissipated.\n\nWhen a Silver Notice leads to the identification of assets, the jurisdiction in which they are located informs the requesting country and INTERPOL, outlines domestic legal options, and acts within its legal framework. Early bilateral engagement allows investigators and prosecutors to align MLA requests with domestic standards, shortening the transition from intelligence to evidence and from tracing to freezing, helping preserve asset value and improving the prospects of confiscation and victim restitution or compensation.\n\n### Safeguards and limits\n\nBefore any Notice is circulated, it must pass a strict legal compliance review to ensure that it complies with INTERPOL’s Constitution, including the prohibition on matters of a political, military, racial or religious character. These safeguards are essential to maintaining trust between member countries and protecting the system from misuse, particularly in sensitive or high-profile cases.\n\nThe Silver Notice is also deliberately designed to avoid coercive overreach. Key safeguards include:\n\n*   restriction to serious criminal offences;\n*   a requirement for a clear factual link between the assets and suspected criminal conduct;\n*   use within the framework of national legal systems, including judicial or prosecutorial oversight where required.\n\nAt the same time, Silver Notices are not without limitations. For example, in politically sensitive cases, careful scrutiny is required to ensure that asset-tracing requests are not used to advance improper objectives. This makes the robustness and independence of INTERPOL’s compliance review mechanisms particularly important.\n\nUltimately, Silver Notices are not a solution to all asset recovery challenges. Their effectiveness depends on domestic legal framework and the willingness and ability of authorities to act on shared intelligence. They enhance international cooperation, but they do not replace the need for strong national asset recovery regimes or effective MLA processes.\n\n### Closing the enforcement gap\n\nThe speed at which criminal assets move across borders continues to outpace traditional enforcement tools. Silver Notices respond to this challenge by enabling earlier asset tracing and more timely operational engagement between jurisdictions.\n\nMore broadly, Silver Notices reflect an evolving approach to financial crime enforcement that prioritises proactive, intelligence-led intervention over reactive asset recovery at the end of lengthy criminal proceedings. Silver Notices are an enabler, not a shortcut. Used effectively and responsibly, they can strengthen the strategic focus on asset recovery and materially improve the prospects of asset confiscation and victim restitution.\n\n_This blog is also published on the [Hochschule Luzern Economic Crime Blog here](https:\u002F\u002Fhub.hslu.ch\u002Feconomiccrime\u002F?p=6536)._","2026-03-16","interpol-silver-notices-speeding-up-the-tracing-of-criminal-assets-2944","INTERPOL Silver Notices: Speeding up the tracing of criminal assets","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fdaf2f81c-8270-46aa-93a2-3a8a469a7420?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[14,15],[125],[],2944,[14,26],[125],[218],1371,[],[],"2026-04-15T22:45:19.000Z","2026-05-29T22:22:40.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Finterpol-silver-notices-speeding-up-the-tracing-of-criminal-assets-2944",{"id":226,"body":227,"status":6,"type":10,"date":228,"slug":229,"title":230,"image":231,"countries":232,"topic":233,"activity":234,"tags":235,"nid":236,"topics":237,"activities":238,"authors":239,"images":240,"websites":29,"area":29,"programme":29,"language":89,"translations":241,"translation_of":29,"user_created":47,"date_created":242,"user_updated":29,"date_updated":29,"content":243,"link":244},10610,"Nominations are now open for the [International Anti-Corruption Collective Action Awards 2026](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fget-involved\u002Fawards\u002F), recognising organisations and initiatives that demonstrate leadership, impact and innovation in advancing Collective Action to prevent corruption and strengthen business integrity.\n\nThe awards will be presented at the [International Collective Action Conference 2026](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fregistration-open-6th-international-collective-action-conference), taking place on 9–10 June 2026 in Basel, Switzerland.\n\nOrganisations and initiatives can submit their nomination for two award categories:\n\n*   Gretta Fenner Outstanding Achievement in Collective Action 2026 – acknowledging significant contributions towards fairer market conditions and the prevention of corruption through engagement in Collective Action.