[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":298},["ShallowReactive",2],{"news-new-executive-director-elizabeth-andersen-2729":3,"news-new-executive-director-elizabeth-andersen-2729-similar":40,"i-heroicons:arrow-left-20-solid":293},[4],{"id":5,"status":6,"date_created":7,"date_updated":8,"title":9,"type":10,"body":11,"date":12,"topic":13,"slug":15,"activity":16,"nid":17,"topics":18,"activities":19,"programme":20,"area":20,"websites":21,"language":20,"image":23,"translation_of":20,"countries":34,"tags":35,"authors":36,"images":37,"translations":38,"content":39},10513,"published","2024-12-03T09:15:34.000Z","2026-05-08T21:11:13.000Z","New Executive Director: Elizabeth Andersen","News","We are delighted to announce the appointment of Elizabeth (Betsy) Andersen as Executive Director of the Basel Institute on Governance.\n\nBetsy Andersen is currently Executive Director of the World Justice Project, a non-profit organisation whose multidisciplinary approach to strengthening rule of law and governance aligns closely with that of the Basel Institute. She comes with two decades of experience in leading roles in legal, non-profit and academic organisations and associations, including the American Bar Association, American Society of International Law and Human Rights Watch.\n\nMrs Andersen succeeds Gretta Fenner, who passed away tragically in April 2024. She plans to take up her position in March 2025, following a move to our headquarters in Basel, Switzerland.\n\nDr Peter Maurer, President of the Basel Institute, said:\n\n> Betsy impressed the Foundation Board with her strategic vision, leadership qualities and rich practical experience in the Basel Institute’s areas of work. We look forward to her energy and direction as we enter a new chapter in our 21-year history.\n\nBetsy Andersen said:\n\n> I have deep admiration for the Basel Institute’s work to counter corruption and strengthen governance worldwide. In the context of today’s global challenges, it is more important than ever. Together with the Institute’s diverse and global team, I look forward to advancing our collective efforts and impact.\n\nOur HQ and field teams look forward to welcoming Betsy in the new year and to jointly pursuing our mission of strengthening governance and countering corruption for a more peaceful, just and sustainable world.","2024-12-03",[14],"","new-executive-director-elizabeth-andersen-2729",[14],2729,[],[],null,[22],"Main page",{"id":24,"storage":25,"filename_disk":26,"filename_download":27,"title":9,"type":28,"created_on":29,"modified_on":29,"charset":20,"filesize":30,"width":31,"height":32,"duration":20,"embed":20,"description":20,"location":20,"tags":20,"metadata":33,"focal_point_x":20,"focal_point_y":20,"tus_id":20,"tus_data":20,"uploaded_on":29},"4e3444da-d3e7-425e-b0ef-201477101d9f","local","4e3444da-d3e7-425e-b0ef-201477101d9f.webp","tmp.webp","image\u002Fwebp","2025-05-12T21:10:03.000Z",34080,1400,933,{},[],[],[],[],[],[],[41,65,111,133,160,181,207,233,271],{"id":42,"body":43,"status":6,"type":10,"date":44,"slug":45,"title":46,"image":47,"countries":48,"topic":49,"activity":50,"tags":51,"nid":52,"topics":53,"activities":54,"authors":55,"images":56,"websites":57,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":58,"translation_of":20,"user_created":59,"date_created":60,"user_updated":61,"date_updated":62,"content":63,"link":64},10523,"Dear colleagues, partners and friends, As the year comes to a close, we want to thank you for being an invaluable part of our journey to promote good governance and fight corruption worldwide. 2024 was marked by the tragic loss of our long-time Managing Director, [Gretta Fenner](https:\u002F\u002Fgretta.baselgovernance.org\u002F). We are deeply grateful to all who shared tributes and messages of condolence. Your support has been a source of strength, helping us continue and expand our work and impact in honour of Gretta's legacy. Looking ahead, 2025 marks a new chapter in the Basel Institute's 22-year history as we warmly welcome [Elizabeth Andersen](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fnew-executive-director-elizabeth-andersen) as Executive Director. We are taking some time to rest and recharge from 23 December until 2 January.  From Basel and our teams around the world, we wish you a peaceful holiday season and a bright, impactful year ahead.","2024-12-21","happy-holidays-2737","Happy holidays!","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F2a1aef93-752c-4eba-b4dc-7df72f8fae8a?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[14],[14],[],2737,[],[],[],[],[22],[],"03bebfd8-0b40-4a2a-820d-b9d9c13b9de6","2024-12-21T11:01:41.000Z","b0662e2a-864d-4888-a1b7-4342b7570b30","2025-08-31T23:14:40.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fhappy-holidays-2737",{"id":66,"body":67,"status":6,"type":68,"date":69,"slug":70,"title":71,"image":72,"countries":73,"topic":74,"activity":75,"tags":78,"nid":99,"topics":100,"activities":101,"authors":102,"images":104,"websites":20,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":105,"translations":106,"translation_of":20,"user_created":59,"date_created":107,"user_updated":59,"date_updated":108,"content":109,"link":110},10580,"_Corruption corrodes trust, weakens institutions, and undermines societies. Few people understand this better than our Executive Director Elizabeth Andersen. With more than two decades of experience advancing the rule of law around the world, Betsy brings a wealth of insight into why corruption matters and how to confront it._\n\n_In the fifth issue of the Bulletin of the [International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators](https:\u002F\u002Ffinancialcrimelitigators.org\u002F), Betsy is in conversation with the Bulletin’s co-editor Dr Maria Nizzero. She discusses what drew her to the Basel Institute, the challenges of sustaining anti-corruption momentum in a turbulent geopolitical climate, and why, despite the setbacks, she remains deeply optimistic about the fight ahead._\n\n_The interview is republished here with permission from the Academy._\n\n### Can you tell us a little bit more about yourself and what drew you to the Basel Institute on Governance?\n\nElizabeth Andersen: I’ve spent more than 20 years working to strengthen the rule of law globally, and one of the most pressing challenges we face is corruption. It undermines institutions, harms societies and erodes trust in government. The Basel Institute’s reputation for impact made it a compelling place to continue this work.\n\nWhat especially attracted me is its model: combining hands-on technical assistance with research and policy engagement. I was particularly drawn to the way in which the Basel Institute transforms lessons learnt from their very impactful technical assistance and case-based assistance on the ground into policy recommendations.\n\nThese recommendations contribute to global conversations and policymaking that can in turn deliver systemic change. This virtuous cycle of on-the-groundwork, learning and policy engagement was really very attractive to me as a terrific model.\n\n### You previously led the World Justice Project. What lessons are you bringing to Basel?\n\nEA: Both organisations share a commitment to data-driven, evidence-based solutions. At the World Justice Project, I saw how indices can be powerful diagnostic tools and motivators for change, as countries or jurisdictions work to strengthen their scores. They open the door for really important conversations on the path forward for change.\n\nI intend to carry this work forward to the Basel Institute, as I believe the [Basel AML Index](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fbasel-aml-index) – our flagship tool for assessing risks of money laundering and related financial crimes at the country level – has the potential to achieve even more than what it is already doing.\n\nAnother key point these organisations have in common is the value they place on multi-stakeholder approaches. The rule of law isn’t just for lawyers and judges: it requires governments, businesses and civil society to work together.\n\nAt the Basel Institute, one of the ways in which we’re advancing that vision is through [Collective Action initiatives](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002F). These bring together the private sector and other stakeholders – typically government and civil society – in sustained, collaborative efforts to overcome shared corruption challenges and raise standards of business integrity and fair competition. I look forward to building on the Basel Institute’s track record in convening such multi-stakeholder initiatives, so critical to combating corruption effectively.