Significant Milestone Reached in Scaling Up Anti-Corruption Collective Action

UNITED NATIONS, New York, 7 August – The United Nations Global Compact — together with its partners — reached a significant milestone in closing two three-year long projects to advance anti-corruption Collective Action.

Under the Siemens Integrity Initiative Second Funding Round, the two projects brought together businesses, Governments and civil society with the aim of leveling the playing field and raising compliance standards across Brazil, Egypt, Japan, Kenya and Nigeria. Both projects were anchored in the Tenth Principle of the UN Global Compact as well as Goal 16, specifically target 16.5, of the Sustainable Development Goals, and reinforce a call to Governments and businesses everywhere to work against corruption in all its forms.

In one project, the UN Global Compact partnered with the Basel Institute on Governance and Global Compact Local Networks in Brazil, Japan, Kenya and Nigeria to enhance knowledge and capacity for implementing anti-corruption Collective Action at the local level. The project connected various stakeholders to discuss challenges and opportunities as well as identify collective efforts to combat corruption, increase transparency and create an enabling environment for businesses and societies to flourish. A number of workshops were held which resulted in all four Global Compact Local Networks engaging a combined 900 participants, developing resources to improve anti-corruption compliance among business participants and establishing a strategy to ensure ongoing commitment towards anti-corruption Collective Action.

In another project, implemented in Egypt in collaboration with the Egyptian Junior Business Association (EJB), the UN Global Compact established the Integrity Network Initiative — a multi-stakeholder, business-led group of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) committed to tackling corruption. SMEs that joined the Initiative signed a 10-step Integrity Pledge and were trained on various aspects of anti-corruption compliance. Their efforts were then linked with tangible business incentives provided by large companies and the public sector. Among the results, the project expanded the membership of the Initiative, trained personnel from over 400 SMEs and developed various guidance materials for SMEs on topics such as transparency in customs, public procurement, code of conduct, and internal controls, along with an online support desk. The Integrity Network Initiative aims to continue serving as a platform to provide training, awareness raising and strengthening anti-corruption efforts within SMEs in Egypt.

To mark the completion of the projects, the UN Global Compact released Promoting Anti-Corruption Collective Action through Global Compact Local Networks (Second Edition), which serves to capture the milestones and impact of this work. In the foreword of the publication, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said:

“The UN Convention Against Corruption represents the fundamental recognition that corruption is neither acceptable nor inevitable.  Corruption can be prosecuted after the fact, but first and foremost, it requires prevention. An entire chapter of the Convention is dedicated to prevention, with measures directed at both the public and private sectors. Yet, we will not achieve a lasting impact without the full cooperation of civil servants, businesses and the financial and law enforcement communities.

We also need civil society, a free press and young people to continue to highlight the social cost of corrupt practices — and the need to hold individuals, businesses and political figures to account.”

The publication invites businesses to learn more about these projects, improve anti-corruption practices within their individual organizations and to engage other businesses, Governments and civil society in anti-corruption Collective Action.

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About Siemens Integrity Initiative

The global Siemens Integrity Initiative supports organizations and projects fighting corruption and fraud through Collective Action, education and training with over US$ 100 million around the world. The Initiative focuses on supporting projects that have a clear impact on the business environment, can demonstrate objective and measurable results and have the potential to be scaled up and replicated. The Siemens Integrity Initiative is based on the settlement between Siemens and the World Bank in 2009 and the settlement between Siemens and the European Investments Bank (EIB) in 2013. The first two funding rounds of the Initiative have to date committed capital totaling more than US$ 70 million for 55 projects in more than 20 countries around the world. 

To learn more, see here.

About the United Nations Global Compact

The United Nations Global Compact is a call to companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, and to take action in support of UN goals and issues embodied in the Sustainable Development Goals. The UN Global Compact is a leadership platform for the development, implementation and disclosure of responsible corporate practices. Launched in 2000, it is the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world, with more than 9,500 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and nearly 70 Local Networks.

For more information, follow @globalcompact and visit www.unglobalcompact.org.