\n*   Collective Action Inspirational Newcomer 2026 – showcase accomplishments of initiatives that have been active in the field of anti-corruption Collective Action for less than two years.\n\nNomination are open until 27 March 2026.\n\nThe anti-corruption Collective Action Awards are non-monetary and will only be granted to organisations, not individuals. \n\n### Selection process\n\nEligible nominations will be reviewed by an international jury of experts. The three highest-scoring initiatives in each category will be shortlisted as finalists. Winners will then be determined through a combined vote of the jury and the public, with each jury member and the public vote carrying equal weight.\n\nPublic voting will take place online and will be anonymous. \n\n#### Jury members\n\nThe 2026 jury includes:\n\n*   Nathalie Delapalme, Chief Executive Officer of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation\n*   Nicola Bonucci, Board Member of the Basel Institute on Governance and former Director for Legal Affairs at the OECD\n*   Rhoda Weeks-Brown, Founder and CEO of Cape Palmas Global Advisors LLC and former General Counsel of the IMF\n\nThe awards are presented with the support of the [Siemens Integrity Initiative](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fbasel-institute-awarded-new-siemens-integrity-initiative-evolve-funding-advance-global).\n\n### Learn more\n\n*   For more information on the eligibility criteria, the selection process and the public vote, see our [award methodology](https:\u002F\u002Fb20-dev.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fa54d560f-0d11-439a-ac88-8bf89a6a2120).\n*   Learn more on the [B20 Collective Action Hub](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002F), the Basel Institute's platform for knowledge and engagement on anti-corruption Collective Action.","2026-03-04","international-collective-action-awards-2026-nominations-open-2941","International Collective Action Awards 2026: nominations open","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F7d9267b4-5c9c-4c0d-81a2-a1ca5c34eaa9?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[16,17],[105],[],2941,[16,17],[105],[],[],[],"2026-04-15T22:45:21.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Finternational-collective-action-awards-2026-nominations-open-2941",{"id":246,"body":247,"status":6,"type":97,"date":248,"slug":249,"title":250,"image":251,"countries":252,"topic":254,"activity":255,"tags":256,"nid":257,"topics":258,"activities":259,"authors":260,"images":261,"websites":29,"area":29,"programme":29,"language":89,"translations":262,"translation_of":29,"user_created":47,"date_created":263,"user_updated":48,"date_updated":264,"content":265,"link":266},10599,"Women can play a crucial role in the fight against corruption. This is the conviction that underpins the work of [SPAK Indonesia](http:\u002F\u002Fwww.spakindonesia.org\u002F), the organisation awarded Outstanding Achievement in Collective Action at the [International Collective Action Awards 2025](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fget-involved\u002Fevents\u002Fawards-2025\u002Fawards).\n\nBut why women, specifically? Because of their central role in transmitting moral and ethical values within their families and communities, shaping society from the inside.\n\nOriginated from the SPAK movement (\"I am a Woman Against Corruption\"), SPAK Indonesia has, for over a decade, systematised and built anti-corruption ecosystems through a network of “agents”: women from diverse backgrounds who promote integrity values across different private and public contexts.\n\nThe Outstanding Achievement in Collective Action award they received is a well-deserved recognition of their leadership, impact and innovation in corruption.\n\nIn this interview, Maria Kresentia, Director of SPAK Indonesia, reflects on how the organisation operates, the challenges it has encountered and the strategies that have enabled it to sustain this work. \n\n### SPAK is known for empowering women and communities to fight corruption through education and everyday actions. Can you briefly explain how your approach works in practice and what makes it effective?\n\nCorruption is often viewed as something distant from oneself, as many people still believe that corruption is committed only by government officials. Addressing corruption is also often considered solely the responsibility of law enforcement authorities. SPAK takes a different approach by demonstrating that violations of moral and ethical values that become habitual are the starting point of larger corrupt practices.