\n\n### From geopolitical shifts, to the threat of war, to tariffs, to climate change, with so many urgent global issues, how do you keep anti-corruption on the agenda?\n\nEA: This is something I have been thinking about a lot – in particular about the ways in which we need to frame, or reframe, the work that we do in terms of the policy priorities that prevail today. We have to link corruption to today’s top policy concerns, whether that’s defence spending, organised crime or the energy transition. There is an important corruption dimension to all of these contemporary priorities.\n\nBy highlighting that connection through research, we can make the case that anti-corruption work isn’t a distraction or unnecessary expense; it’s foundational and an investment in long-term success.\n\nIllicit financial flows are another critical issue. These are not victimless crimes, but ones that rob communities of resources. Especially at a time when development assistance is shrinking, asset recovery and international cooperation to return stolen funds are more urgent than ever. That has always been at the core of the Institute’s work, but it feels all more urgent now.\n\n### Some argue momentum on asset recovery is waning. Do you agree?\n\nEA: In fact, demand for our support in partner countries is growing. We have more demand than we can currently meet from governments asking us to help them develop capacity to investigate, prosecute and recover assets.\n\nWe’re also seeing governments adopt stronger legal tools, such as non-conviction based forfeiture and improved anti-money laundering frameworks. And international cooperation mechanisms are maturing, which gives me confidence that progress is possible.\n\nThere may be some fatigue, but there is also a growing awareness that asset recovery is not only a strategy for recovering stolen assets and obtaining much needed resources; it also acts as a deterrent and signals that organised crime will not pay.\n\nWe also find a lot of promise in the work of the [International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre (IACCC)](https:\u002F\u002Fnationalcrimeagency.gov.uk\u002Fwhat-we-do\u002Fcrime-threats\u002Fbribery-corruption-and-sanctions-evasion\u002Finternational-anti-corruption-centre), the ongoing [Global Forum on Asset Recovery (GFAR) Action Series](https:\u002F\u002Fstar.worldbank.org\u002Fblog\u002Fglobal-forum-asset-recovery-gfar-action-series) and the [GlobE Network](https:\u002F\u002Fglobenetwork.unodc.org\u002F) – the Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities. This kind of international cooperation on anti-corruption and asset recovery is essential, and there are a lot of opportunities to enhance it through such initiatives.\n\nIn this context, UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy’s commitment to tackling illicit finance and the announcement of a summit next year on this topic are really important. The summit represents a great opportunity for financial centres in particular to re-energise and re-focus the fight against illicit finance.\n\n### How does the Basel Institute bridge the gap between international standards and local realities?\n\nEA: This is a really important question, and its answer is a legacy of Gretta Fenner, the Basel Institute’s Managing Director for many years who tragically passed away in 2024.\n\nI am proud to say that we never parachute in with a one-size-fits-all presentation. For example, each Basel Institute training on financial investigations and asset recovery is tailored to the local context – to reference the local laws, the local procedures, even the local evidence and context in which crime happens. And this training is typically followed up with mentoring by expert advisors who are often embedded directly with partner agencies in the country.\n\nThis high-touch approach is time intensive, but it’s the only way to ensure international standards translate into meaningful local practice, and this is something the Institute really excels in.\n\n### Funding challenges, especially rising from the new US administration’s decisions to cut USAID, have shaken civil society. How is the Basel Institute responding?\n\nEA: We’re incredibly fortunate to have a loyal group of donors who have sustained or even increased their support. We don’t take it for granted, however, so we’re also working to diversify funding, including by engaging the private sector. Many companies now recognise that good governance is essential to their bottom line.\n\nWe’ve also received generous support for education from individuals, such as scholarships for our new graduate-level anti-corruption and asset recovery courses with the University of Basel.\n\nInvesting in the next generation of leaders is something I’m particularly excited about. I really want to give a shout out to the International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators, which has through the Academy itself and a couple of generous members committed to fund two scholarships for talented professionals who would otherwise not be able to attend the course.\n\n### Talking about the private sector, what role does the private sector play in fighting corruption?\n\nEA: It’s a critical role. We’ve promoted Collective Action for decades, helping to establish initiatives like the Wolfsberg Group and the Metals Technology Initiative. On our B20 Collective Action Hub – a leading free resource centre on this approach – we’ve documented over 300 such initiatives.\n\nThis growing dataset allows us to identify what works when engaging the private sector in fighting corruption. It allows us to push beyond rhetoric or box-ticking towards initiatives that have meaningful impact.\n\n### Despite setbacks, what keeps you hopeful?\n\nEA: Above all, the people. My colleagues at the Institute, many recruited by my predecessor Gretta Fenner, are extraordinarily talented and committed. Our partners around the world often take up this cause at personal risk, which is deeply inspiring.\n\nAnd then there are the broader networks drawn from government, businesses, civil society, the media and ordinary citizens, standing up against corruption. When you see that collective energy, it’s impossible not to feel optimistic.\n\n### Finally, what research is the Basel Institute prioritising next?\n\nEA: We’re looking closely at how to strengthen legal tools while safeguarding human rights, for example, with a comparative study of non-conviction based forfeiture laws. We’re also exploring mechanisms to help ensure fines from foreign bribery cases can be used to support anti-corruption initiatives, including in communities that have been harmed by corruption.\n\nBoth areas aim to make anti-corruption and asset recovery frameworks not only more effective, but also more just.\n\n_The Academy's Bulletin has been established to transmit the work of Academy Fellows, draw attention to matters of importance to the legal community and provide high-level analysis of cutting-edge issues in global financial crime investigations and litigation. The Basel Institute on Governance acts as Secretariat to the Academy._","Blog","2025-11-17","holding-the-line-betsy-andersen-on-corruption-and-hope-in-uncertain-times-the-academy-bulletin-2865","Holding the line: Betsy Andersen on corruption and hope in uncertain times (The Academy Bulletin)","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F8c0785bd-c7a9-425b-a6ec-af2181682a5e?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[14],[76,77],"Insights","Partnerships",[79,83,87,91,95],{"tags_id":80},{"id":81,"name":82},982,"Anti-corruption",{"tags_id":84},{"id":85,"name":86},843,"Asset recovery",{"tags_id":88},{"id":89,"name":90},909,"Collective Action",{"tags_id":92},{"id":93,"name":94},867,"Financial crime",{"tags_id":96},{"id":97,"name":98},1372,"Training",2865,[],[76,77],[103],1359,[],"English",[],"2025-11-17T11:01:41.000Z","2025-11-17T11:01:42.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fholding-the-line-betsy-andersen-on-corruption-and-hope-in-uncertain-times-the-academy-bulletin-2865",{"id":112,"body":113,"status":6,"type":68,"date":114,"slug":115,"title":116,"image":117,"countries":118,"topic":119,"activity":120,"tags":121,"nid":122,"topics":123,"activities":124,"authors":125,"images":127,"websites":20,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":105,"translations":128,"translation_of":20,"user_created":59,"date_created":129,"user_updated":61,"date_updated":130,"content":131,"link":132},10560,"2024 was a challenging year for the Basel Institute on Governance, marked by the tragic passing of our Managing Director Gretta Fenner in April. But we have continued building on her legacy and, in early 2025, welcomed our new Executive Director Betsy Andersen to lead us into the future.