How can more civil society organisations get involved in anti-corruption Collective Action, and in what capacity?  These are the questions that Transparency International addresses in its new publication, Collective Action on Business Integrity: A Practitioner’s Guide for Civil Society OrganisationsThis Guide is a succinct, easy-to-read, and practical tool for civil society organisations (CSOs) to better understand what anti-corruption Collective Action is and the important –  

What role can compliance certification play in anti-corruption Collective Action?

The discussion around the ISO 37001 standard, published late 2016, created something of a debate on the pros and cons of certifying companies’ compliance programs. And while many welcomed the introduction of a uniform international standard for the prevention and detection of bribes other familiar criticisms of certification remain.

Globally operating companies increasingly feel the pressure to ensure their compliance and integrity standards are maintained throughout their supply-chain. This has led to a transfer of pressure all the way down to the weakest link, the small and medium-sized businesses. As a result, many small and medium-sized business supplying large international companies are faced with unreasonable demands when it comes to their compliance programs that neither reflect their business environment nor their risk profile.

Collective Action is becoming increasingly popular as a tool to help solve some of the more difficult and systemic aspects of bribery. It also plays an important role for peer companies keen to ensure a level playing field when acquiring new business.

Lawyers can help their clients to identify, join or initiate new forms of Collective Action because the opportunities and scope are so broad and flexible. There is the potential therefore to find something suitable for all companies wherever they operate in the world. 

An important factor for success in anti-corruption Collective Action is that it should be a business-driven endeavour. That being said, the role of civil society must be recognised for its important contributions towards successful multi-stakeholder approaches against corruption.

This article from the Spring 2016 edition of Ethical Boardroom magazine looks at how building a strong coalition with civil society puts business on the front foot.