\n\nTherefore, corruption becomes everyone’s concern, and its prevention can begin with each individual through the implementation of anti-corruption values in everyday life.\n\nWomen play a strategic role in promoting integrity and ethical behaviour. As primary caregivers, they are often the first to introduce moral and ethical values to the next generation. \n\nIn the Indonesian context, women also benefit from strong social participation and community access. These factors enable women to serve as effective agents in disseminating anti-corruption values at both household and community levels.\n\nTo facilitate this role, SPAK has developed anti-corruption learning tools in the form of board games designed for different age groups. This approach has proven effective in fostering behavioural change through women-led corruption prevention initiatives.\n\n### Your work relies strongly on collaboration between citizens, schools, civil society and public institutions. Why is Collective Action so important for fighting corruption in Indonesia?\n\nAll Indonesian citizens have a responsibility to combat corruption. Under the SPAK approach, awareness of moral and ethical values as the foundation of anti-corruption principles must be instilled in everyone, regardless of rank or authority.\n\nWhile law enforcement remains important, building a society that is committed to anti-corruption values is equally critical to prevention efforts. This can only be achieved through coordinated actions among institutions and communities.\n\n### Looking back over the past years, what has been one of the biggest challenges SPAK has faced in building and maintaining this movement, and how did you overcome it?\n\nOne of the challenges is that prevention-oriented anti-corruption initiatives that centre on moral and ethical values are often underestimated and considered insufficiently newsworthy, causing stories of positive behavioural change to be overlooked by the media.\n\nOn the other hand, coverage of corrupt officials being arrested is generally viewed as more compelling than stories of teachers in remote elementary schools who refuse gifts from students in order to uphold the principle of fairness.\n\nTo address this challenge, SPAK consistently involves the media in its programmes, encouraging coverage that highlights how the application of anti-corruption values leads to meaningful change.\n\nSecuring funding support also remains challenging, as many institutions seek quick and measurable results. In response, SPAK proactively fosters collaboration with ministries, government bodies, local governments, the private sector and educational institutions to advance integrity-building efforts that are vital to strengthening Indonesia’s human capital.\n\nFinally, mobilising young people to take part in corruption prevention efforts, starting with the cultivation of anti-corruption values, is challenging, as youth are often more interested in dramatic and confrontational actions such as demonstrations that may lead to violence.\n\nTo channel this energy constructively, SPAK facilitates online, inter-campus discussions on up-to-date issues, inviting respected and influential speakers.\n\nBy embedding anti-corruption values within these discussions, SPAK successfully engages students in meaningful dialogue while strengthening their understanding of integrity as a key solution to corruption.\n\n### What does winning the Outstanding Achievement in Collective Action Award mean for SPAK Indonesia and the women in your network who have been working on anti-corruption for over a decade?\n\nReceiving this award is evidence that Indonesian women – regardless of their educational background or profession – are capable of building networks to drive change in the context of combating corruption.\n\nAfter receiving this international recognition, what are SPAK’s main priorities for the next phase of your work, and how do you hope the award will support your future plans?\n\nSPAK will remain committed to promoting anti-corruption values, which we consider essential in the fight against corruption in Indonesia. We seek to inspire more role models across government, private and educational institutions who are willing to lead change.\n\nThe awards we have received have strengthened our confidence that collaboration is the best way to build and expand an anti-corruption movement in society.\n\nThank you, Maria Kresentia for this enlightening conversation!\n\n### About the International Collective Action Awards\n\nThe International Collective Action Awards are awarded every year and acknowledge initiatives that showcase outstanding results, emerging best practices and innovation in the field of Collective Action to tackle corruption and raise standards of business integrity.