\n\nIn his foreword to our [2024 Annual Report](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Far2024), the Basel Institute's President Peter Maurer reflects on how our teams have worked with partners and allies to achieve tangible progress against corruption with the ultimate goal of a more peaceful, just and sustainable world:\n\n> 2024 was profoundly overshadowed by the sudden and tragic loss of our Managing Director, Gretta Fenner, who led the Basel Institute for nearly two decades. Under her dedicated and inspirational leadership, the Institute has become what it still exemplifies today: a distinguished, hands-on centre of expertise committed to advancing the global fight against corruption and striving to create a more peaceful, secure and sustainable world.\n> \n> After Gretta’s passing, I temporarily stepped in to guide the organisation and the team during a transition period whilst a new leadership was sought. This unexpected task gave me an even deeper understanding and appreciation of the Basel Institute’s distinctively multi-disciplinary, adaptable and impactful approach – a method that is essential for tackling corruption in today’s complex and shifting political landscapes. It also confirmed the Institute’s resilience in an increasingly volatile and fragmented world.\n> \n> The Institute’s strength lies first and foremost in our skilled global team and in our ability to provide independent, expert support to stakeholders across multiple sectors and regions. We also benefit from the unwavering and generous commitment of our donors and a broad network of partners, from the local grass roots to the international community.\n> \n> In 2024 these factors were especially visible in the context of our engagement in Ukraine. Despite enormous challenges, Ukraine’s government and society have kept anti-corruption efforts in focus and on track. We are proud to support them: from helping prevent corruption in infrastructure, transport and forestry, to strengthening private-sector integrity in reconstruction projects, to assisting with transnational asset recovery. This kind of holistic engagement is both challenging and vital for Ukraine’s security, as well as Europe’s.\n> \n> Across more than 30 country programmes and projects, 2024 brought significant successes. In these pages you’ll read about, for example:\n> \n> *   How we contributed to the confiscation or return of over CHF 50 million in precedent-setting asset recovery cases, and new breakthroughs in targeting the financial aspects of environmental crimes.\n> *   Steps towards preventing corruption in timber value chains, identifying red flags for corruption at EU borders and in public procurement processes, and shining a light on sexual corruption risks faced by students.\n> *   Our compliance assistance to safeguard investments in critical infrastructure projects and how we foster high-level support for anti-corruption Collective Action to strengthen business integrity.\n> *   In Peru, how citizens are seeing real results from better public finance management: infrastructure delivered on time and vital services like vaccines and schoolbooks reaching those who need them.\n> \n> Each success, and many others not mentioned here, brings us closer to a better governed and safer world.\n> \n> Empowering people is at the heart of everything we do. Our eLearning courses now reach over 53,000 learners worldwide. More than 800 anti-corruption and conservation practitioners collaborate in one of several communities of practice. And new postgraduate programmes with the University of Basel will help build the next generation of anti-corruption and asset recovery leaders.\n> \n> Anti-corruption work has always faced resistance, from entrenched interests to institutional backsliding. At the Basel Institute, we are well prepared to defend values of integrity, transparency and accountability.\n> \n> But in the face of increasing headwinds in the geopolitical environment, we can only continue to succeed by building coalitions, breaking silos and collectively innovating to address corruption’s harmful role in major global challenges – challenges like the energy transition, healthcare and security, as well as poverty and organised crime.\n> \n> This is the charge that our new Executive Director, Elizabeth “Betsy” Andersen now leads. Appointed by the Board in late 2024 following a rigorous selection process, Betsy brings deep legal expertise, strategic vision, run-with-it motivation and a wealth of leadership experience in the non‑profit sector.\n> \n> On behalf of the Board, I warmly welcome her, convinced that her steady hand will help us guide the Institute as we chart and navigate the future.\n\nView the [2024 Annual Report of the Basel Institute on Governance](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Far2024).","2025-07-09","2025-annual-report-and-foreword-by-peter-maurer-2829","2025 Annual Report and foreword by Peter Maurer","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F86cec7af-39d3-4c47-9cd8-5b004def85c4?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[14],[14],[],2829,[],[],[126],1343,[],[],"2025-07-13T11:42:44.000Z","2025-08-31T23:09:21.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002F2025-annual-report-and-foreword-by-peter-maurer-2829",{"id":134,"body":135,"status":6,"type":68,"date":136,"slug":137,"title":138,"image":139,"countries":140,"topic":141,"activity":143,"tags":145,"nid":146,"topics":147,"activities":149,"authors":150,"images":152,"websites":153,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":105,"translations":154,"translation_of":20,"user_created":59,"date_created":155,"user_updated":156,"date_updated":157,"content":158,"link":159},10543,"> “Strong and productive partnerships across diverse sectors were everywhere in evidence at the OECD Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum. Such solidarity and collaboration are critically important, particularly in the face of the headwinds confronting the anti-corruption movement today.\" – Elizabeth Andersen, Executive Director, Basel Institute on Governance\n\n_This blog by Lucie Binder, Senior Specialist, Governance and Integrity, reflects on the [2025 OECD Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.oecd-events.org\u002Fgacif\u002Fen) and the challenges and opportunities facing all who are committed to promoting high standards of ethics and integrity._\n\nAmong the many thoughtful discussions at this year’s Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum, one quieter note resonated: the reduced presence of civil society organisations. \n\nThese groups – traditionally at the forefront of driving transparency and accountability – were fewer than in previous years. In part this was due to mounting funding pressures, especially those linked to recent changes in United States foreign assistance policy. \n\nWhile their absence was not the main story, it was a reminder of the broader reality: those working to uphold integrity are operating in a more constrained global landscape.\n\nYet the tone of the Forum was far from defeatist. In fact, one of its most striking insights was that constraints can drive clarity and innovation. Nowhere was this more powerfully illustrated than in the sessions on Ukraine. \n\nAmid the pressures of wartime, Ukraine’s business integrity and anti-corruption efforts have not been put on hold – they have become more focused. Faced with existential challenges, the priorities are clear: uphold transparency in decision-making, ensure the ethical use of public and private resources, and reinforce the integrity of institutions and businesses alike.\n\n[Innovating for integrity during wartime: Ukraine’s developments since 2022 (click to view recording)](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.oecd-events.org\u002Fgacif\u002Fen\u002Fonlinesession\u002F6edbc934-63f3-ef11-90cb-6045bda07d25)\n\n### A chance to make integrity work better for all\n\nThis clarity of mission offers a valuable lesson for others. Even in times of political uncertainty and institutional fragility, there are opportunities to innovate and strengthen business integrity – not simply to maintain compliance, but to leverage it as something core to an organisation’s purpose, resilience and long-term value.\n\nRather than treating compliance as an afterthought or a legal checkbox, companies can design operations, decision-making processes and incentive structures that align with ethics and integrity from the outset, helping to build long-term trust with stakeholders, and reduce risk by creating more stable operating environments.