Defence Integrity

Strengthening integrity in defence manufacturing and security spending

Europe is investing in defence on a scale not seen in decades. But without strong safeguards, corruption can divert these funds and weaken the equipment armed forces rely on. It also erodes the trust between allies, investors and companies that joint innovation and production depend on.

Building on more than 12 years of anti-corruption work in Ukraine, we help defence manufacturers in Ukraine build governance and compliance systems that partners can verify and rely on.

Our work covers compliance and governance in defence companies, integrity standards for the sector, and research and policy engagement.

What we do

Our defence integrity work grew out of our broader anti-corruption programme in Ukraine. Ukraine’s defence industry has become one of the most innovative in the world. Europe needs its capacity and battlefield-tested technology. But integration into European supply chains depends on companies meeting the integrity expectations of partners, investors and procurement authorities.

With support from Norway, our team in Kyiv works with state-owned and private defence manufacturers and their industry associations. Beyond Ukraine, we engage in defence industry meetings to promote defence manufacturing integrity as European and Ukrainian manufacturers increasingly collaborate.

Our support is practical and co-developed with partners, covering:

Compliance and governance in private and state-owned defence companies.
Open integrity standards that companies can apply progressively as they grow.
Research and policy
Putting integrity on the security agenda at high-level forums and defence industry meetings, such as the Munich Security Conference and the International Forum on Business Ethical Conduct.

Defence Integrity Standards

Defence companies are growing fast, often faster than their governance. Practices that work in a small company are hard to sustain as the business takes on more staff, suppliers, intermediaries, larger contracts and international partners.

Investors, banks, customers and procurement authorities increasingly want to know how a company is owned and managed, how decisions are made, how third parties are selected and how integrity concerns are handled.

Yet most existing guidance was written for established companies in conventional settings. It does not reflect wartime conditions or legitimate security constraints.

Our Defence Manufacturing Integrity Standards translate international expectations into practical capabilities. Each standard sets out what a company should be able to do, the practical challenges it may face in the defence sector and realistic measures to get there.

Developed with Ukrainian and international defence stakeholders, the Standards apply to defence companies and those seeking to work with them, including multinational defence manufacturers, government procurement authorities and international standard setters.

View website and self-assessment tool

How we work

Depending on our partners’ needs, we can provide practical support across:

Advisory

Assessments of governance and compliance arrangements, such as ownership and control, internal controls, third-party due diligence, codes of ethics and whistleblowing channels. We support companies through implementation and culture change, and help Ukrainian and international companies understand each other’s expectations as they build partnerships.

Capacity building

Training for compliance staff, managers and supervisory board members in private and state-owned defence companies, based on the Standards and international good practice.

Research and policy

Turning practical experience into knowledge products such as the Defence Manufacturing Integrity Standards, and contributing to policy debate on integrity in defence procurement and investment.

Partnerships and funding

We work with state-owned and private defence manufacturers in Ukraine, including Ukrainian Defence Industry (UkrOboronProm) and Ukrainian defence industry associations, as well as with international partners in the defence and anti-corruption communities.

Our defence integrity work in Ukraine is currently funded by Norway under the Nansen Support Programme for Ukraine.

We welcome new partners, including companies, industry associations, investors and funders, who share our aim of a trusted, resilient defence industry.