\n\nThe Basel Institute on Governance, supported by an international jury of experts and a public vote, will present two Collective Action Awards at [6th International Collective Action Conference 2026](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fget-involved\u002Fevents\u002Ficac-2026).\n\n*   Outstanding Achievement in Collective Action: This award recognises organisations or initiatives that have made a significant contribution to fairer market conditions and the prevention of corruption through sustained and effective engagement in Collective Action.\n*   Collective Action Inspirational Newcomer: This award recognises organisations or initiatives that have been active in the field of Collective Action for less than two years and have shown strong potential to inspire others through their approach and early impact.\n\nNominations for the 2026 Awards are opened. For more information on the eligibility criteria, the selection process and the public vote, read the [award methodology](https:\u002F\u002Fb20-dev.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fa54d560f-0d11-439a-ac88-8bf89a6a2120) or visit the [Collective Action website](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fget-involved\u002Fawards). The awards are presented with the support of the [Siemens Integrity Initiative](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.siemens.com\u002Fglobal\u002Fen\u002Fcompany\u002Fabout\u002Fcompliance\u002Fcollective-action.html#SiemensIntegrityInitiativePuttingCollectiveActionintopractice).","2026-02-27","the-power-of-women-as-agents-of-anti-corruption-qampa-with-spak-indonesia-2928","The power of women as agents of anti-corruption: Q&A with SPAK Indonesia","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F34519ca2-407d-4b49-90a0-88970e8636d7?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[253],7803,[16],[82],[],2928,[16],[],[],[],[],"2026-02-27T15:07:16.000Z","2026-04-15T22:28:53.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fthe-power-of-women-as-agents-of-anti-corruption-qampa-with-spak-indonesia-2928",{"id":268,"body":269,"status":6,"type":10,"date":270,"slug":271,"title":272,"image":273,"countries":274,"topic":276,"activity":277,"tags":279,"nid":280,"topics":281,"activities":282,"authors":283,"images":284,"websites":29,"area":29,"programme":29,"language":89,"translations":285,"translation_of":29,"user_created":47,"date_created":286,"user_updated":47,"date_updated":287,"content":288,"link":289},10601,"The only international anti-corruption Collective Action Conference is back!\n\nAre you working on corruption prevention in the private sector, government, civil society or academia?\n\nThen join us for the sixth edition of this biannual landmark event on 9–10 June in Basel, Switzerland.\n\nOver one and a half days of expert sessions, fireside chats and networking, we’ll bring together practitioners from around the world to build and strengthen communities of practice in Collective Action.\n\nThis edition will focus on concrete measures to make markets fairer and more transparent – with a strong hands-on approach:\n\n*   What does Collective Action look like in practice, and what makes it work?\n*   How can a multi-stakeholder approach help organisations respond more effectively to global business challenges?\n\nThe 6th International Collective Action Conference is supported by the Siemens Integrity Initiative. Participation is free of charge, but places are limited and subject to approval. \n\nLearn more on the [official event page on the B20 Collective Action Hub](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fget-involved\u002Fevents\u002Ficac-2026) and [submit your registration request here](https:\u002F\u002Fdocs.google.com\u002Fforms\u002Fd\u002Fe\u002F1FAIpQLSeoO9mw-xZxNATMMIIr7vPqUqBPEWuOXW-AT2t3WXiYYMysaw\u002Fviewform).\n\n### Sponsorship opportunities\n\nWe are seeking a limited number of sponsors to support the conference and help advance practical, multi-stakeholder approaches to business integrity and anti-corruption. [See more information on sponsorship options and benefits](https:\u002F\u002Fb20-dev.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fb9939e69-4813-4b44-903e-2ab705068d45) and don't hesitate to get in touch.","2026-02-16","registration-open-6th-international-collective-action-conference-2933","Registration open: 6th International Collective Action Conference","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F40e65081-b8a4-44f9-b6d1-b16f6a5083be?