\n\nEmerging technologies offer tools to identify risks earlier and act proactively, even in contexts where external oversight is weak or politicised. (Here again, our Ukrainian colleagues shared inspirational approaches.) Such tools can help business decisions to be both commercially sound and ethically grounded, independent of shifting regulations and political priorities.\n\n### Cooperation for fair competition\n\nAcross industries, there is renewed incentive to build shared standards and mutual accountability. Collective Action can establish a level playing field and protect against the risks of regulatory backsliding. \n\nOur Knowledge Partner session on anti-corruption Collective Action and sustainable development revealed that companies do appreciate tangible benefits from participating in Collective Action initiatives, such as integrity certification or visibility from participation. But what they are ultimately seeking is a reduction in corruption, both nationally and globally. That leads to fairer, more predictable market conditions, especially across complex supply chains. Our new working paper [presenting a typology of Collective Action](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002Fexplore\u002Fpublications\u002F2397) initiatives provides a roadmap for companies to work together toward such meaningful change.\n\n[Anti-corruption Collective Action as an enabler for sustainable development (click to view recording)](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.oecd-events.org\u002Fgacif\u002Fen\u002Fonlinesession\u002Fc8290b16-63f3-ef11-90cb-6045bda07d25)\n\n### Showing leadership, scaling solutions\n\nAt the national level, particularly in countries where democratic institutions are under strain, companies and public actors alike have the opportunity to lead by example. Even when enforcement is inconsistent, adherence to recognised standards can demonstrate a clear commitment to integrity and build public trust.\n\nThese themes were explored in depth during the Asia-Pacific regional session on disclosures for public integrity. The session highlighted how reporting tools and digital mechanisms can be leveraged to promote transparency, accountability and the development of effective public integrity policies. The role of emerging technologies in this space – from data platforms to digital dashboards – is becoming increasingly central to how national systems build resilience and respond to integrity risks. \n\nWe also had the opportunity to moderate a session on the role of public-private partnerships in promoting a clean environment for sustainable business growth in Southeast Asia, where the panel discussed how a clean business environment can be a catalyst for sustainable development across the region. The conversation built on previous Collective Action initiatives and emphasised the value of cross-sector collaboration, while underscoring the role of innovation and technology in enabling effective, scalable solutions to integrity challenges.\n\nAsia-Pacific regional session on disclosures for public integrity\n\n### Fighting corruption means challenging threats to anti-corruption\n\nWhat emerged most clearly from this year’s Forum is that this is a time to focus, consolidate, leverage partnerships, and act with purpose. The challenges are real — shrinking resources, political pushback, and unstable governance environments. But they also underscore why integrity must remain at the centre of sustainable development. \n\nWithout accountability and ethical governance, efforts to advance economic, environmental and social goals risk being undermined by mismanagement and corruption. Integrity provides the foundation for fair institutions, efficient use of resources and inclusive growth — all of which are vital for development that is truly sustainable and resilient.\n\nIn this context, innovation is not only possible but essential. It enables new tools, partnerships and approaches to uphold integrity where traditional mechanisms may be under strain.\n\nAnd we must also remember that the broader international framework for integrity remains largely intact:\n\n*   Transnational regulation and enforcement continues to apply pressure on corporate misconduct. \n*   Multilateral organisations, including the OECD, continue to provide stable platforms for cooperation and standard-setting. \n*   Global companies continue to invest in business integrity. \n\nWhether through international frameworks or local initiatives, standing up for integrity remains one of the clearest pathways to restoring public trust and strengthening the foundations for long-term peace and prosperity.\n\n### Learn more\n\n*   [OECD 2025 Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.oecd-events.org\u002Fgacif\u002Fen#bl-7d0b3f5b-c3a6-4b40-8749-390d707a7040)\n*   See the Basel Institute's [Quick Guide to business integrity and ethics](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fpublications\u002Fquick-guide-39-business-integrity-and-ethics)\n*   Learn more about [anti-corruption Collective Action](https:\u002F\u002Fcollective-action.com\u002F)","2025-04-03","staying-the-course-business-integrity-in-a-fragmented-political-climate-2791","Staying the course: business integrity in a fragmented political climate","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F0cc9a79d-2d22-41d5-8df6-d630c62b85b6?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[90,142],"Private Sector",[144,76],"Events",[],2791,[90,142,148],"Business Integrity Ethics and Compliance",[144,76],[151],1085,[],[22,90],[],"2025-04-03T10:01:36.000Z","3d9ff205-1640-4f34-b5b6-86977f51bbd6","2026-05-29T22:22:35.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fstaying-the-course-business-integrity-in-a-fragmented-political-climate-2791",{"id":161,"body":162,"status":6,"type":68,"date":163,"slug":164,"title":165,"image":166,"countries":167,"topic":168,"activity":169,"tags":170,"nid":171,"topics":172,"activities":173,"authors":174,"images":175,"websites":20,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":105,"translations":176,"translation_of":20,"user_created":59,"date_created":177,"user_updated":61,"date_updated":178,"content":179,"link":180},10609,"To mark International Women’s Day 2026, the Basel Institute on Governance and the International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators hosted an online discussion on women’s leadership in the fight against corruption and financial crime.\n\nModerated by [Elizabeth Andersen](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fabout\u002Fpeople\u002Felizabeth-andersen), Executive Director of the Basel Institute, the event brought together practitioners, academics and students to reflect on career journeys, challenges and opportunities in this complex and evolving field.\n\nSpeakers shared personal experiences of entering and advancing in anti-corruption and financial crime work, highlighting the diverse motivations that drive professionals in this area.\n\n### Different paths, a shared commitment\n\nFor Verónica Sabella, the link between financial crime and human rights violations was a key motivator in her decision to launch a career in law and to join the Basel Institute’s Certificate of Advanced Studies course in [Combating Financial Crime Through Asset Recovery](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Flearning\u002Fbasel-study\u002Fcas-asset-recovery) with the University of Basel. She underscored the importance of understanding financial flows to address crimes such as trafficking\n\nEmmanuela OkonkwoAbutu, who will shortly complete the Basel Institute’s CAS programme [Mastering Today’s Anti-Corruption Challenges](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Flearning\u002Fbasel-study\u002Fcas-anti-corruption), described how witnessing the impact of corruption in Nigeria shaped her commitment to strengthening transparency, accountability and international cooperation. She hopes with her new qualification she will be better able to address the “international networks, legal loopholes and institutional weaknesses” that enable corruption.\n\n[Anne-Claude Scheidegger](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fabout\u002Fpeople\u002Fanne-claude-scheidegger) highlighted the role of hands-on, scenario-based [training programmes](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fasset-recovery\u002Ftraining-programmes) in building investigative and asset recovery skills worldwide. She explained how the Basel Institute works with partner agencies to ensure that women have equal access to training opportunities.