- Business Against Corruption - a framework for action
- First to know: Robust international reporting programs
- more IBLF publications
Corruption increases company expenditure, eats into profits and damages a company’s reputation for integrity - which is essential in obtaining customers, attracting high quality staff, raising capital and gaining local community acceptance.
IBLF aims to:
- Articulate and advocate the business case for combating bribery and corruption
- Research and document examples of good corporate practices and existing initiatives to engage the private sector in collective action to fight corruption
- Produce practical tools and guidelines to help companies to develop and implement anti-corruption policies
- Stimulate collective corporate action programmes in-country to tackle corruption, analysing the experiences gained
Collective Action
A key feature of IBLF’s engagement in the anti-corruption field is to promote and facilitate collective action by business.
IBLF is an official supporting partner of the 2008 International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC), organised by Transparency International and our corporate partners are invited to attend the conference, which takes place from 30 October – 2 November, in Athens, Greece
The conference main theme is to explore how countering corruption and enhancing good governance contributes to sustainable development. This year special emphasis has been put on bringing the voice of business to the discussion.
Two workshops, which are closely linked to IBLF’s work in the area of business and corruption will be:
Combating Corruption through “Collective Action”:
• IBLF’s Peter Brew, partners from the World Bank Institute and CIPE will present practical examples how business addressed corruption collectively in countries and regions such as Vietnam, China, Easter Europe etc.
Countering Bribery in the Supply Chain - the missing link?
• Speakers will look at how supply chain operators approach anti-bribery measures with their suppliers. The result of a bribery risk assessment exercise with over 3,500 SME suppliers will also be presented. The workshop will explore how and at what stage bribery impacts supply chains, and will consider how it may be countered.
In 2005 IBLF completed a 2-year programme for the UK Department for International Development of UK Government that identified examples of collective action by business against corruption around the world and enabled us to begin the in-country initiatives shown below.
Regional initiatives
China – with financial support through the British Embassy and 5 multinational companies IBLF established two years ago a China Business Leaders Forum in partnership with the Renmin University of China.
The Forum brings together senior Chinese and foreign business managers and meets every 3 months in Beijing and regularly in Shanghai to discuss transparency and improving business standards in different aspects of business.
Topics have included tendering & procurement, sustainability, transparency across business operations, recruitment and development of employees, corporate social responsibility and cross-cultural management.
More on IBLF's work in China
Vietnam – IBLF’s long standing programme in Vietnam in partnership with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been extended to all business sectors (it began in the footwear and garment sectors) and to cover the full range of responsible business practice, including tackling corruption.
More on IBLF's work in Vietnam
Indonesia – IBLF was instrumental in establishing Indonesia Business Links, a coalition of over 40 companies. Its key programme is ethics in business training aimed at domestic large, medium and small enterprises. With IBLF support Indonesia Business Links has published booklets on responsible business topics for local businesses.
More on IBLF's work in Indonesia
Philippines – IBLF supported the publication of Guides to Taxation and Customs by the Makati Business Club in Manila.
More on IBLF's work in the Philippines
Russia – IBLF’s Russia Partnership is a coalition of international and domestic companies meeting regularly to discuss core business challenges, including corruption and transparency.
More on the Russia Partnership at www.iblf.ru
Eastern Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States – IBLF has conducted anti-corruption workshops in Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Croatia and Serbia. Lithuania and is planning events with new UN Global Compact networks in these regions.
More on on IBLF's work in the western Balkans
Africa – through its participation in Business Action for Africa, IBLF is contributing to governance initiatives in Africa.
More Business Action for Africa at www.businessactionforafrica.org
Business Against Corruption: a framework for action
In 2005 IBLF worked with Transparency International and the UN Global Compact to produce a framework which could help companies deal with corruption in every aspect of their operations.
The report provides both an ethical and a business case for tackling corruption, and helps companies understand the tenth principle of the Global Compact: "Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery".
Read Business Against Corruption