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[275],7804,[16,17],[105,278],"Partnerships",[],2933,[16,17],[105,278],[],[],[],"2026-02-27T15:07:17.000Z","2026-02-27T15:07:18.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fregistration-open-6th-international-collective-action-conference-2933",{"id":291,"body":292,"status":6,"type":97,"date":293,"slug":294,"title":295,"image":296,"countries":297,"topic":298,"activity":299,"tags":300,"nid":309,"topics":310,"activities":311,"authors":312,"images":313,"websites":29,"area":29,"programme":29,"language":89,"translations":314,"translation_of":29,"user_created":47,"date_created":287,"user_updated":48,"date_updated":169,"content":315,"link":316},10602,"_By J. Edward (Ned) Conway, Executive Secretary, The Wolfsberg Group_\n\nAs virtual assets move into the mainstream of traditional finance, tricky questions arise. What does a reasonable, risk-based control framework look like for banks that provide services to virtual asset service providers (VASPs)? And how can compliance teams strengthen private-to-private information sharing to better detect suspicious activity?\n\nThese were some of the questions tackled by the [Wolfsberg Group](https:\u002F\u002Fwolfsberg-group.org\u002F) at the 9th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptoassets, organised by the Basel Institute on Governance, Europol and UNODC and held in Vienna on 28–29 October 2025.\n\nThe Wolfsberg Group is an association of 12 global banks that develops frameworks and guidance for the management of financial crime risks. Housed at the Basel Institute on Governance, this long-standing initiative brings together senior financial crime compliance leaders through various working groups, including one dedicated to virtual assets.\n\nThis flagship event provided a valuable platform for the Group to explain its [Stablecoin Guidance](https:\u002F\u002Fwolfsberg-group.org\u002Fresources\u002F204\u002F), gauge interest in a specific Due Diligence Questionnaire focused on VASPs, and further advance efforts to break down silos in private-to-private information sharing.\n\nThis blog summarises some of the key discussions – dialogues that are continuing in dedicated meetings and consultations of the Wolfsberg Group with members, regulators and institutional partners.\n\n### Regulatory clarity as a catalyst for TradFi–VASP relationships?\n\nDay 1 of the conference saw Ned Conway, Executive Secretary of the Wolfsberg Group, moderate a high-level panel discussion featuring representatives from Circle, Bullish and Société Générale on the theme _“Bridging the TradFi–DeFi Gap.”_\n\nThe panel discussed the barriers to relationship building between traditional finance (TradFi) institutions such as banks and VASPs such as cryptocurrency exchanges and stablecoin issuers. The speakers noted that a lack of trust and understanding persists, particularly around risks specific to virtual assets.\n\nThat is one reason that TradFi is slow to onboard VASPs as clients and provide them with the banking services they need in order to operate. However, stablecoins are helping bridge this gap by bringing parts of the crypto universe under regulatory frameworks.\n\nTradFi institutions underlined that they would benefit from clearer scenarios from regulators on where collaboration and information sharing would be permissible between regulated entities and VASPs. Recent [guidance issued by regulators on stablecoins and virtual assets in Asia](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.hkma.gov.hk\u002Fmedia\u002Feng\u002Fdoc\u002Fkey-functions\u002Fifc\u002Fstablecoin-issuers\u002FGuideline_on_supervision_of_licensed_stablecoin_issuers_eng.pdf), in particular, could help improve confidence both ways in the TradFi-VASP relationship.\n\n### Aligning risk appetite, due diligence and monitoring for suspicious activity\n\nOn Day 2, a dedicated Wolfsberg side event brought together VASPs, FinTech firms and traditional banks for in-depth discussions. Representatives from several Wolfsberg member banks – Deutsche Bank, Citi, UBS, Société Générale, and Bank of America – joined the sessions.\n\nThe agenda focused on frameworks for information sharing, but the discussions touched upon a range of hot topics including:\n\n*   risk appetite and the risk-based approach;\n*   payment transparency (i.e. the [travel rule](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.eba.europa.eu\u002Fpublications-and-media\u002Fpress-releases\u002Feba-issues-travel-rule-guidance-tackle-money-laundering-and-terrorist-financing-transfers-funds-and)); and\n*   approaches to monitoring for suspicious activity.