\n\nProfessor Karen Woody reflected on the importance of professional networks and interdisciplinary collaboration. She emphasised how communities of practitioners and scholars – in particular the [International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators](https:\u002F\u002Ffinancialcrimelitigators.org\u002F) – help connect different perspectives and sustain long-term professional growth.\n\nElizabeth Ortega highlighted the importance of investing in people – through training, mentorship and professional support – noting that many women reach leadership positions because someone believed in their potential and helped open opportunities along the way.\n\nThe discussion also explored structural barriers women may face in the profession, including persistent gender imbalances in leadership roles and the need to balance career progression with family responsibilities. At the same time, participants noted encouraging trends, including growing numbers of women entering the field and increased efforts to promote gender representation in training and professional development programmes.\n\nThroughout the conversation, speakers emphasised the importance of mentorship, peer learning networks and specialised training in opening career pathways. Particular attention was given to the value of professional communities, which create space for practitioners and experts from different backgrounds and jurisdictions to share knowledge, build connections and support one another’s growth.\n\nA central theme was the importance of targeted support mechanisms – including scholarships and sponsorships – that expand access to high-quality education and professional opportunities. Initiatives such as the [Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Flearning\u002Fbasel-study\u002Fscholarship) aim to ensure that talented professionals around the world can develop the skills, confidence and networks needed to lead the global fight against corruption and financial crime.\n\n### Key takeaways\n\n*   Countering financial crime is closely linked to protecting human rights. Understanding how illicit financial flows move through systems is essential to tackling crimes such as human trafficking, corruption and organised crime, which have a strong negative impact on the whole of society.\n*   Women are increasingly entering the field but leadership gaps remain. While many women work in lower-level compliance and investigative roles, structural and cultural barriers can still slow progress into senior leadership positions.\n*   Mentorship and sponsorship help open doors. Speakers stressed the importance of asking for help, building relationships and having others actively support your growth and advancement.\n*   Peer learning networks add lasting value, especially across borders. Communities such as the International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators connect practitioners, academics and specialists across jurisdictions, enabling knowledge exchange and strengthening careers over time.\n*   Education and specialised training accelerate impact. Programmes such as the Basel Institute’s [Certificate of Advanced Studies](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Flearning\u002Fbasel-study) courses on anti-corruption and asset recovery help practitioners deepen technical skills, understand global frameworks and collaborate internationally.\n*   Scholarships and targeted support expand access to opportunity. Initiatives such as the Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund show how sponsorship and financial support for employees can help talented professionals access high-quality training and increase their impact in the fight against corruption and financial crime.\n\n### Help open the door to future leaders\n\nThis year’s International Women’s Day theme was “Give to Gain”. The slogan encapsulates many of the points the speakers made about the value of supporting others in their careers.\n\nThe International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators and its Co-Founders Elizabeth Ortega (ECO Strategic Communications), Stéphane Bonifassi (Bonifassi Avocats) and Lincoln Caylor (Bennett Jones) were the first donors to the Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund.\n\nThe Basel Institute is grateful for their support and that of subsequent donors.\n\nIf this discussion resonated with you, consider helping open the next door for future leaders.\n\nContributions of any size help expand access to high-quality education and strengthen the global fight against corruption and financial crime.\n\nTo support the Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund with a donation of any size, please visit our [crowdfunding page](https:\u002F\u002Fwhydonate.com\u002Ffundraising\u002Fgretta-fenner-scholarship-fund).","2026-03-11","women-leading-the-fight-against-financial-crime-how-education-mentorship-and-networks-expand-impact-2943","Women leading the fight against financial crime: how education, mentorship and networks expand impact","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002F121ca068-13ee-4ee1-bcff-de793b77b915?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[14],[144,76],[],2943,[],[144,76],[],[],[],"2026-04-15T22:45:20.000Z","2026-05-08T21:36:28.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fwomen-leading-the-fight-against-financial-crime-how-education-mentorship-and-networks-expand-impact-2943",{"id":182,"body":183,"status":6,"type":10,"date":184,"slug":185,"title":186,"image":187,"countries":188,"topic":189,"activity":192,"tags":194,"nid":195,"topics":196,"activities":199,"authors":200,"images":201,"websites":20,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":105,"translations":202,"translation_of":20,"user_created":59,"date_created":203,"user_updated":156,"date_updated":204,"content":205,"link":206},10573,"The Basel Institute’s first international postgraduate programme in anti-corruption has begun. 12 students from 11 countries across Africa, Europe and North America are taking part in the six-month course, led by Basel Institute staff and resulting in a Certificate of Advanced Studies from the University of Basel.\n\nThe course, [Mastering Today’s Anti-Corruption Challenges](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Flearning\u002Fbasel-study\u002Fcas-anti-corruption), equips mid-career professionals with the tools, skills and networks to address corruption and governance challenges in their work.\n\nLead instructor Dr Claudia Baez Camargo, Director of the Institute’s Prevention, Research and Innovation team, explained:\n\n> Through this programme, participants will not only deepen their understanding of corruption in today’s complex world, but also learn to evaluate the real evidence on what works. Most importantly, they will be empowered to apply these insights with confidence in their own countries and professional contexts, helping to strengthen integrity and good governance where it matters most.\n\n### Shaping the next generation of anti-corruption leaders\n\nThree participants attended the opening event on 26–27 September in person in Basel, while those unable to travel joined the sessions online.\n\nThe first cohort is made up of peers with diverse academic backgrounds – including legal, economic, political and other disciplines – and professional experience in the public, private and civil society sectors, in multilateral organisations and the media.\n\nThey were welcomed by the Basel Institute’s President Peter Maurer and Executive Director Betsy Andersen, together with the Basel STUDY team and instructors.\n\nVisits to the University of Basel and the historic centre gave participants and instructors the chance to bond while exploring Swiss traditions.\n\nThe participants who attended the launch in person described themselves as:\n\n> “excited”, “grateful” and “honoured”.\n\nAsked what she hoped to get out of the course, Tamara Lee, a Business Analyst and Project Manager from Ireland, said:\n\n> I hope I’ll learn to see corruption issues with a sharper, more professional lens. Instead of falling back on the usual buzzwords or the kind of surface-level ideas we see on social media or hear in conversations, I’d like to be able to look at situations in a deeper, more critical way.\n\nDr Ramadhani Marijani, a Senior Lecturer and Researcher at Tanzania’s University of Dodoma, added: \n\n> I hope I can be able to resolve anti-corruption challenges from an African perspective and understand other challenges in the global sphere. I am looking forward to engaging in classes, sharing and learning from other fellow participants from Africa and other countries and from the community of practice fighting the war against corruption globally.