This guide provides a basic introduction for government of officials, civil society groups and the private sector on eliminating corruption risks in public procurement. It is intended to inform and guide participants in public procurement, as well as civil society groups, on what can be done to strengthen the procurement process against corruption and its damaging effects. 

Public procurement is a place where governments and companies used to be alone, and where citizens are increasingly present. Examining the rules under which governments acquire goods and services is fundamental to determine how transparent and competitive governments are when purchasing with taxpayer money. Transparent procurement increases social and consumer welfare, it ensures sound national and local government budgeting, stimulates an economy based on innovation, and strengthens democratic governance

This report aims to provide an overview of business integrity and anti-bribery legislation, policies and practices applicable to state-owned enterprises (SOEs) operating across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.

Companies today, in particular banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions, increasingly operate their businesses in a group structure. These financial groups have a growing presence in markets worldwide and the economy as a whole. To do business effectively and efficiently in group structures, corporate groups should be managed in a holistic and integrated manner, in much the same way as an enterprise.

Transparency International’s Business Integrity Country Agenda (BICA) seeks to create a relevant body of evidence on business integrity in a given country, a widely shared agenda for reform and a collective momentum for change towards more business integrity among key stakeholders.

Transparency International envisages that the BICAs will become important reference points for fighting corruption in business practices within countries and around the globe.

There is growing awareness of the important role whistleblowing plays in stopping corruption.

This guide touches on whistleblowing provisions across the MENA region; the conditions that need to be met for whistleblowers to feel safe; as well as tips and arguments for campaigning for enhanced whistleblower safeguards. It draws from TI research on whistleblowing and consultations with partners in the region. It explores some of the steps organisations might want to take in supporting whistleblowers and the steps whistleblowers might take before and after speaking up.

Settlements can provide an important channel to hold companies to account for wrongdoings and resolve foreign bribery and other cases without resorting to a full trial (civil or criminal), or contested administrative proceeding.

Yet, their deterrent effect can be questionable if they are not transparent, and do not provide effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions and if there is no judicial process. Finally, there should be reparations for the victims of the offence.

This Learning Review was the first comprehensive analysis of experiences with Integrity Pact implementation in over 20 countries over two decades.

The main findings confirm that Integrity Pacts:

This Transparency International report evaluates the transparency of corporate reporting by the world’s 124 largest publicly listed companies. The report assesses the disclosure practices of companies with respect to their anti-corruption programmes, company holdings and the disclosure of key financial information on a country-by-country basis. It follows on from a 2012 report which focused on the world’s 105 largest publicly traded companies.

The Integrity Pact (IP) is a powerful tool developed by Transparency International (TI) to help governments, businesses and civil society fight corruption in public contracting. It consists of a process that includes an agreement between a government or government agency (‘the authority’) and all bidders for a public sector contract, setting out rights and obligations to the effect that neither side will pay, offer, demand or accept bribes; nor will bidders collude with competitors to obtain the contract, or bribe representatives of the authority while carrying it out.