\n\nDuring the discussions, participants highlighted that one of the main barriers to effective collaboration between traditional financial institutions and VASPs is a lack of mutual trust. Both sectors face difficulties in interacting with each other.\n\nThe [Wolfsberg Correspondent Banking Due Diligence Questionnaire](https:\u002F\u002Fwolfsberg-group.org\u002Fresources?type=cbddq-fccq&category=questionnaires) (CBDDQ) is useful for setting standards, but onboarding challenges could be overcome by framing risk in common language. Many viewed the current onboarding approaches as fragmented, and expressed strong support for the Wolfsberg Group to develop standardised guidance and a due diligence questionnaire for VASPs.\n\nQuestions remain about what is “reasonable” and “risk-based” for VASPs, especially for smaller institutions, and whether banks should monitor blockchain transactions themselves. VASPs need to be able to articulate their risk appetite, and how this changes as they continue to develop innovative products and services.\n\nVASP participants viewed the Wolfsberg Group’s [Stablecoin Guidance](https:\u002F\u002Fwolfsberg-group.org\u002Fresources\u002F204\u002F) as applicable beyond stablecoin issuers to the wider VASP ecosystem. This is particularly true for the tailored questions on the underlying control environment, and the linking of risk appetite directly to monitoring approaches.\n\n### Improving private-private information sharing on suspicious activity\n\nDiscussion on information sharing between TradFi and VASPs highlighted that this can rely heavily on personal relationships across entities, limiting scalability.\n\nVASPs showed concern around sharing wallet addresses under private-to-private information sharing frameworks, given geopolitical trends and concerns around the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). However, consensus emerged that better data sharing both increases the quality of suspicious activity reports (SARs) and reduces SAR volumes.\n\nParticularly on this latter point, activities often thought to be suspicious in a silo are better understood when viewed from multiple perspectives, confirming the importance of information exchange.\n\n### Continuing to build bridges as the financial system evolves\n\nBridging the gap between TradFi and DeFi remains a central theme in the Wolfsberg Group’s strategy. The Vienna events offered a unique opportunity to engage key stakeholders across the sector and advance this important dialogue.\n\nThe side event was opened by Elizabeth Andersen, Executive Director of the Basel Institute on Governance. The Wolfsberg Group extends its sincere thanks to the Basel Institute for the opportunity to co-host this side event and to participate in the 9th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptoassets.\n\n### Learn more\n\n*   Learn more about the [Wolfsberg Group](https:\u002F\u002Fwolfsberg-group.org\u002F) and explores its guidance and [resources](https:\u002F\u002Fwolfsberg-group.org\u002Fresources) on managing financial crime risk, including its [Stablecoin Guidance](https:\u002F\u002Fwolfsberg-group.org\u002Fresources\u002F204\u002F).\n*   Learn more about the [9th Global Conference](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fglobal-experts-advance-joint-fight-against-crypto-enabled-crime) and see selected recordings.\n*   Find out about the [10th Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptoassets](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002F10crc) on 15–16 September 2026 in Luxembourg.","2026-02-11","advancing-trust-and-standards-between-banks-and-virtual-asset-service-providers-lessons-from-wolfsberg-group-events-at-the-9th-global-conference-2929","Advancing trust and standards between banks and virtual asset service providers – lessons from Wolfsberg Group events at the 9th Global Conference","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fc0f797c0-3af2-47b9-92aa-20efc3f95cce?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[14,15],[105],[301,305],{"tags_id":302},{"id":303,"name":304},854,"Virtual assets",{"tags_id":306},{"id":307,"name":308},818,"Anti-money laundering",2929,[14,26],[105],[],[],[],[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fadvancing-trust-and-standards-between-banks-and-virtual-asset-service-providers-lessons-from-wolfsberg-group-events-at-the-9th-global-conference-2929",{"left":318,"top":318,"width":319,"height":319,"rotate":318,"vFlip":320,"hFlip":320,"body":321},0,20,false,"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M17 10a.75.75 0 0 1-.75.75H5.612l4.158 3.96a.75.75 0 1 1-1.04 1.08l-5.5-5.25a.75.75 0 0 1 0-1.08l5.5-5.25a.75.75 0 1 1 1.04 1.08L5.612 9.25H16.25A.75.75 0 0 1 17 10\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\u002F>",1780676399564]