\n\nIlinca-Ioana Bīlc, Legal Advisor at a bank in Romania, emphasised her desire to explore a holistic approach to anti-corruption: \n\n> I want to know how I can fight \\[corruption\\] from different angles besides the basic one that everyone expects: you just follow the guidelines and then there will be no corruption. When in fact, the problem is much bigger and we need way more different ways of tackling it. \n\n### Exploring corruption’s links to today’s greatest challenges\n\nSaturday’s classroom sessions with Dr Saba Kassa explored how corruption connects to today’s greatest concerns, from shifting geopolitics and democratic backsliding to migration and climate change. This sets the foundation for modules delivered in live online sessions over the next six months and covering:\n\n*   How corruption and governance impact states, societies and organisations.\n*   The fundamentals of anti-corruption practice, from legal instruments to effective enforcement and prevention.\n*   Novel approaches to anti-corruption, drawing on political and behavioural sciences.\n*   How anti-corruption strategies are implemented internationally – and how they could be made more effective.\n\nStudents will apply their knowledge through a personal study project on a corruption challenge of their choice.\n\n### Scholarship fund opens doors to global talent\n\nSeveral participants benefited from tuition support thanks to generous donors to the [Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Flearning\u002Fbasel-study\u002Fscholarship).\n\nThe fund supports applicants from lower-income backgrounds who show strong commitment to anti-corruption, transparency and good governance. It reflects the vision of the Basel Institute’s late Managing Director Gretta Fenner to educate and empower anti-corruption leaders everywhere, regardless of financial means.\n\nOne recipient is Nigerian lawyer Emmanuela OkonkwoAbutu of the Abuja-based African Centre for Governance, Asset Recovery and Sustainable Development. She shared:\n\n> This prestigious study programme... offers a forum to learn from professionals who are influencing the global conversation on anti-corruption… This educational journey would not have been possible without the support of the Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund.\n\nWe are grateful to The International Academy of Financial Crime Litigators, the Academy’s co-founders Elizabeth Ortega (ECO Strategic Communications), Stéphane Bonifassi (Bonifassi Avocats) and Lincoln Caylor (Bennett Jones), as well as Swiss law firm Kellerhals Carrard for their generous donations to the Fund.\n\n### Expanding opportunities through Basel STUDY\n\n[Basel STUDY](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Flearning\u002Fbasel-study) – the Basel Institute’s postgraduate programme initiative – is designed to boost the knowledge, skills and careers of professionals committed to countering corruption and financial crime.\n\nIt builds on the Institute’s long-standing capacity-building approach, encouraging peer learning, hands-on practice and real-life cases. The two available Certificate of Advanced Studies programmes combine this practitioner-led spirit with the academic rigour of the University of Basel.\n\nThe second course, [_Combating_ _Financial Crime Through Asset Recovery_](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Flearning\u002Fbasel-study\u002Fcas-asset-recovery), starts in February 2026. Applications remain open for self-funded or employer-funded participants.\n\n### Learn more\n\n*   Explore other learning opportunities at the Basel Institute, including free eLearning courses on [Basel LEARN](https:\u002F\u002Flearn.baselgovernance.org\u002F), our four-day course on [crypto, financial crime and AML compliance](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fcrypto-aml-training), and our flagship [asset recovery training programmes](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fasset-recovery\u002Ftraining-programmes) for law enforcement agencies.\n*   Learn about the [Gretta Fenner Scholarship Fund](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Flearning\u002Fbasel-study\u002Fscholarship) – and consider donating to help change lives and create impact!","2025-09-29","global-professionals-begin-new-anti-corruption-studies-2851","Global professionals begin new anti-corruption studies","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fbe4b8143-bba3-4760-8f60-d11dcedc3f7b?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[190,191],"Prevention"," Research and Innovation",[193,98],"Courses",[],2851,[197,198],"Corruption Prevention and Public Governance","Prevention Research and Innovation",[193,98],[],[],[],"2025-09-29T16:01:39.000Z","2026-05-29T22:22:37.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fglobal-professionals-begin-new-anti-corruption-studies-2851",{"id":208,"body":209,"status":6,"type":10,"date":210,"slug":211,"title":212,"image":213,"countries":214,"topic":216,"activity":218,"tags":220,"nid":221,"topics":222,"activities":224,"authors":225,"images":226,"websites":227,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":228,"translation_of":20,"user_created":59,"date_created":229,"user_updated":156,"date_updated":230,"content":231,"link":232},10267,"The Basel Institute on Governance and the International Centre for Asset Recovery (ICAR) are co-organising and participating in several  different workshops at this year’s 14th International Anti-Corruption Conference in Bangkok, Thailand in November.\n\nOur contribution to the 14th IACC is manifold: we are co-organizing workshops on asset recovery and on repairing social damages our of corruption cases, we are also contributing to workshops on legal remedies for victims of corruption and on governance in the Health Sector. Here is a brief description of these activities:\n\nWorkshop on State and Non-State Actors: A Multi-Stakeholder Approach to Recovering Stolen Assets\n------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\nThis workshop is jointly organised by ICAR and the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative of the World Bank.\n\nThe workshop seeks to describe the roles of the non-state actors in the asset recovery process, and the role of development and law enforcement agencies in fostering international co-operation as envisaged by the UNCAC. It will also present recent innovations aimed at strengthening the capacity of countries to recover and return the proceeds of corruption. The workshop will focus on how to mobilise support for asset recovery initiatives.\n\nIt is expected that the workshop will allow for greater networking amongst relevant stakeholders in building trust to take forward the asset recovery agenda, as well as for investigating the feasibility and possible implementation of new solutions identified during discussions.\n\nDate and time: 11 November 2010, 1730-1930\n\nCoordinators:\n\n*   Pedro Gomes Pereira, Asset Recovery Specialist, Basel Institute on Governance\n*   Tim Steele, Senior Governance Specialist, Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative\n\nModerator:\n\n*   Alan Bacarese, Head of Legal and Case Consultancy, Basel Institute on Governance\n\nPanellists:\n\n*   Valentin Zellweger, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland\n*   Robert Palmer, Kleptocracy Campaign, Global Witness\n*   Jesse Wachanga, Jesse Wachanga, Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission\n*   Pedro Gomes Pereira, Asset Recovery Specialist, Basel Institute on Governance\n\nMore: [http:\u002F\u002F14iacc.org\u002Fprogramme\u002Fglobal-challenges\u002Fstate-and-non-state-actors\u002F](http:\u002F\u002F14iacc.org\u002Fprogramme\u002Fglobal-challenges\u002Fstate-and-non-state-actors\u002F)\n\nFinding the Real Cost of Corruption: How to use the Concept of Social Damage for the Anti-Corruption Struggle\n-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\nThis workshop is co-organised by The Basel Institute with Transparency International-Americas.\n\nThe panellists will discuss questions around the concept of social damage and how it has been used in measuring damage and defining compensation in corruption cases in the recent past. The case of ALCATEL in Costa Rica will be drawn upon as an example, as well as the Siemens and MAN case from Germany.\n\nThe concept of Social Damage implies that a financial retribution should be made by those found guilty of affecting a society at large to repair the damage caused. It is a quite innovative concept for the anti-corruption struggle but is used already successfully in other areas such as environmental protection. Therefore, at this point it is important to further understand the concept, the mechanisms for its application and their implications for corruption fighting.\n\nDate and time: 12 November 2010, 1500-1700\n\nCoordinators:\n\n*   Manfredo Marroquin, Regional Coordinator for Central America, Transparency International\n*   Andres Hernandez,  Senior Programme Coordinator, Americas Department, Transparency International\n\nModerator:\n\n*   Delia Ferreira Rubio, Chair, Poder Ciudadano – TI National Chapter in Argentina, and Member of the TI International Board of Directors\n\nPanellists:\n\n*   Gilberth Calderón Alvarado, Director, Procuraduría de la Ética Pública, Costa Rica.\n*   Joachim Eckert, Presiding Judge Penal Court Munich, Germany\n*   Juanita Olaya, Director, Public and Corporate Governance Basel Institute on Governance, Switzerland\n*   Andrew Feinstein, Former ANC Member of Parliament and activist in the field of corruption and arms trade, South Africa\n\nMore: [http:\u002F\u002F14iacc.org\u002Fprogramme\u002Fglobal-challenges\u002Ffinding-the-real-cost-of-c...](http:\u002F\u002F14iacc.org\u002Fprogramme\u002Fglobal-challenges\u002Ffinding-the-real-cost-of-corruption\u002F)\n\nMembers of the Basel Institute also participate in:\n---------------------------------------------------\n\n### Workshop co-organised by Sherpa on Legal Redress for Victims of Corruption\n\nIn many jurisdictions the legal tools for victims’ legal redress are unclear, untested, or even nonexistent - leaving victims little recourse against corrupt officials or those who collude with them.  The ability of victims to initiate civil claims and to participate in criminal proceedings is a crucial counterpart to enforcement by state actors. This is most profoundly true for victims in countries where corruption is systemic and meaningful prosecution is a fiction.\n\nThe workshop on Legal Redress for Victims of Corruption will present corruption cases initiated by civil society.   This workshop will be followed on the 12th by a People’s Empowerment - Special Session that will seek to empower civil society by mapping the current legal landscape and available tools to address trans-national corruption and in which Alan Bacarese will be one of the panellists, sharing his expertise on the BAE case.\n\nDate and time: 11 November 2010, 0900-1100\n\nCoordinators:\n\n*   Maud Pedriel-Vaissaiere, Managing Director, SHERPA\n*   Elizabeth Ryder, Senior Independent Legal Consultant\n\nModerator:\n\n*   Maud Pedriel-Vaissaiere, Managing Director, SHERPA\n\nPanellists:\n\n*   Vijay Anand, President, 5th Pillar\n*   Alan Bacarese, Head of Legal and Case Consultancy, Basel Institute on Governance\n*   Juanita Olaya, Director, Public and Corporate Governance Basel Institute on Governance\n*   Edward H. Davis, Lawyer, Astigarraga Davis Law firm\n*   Adetokunbo Mumini, Executive Director, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project - SERAP\n*   Maud Perdriel Vaissiere, Managing Director, SHERPA\n*   K. Elizabeth Ryder, Senior Legal Consultant\n\nMore: [http:\u002F\u002F14iacc.org\u002Fprogramme\u002Fat-a-glance-day-2\u002F](http:\u002F\u002F14iacc.org\u002Fprogramme\u002Fat-a-glance-day-2\u002F)\n\n### UNDP´s workshop on Improving integrity in the Health Sector - Stories from the field\n\nCorruption reduces access to health services, lowers the quality of health care and diverts resources away from investments in the health sector. Corruption in the health sector impedes efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Corruption and poor governance help explain why increased funding allocations have not necessarily translated into improvements in human development indicators. Success in meeting the health related MDGs will therefore also depend on improved integrity in the health sector.\n\nThis workshop will take an in-depth look at both grand corruption in the pharmaceutical sector and petty corruption that affects the poor in their day-to-day encounters with health service providers. International experts on corruption in the health sector and practitioners from the field will share their experiences in measuring corruption in the health sector and in implementing specific interventions at the national, regional and local level to improve integrity.\n\nThe workshop will highlight success stories in combating corruption in the health sector, raise awareness about the negative effects of corruption in the health sector and explore strategies to reduce grand and petty corruption in the health sector.\n\nDate and time: 12 November 2010, 1730-1930\n\nCoordinator:\n\n*   Samuel De Jaegere – Policy Analyst Anti-Corruption – UNDP Asia-Pacific Regional Centre\n\nModerator:\n\n*   Mohamed Ramzy Ismail – Technical Officer – Division of Health Systems and Services Development – WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean\n\nPanellists:\n\n*   Taryn Vian - Assistant Professor of International Health - Boston University School of Public Health\n*   Chanvit Tharathep - Ministry of Public Health\n*   Eelco Jacobs – PhD Research Associate “Governance of Health Systems” project - Basel Institute on Governance\n*   Sjoerd Postma - Senior Health Specialist – Asian Development Bank\n*   Goodwell Lungu - Executive Director\n\nMore: [http:\u002F\u002F14iacc.org\u002Fprogramme\u002Fglobal-challenges\u002Fimproving-integrity-in-the...](http:\u002F\u002F14iacc.org\u002Fprogramme\u002Fglobal-challenges\u002Fimproving-integrity-in-the-health-sector\u002F)","2010-11-05","workshops-at-the-14th-international-anti-corruption-conference-in-bangkok-379","Workshops at the 14th International Anti-Corruption Conference in Bangkok","\u002Fpics\u002Fimg-placeholder.png",[215],7774,[217],"Asset Recovery",[144,219],"Presentations",[],379,[223],"Asset Recovery and Enforcement",[144,219],[],[],[22],[],"2022-05-26T22:59:38.000Z","2026-05-29T22:22:21.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fworkshops-at-the-14th-international-anti-corruption-conference-in-bangkok-379",{"id":234,"body":235,"status":6,"type":10,"date":236,"slug":237,"title":238,"image":239,"countries":240,"topic":241,"activity":243,"tags":244,"nid":261,"topics":262,"activities":263,"authors":264,"images":265,"websites":266,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":267,"translation_of":20,"user_created":59,"date_created":268,"user_updated":61,"date_updated":62,"content":269,"link":270},9621,"Companies dealing with metals and minerals cannot avoid corruption risks, which plague practically every extractive sector at every phase of development, every country and every stage of the supply chain. Both industrial and artisanal mining are vulnerable, though in different ways.\n\nThe risks are set to grow as demand balloons for metals such as cobalt and copper that are needed for the green energy transition. The impact of corruption on a producing country’s development is deep and systemic. And it opens the gates to a flood of other risks, from environmental degradation to human rights abuses and conflict financing. How to deal with it?\n\nThat was the question at the heart of a virtual discussion on transparency and accountability in mineral supply chains hosted by the [OECD](http:\u002F\u002Fwww.oecd.org\u002F) and [Green Corruption](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fgreen-corruption) team of the Basel Institute on Governance on 23 February 2021. Attended by 120+ participants, the event brought together expert perspectives from standard-setters, NGOs and industry.\n\n### How companies can protect themselves and their supply chains\n\nSince its adoption in 2011, the [OECD _Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals_](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.oecd.org\u002Fcorporate\u002Fmne\u002Fmining.htm) – now in its third edition – has been the gold standard in recommendations to identify and mitigate supply chain risks including corruption. Trade associations with serious responsible sourcing commitments have based their own standards on these guidelines. One example is the [responsible sourcing standard of the London Metal Exchange](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.lme.com\u002Fen-GB\u002FAbout\u002FResponsibility\u002FResponsible-sourcing), which consulted widely to adapt the OECD guidance to industry specificities, as well as to the growing legal requirements on anti-corruption and human rights due diligence.\n\nThe OECD’s forthcoming [FAQs](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fwelcoming-oecds-new-faqs-corruption-risks-mineral-supply-chains), which will be presented at the [Forum on Responsible Mineral Supply Chains](https:\u002F\u002Fmneguidelines.oecd.org\u002Fforum-responsible-mineral-supply-chains.htm) on April 26th, are designed to help companies use the OECD due diligence framework to address corruption risks. The publication covers 12 questions and answers on practical issues such as what to check for when conducting corruption risk assessments on high-risk suppliers and what to do if risks are identified at any point in the supply chain.\n\nPanellists converged around the idea that protecting against corruption risks needs proactive management. This may include:\n\n*   understanding vulnerabilities and identifying red flags with the help of NGOs, open-source information and OECD guidance (for example on [artisanal mining](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.oecd.org\u002Finvestment\u002FFAQ_Sourcing-Gold-from-ASM-Miners.pdf), [child labour](https:\u002F\u002Fmneguidelines.oecd.org\u002Fchild-labour-risks-in-the-minerals-supply-chain.htm) or [cobalt and copper sourcing in the DRC](https:\u002F\u002Fmneguidelines.oecd.org\u002Finterconnected-supply-chains-a-comprehensive-look-at-due-diligence-challenges-and-opportunities-sourcing-cobalt-and-copper-from-the-drc.htm));\n*   following the money, by conducting targeted financial audits and analysing payments to governments disclosed in [Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative](https:\u002F\u002Feiti.org\u002F) (EITI) reports;\n*   active reporting on corruption risks throughout the supply chain and not waiting for hard evidence or convictions before acting. The biggest corruption risk is before a conviction, not after, as the case of [Glencore and corruption risks in the Congo](https:\u002F\u002Fresourcematters.org\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2019\u002F04\u002FResourceMatters-SeeNoEvil-CobaltCorruptionRisks-Apr-2019.pdf) illustrates;\n*   engaging with other companies and stakeholders through [Collective Action](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fcollective-action), in order to achieve stronger leverage and solve shared corruption and due diligence challenges;\n*   the inclusion of specific [anti-corruption clauses](https:\u002F\u002Ficcwbo.org\u002Fpublication\u002Ficc-anti-corruption-clause\u002F) in contracts that may give buyers the right to audit revenue flows that raise concerns;\n*   systems to improve traceability and transparency, which may include [blockchain technologies](http:\u002F\u002Fmneguidelines.oecd.org\u002Fis-there-a-role-for-blockchain-in-responsible-supply-chains.htm) – although companies should keep in mind that there is no simple technological fix.\n\n### How countries can cooperate to improve standards in mining\n\nCorruption in mining has much in common with corruption in forestry and other natural resource sectors. Studies in Indonesia and elsewhere show the same old tricks: bribery, embezzlement, money laundering, tax fraud, undisclosed royalty payments and non-compliance with regulations.\n\nThere is widespread evidence of rampant petty corruption on the ground, in part due to the use of intermediaries and high levels of discretion of local officials, and of obscene grand corruption schemes between political and business elites – the [Gertler](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nytimes.com\u002F2021\u002F02\u002F21\u002Fus\u002Fpolitics\u002Fdan-gertler-sanctions.html) and [Steinmetz](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.swissinfo.ch\u002Feng\u002Fswiss-court-hands-diamond-magnate-five-year-prison-sentence-\u002F46309514) cases being only the most high-profile.\n\nSuccessful investigations and prosecutions are few and far between (why, is something the Basel Institute is [working to better understand](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fnews\u002Fanti-corruption-approaches-protect-biodiversity-launch-new-green-corruption-collaboration-tnrc)). Prevention is key, and this needs increased cooperation in particular:\n\n*   between the public and private sectors, especially in proactive information-sharing between companies and financial institutions with law enforcement;\n*   between countries, through a carrot-and-stick combination of international pressure, investment from countries that value transparency and accountability, and support for strengthening legal frameworks and capacity;\n*   between law enforcement agencies, as money laundering schemes cross many borders and green corruption investigations often arise from information transmitted spontaneously by foreign law enforcement counterparts;\n*   with local civil society representatives that dare to speak up against corruption in their country, because ultimately change to a deeply corrupt political context needs to come from within.\n\nA basic step to improve international cooperation and harmonisation of standards – and avoid the “race to the bottom” in environmental, human rights and anti-corruption issues – is to implement the OECD Due Diligence Guidance into national and regional policies, as China did in 2015. There are concerns that the European Union’s proposed update to the [2006 Batteries Directive](https:\u002F\u002Fec.europa.eu\u002Fcommission\u002Fpresscorner\u002Fdetail\u002Fen\u002Fip_20_2312) does not yet specifically include corruption risks highlighted in the Guidance – something which, as this panel discussion showed, is absolutely crucial to the integrity of mineral supply chains in all senses.\n\n### With thanks to our panel\n\n*   Louis Maréchal, Sector Lead, Minerals & Extractives, Centre for Responsible Business Conduct, OECD (moderator)\n*   Laode Syarif, Executive Director, Kemitraan and Former Vice Chairman, Corruption Eradication Commission of the Republic of Indonesia\n*   Elisabeth Caesens, Director, Resource Matters\n*   Hugo Brodie, Vice President - Sustainability, London Metal Exchange\n*   Luca Maiotti, Policy Analyst, Minerals Team, Centre for Responsible Business Conduct, OECD\n\nLearn more about the OECD-Basel Institute [Corrupting the environment series](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fgreen-corruption\u002Fcorrupting-environment) and register now for upcoming events on [following the money](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.zoom.us\u002Fwebinar\u002Fregister\u002FWN_Pa5XVdTNQ-2v15BhFlOChg) (17 March) and applying [behavioural insights](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.zoom.us\u002Fwebinar\u002Fregister\u002FWN_UNofuB6jRI-VLe43E_IH1A) to fight green corruption (14 April).","2021-03-03","protecting-mineral-supply-chains-from-green-corruption-risks-1978","Protecting mineral supply chains from green corruption risks","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Fb67b0e87-6629-4f91-9ed9-4435fd1ba467?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[242],"Green Corruption",[144,219,77],[245,249,253,257],{"tags_id":246},{"id":247,"name":248},1303,"Environment",{"tags_id":250},{"id":251,"name":252},1236,"Compliance",{"tags_id":254},{"id":255,"name":256},830,"Business integrity",{"tags_id":258},{"id":259,"name":260},1380,"Sustainability",1978,[242],[144,219,77],[],[],[22],[],"2022-05-26T22:53:23.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fprotecting-mineral-supply-chains-from-green-corruption-risks-1978",{"id":272,"body":273,"status":6,"type":10,"date":274,"slug":275,"title":276,"image":277,"countries":278,"topic":279,"activity":280,"tags":281,"nid":282,"topics":283,"activities":284,"authors":285,"images":286,"websites":287,"area":20,"programme":20,"language":20,"translations":288,"translation_of":20,"user_created":59,"date_created":289,"user_updated":156,"date_updated":290,"content":291,"link":292},10443,"After the passing of Gretta Fenner in early April 2024, we are now looking for a new leader.\n\nWe are advertising for a highly skilled and motivated Executive Director with a strong personality, thought leadership and charisma, who has a genuine commitment to the mission and strategy of the Basel Institute and is keen to pursue their implementation and development.\n\n[See full details.](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fsites\u002Fdefault\u002Ffiles\u002F2024-05\u002FBasel%20Institute%20Executive%20Director.pdf)\n\nPlease apply by 12 July. Applications will be reviewed thereafter, with the close involvement of the Basel Institute's [Foundation Board](https:\u002F\u002Fbaselgovernance.org\u002Fabout\u002Fgovernance).","2024-05-22","basel-institute-seeks-an-executive-director-2629","Basel Institute seeks an Executive Director","https:\u002F\u002Fjam.baselgovernance.org\u002Fapi\u002Fassets\u002Faeb96711-e6e7-4961-90bc-abae30280301?width=1000&height=650&format=webp&quality=80",[],[14],[14],[],2629,[],[],[],[],[22],[],"2024-05-22T10:01:31.000Z","2026-04-27T21:01:52.000Z",[],"\u002Fresources\u002Fnews\u002Fbasel-institute-seeks-an-executive-director-2629",{"left":294,"top":294,"width":295,"height":295,"rotate":294,"vFlip":296,"hFlip":296,"body":297},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>",1780676504314]