Derived from the United Nations Convention against Corruption, the Global Compact 10th Principle urges businesses to fight against corruption: “Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery”.
Corruption negatively impacts social and economic development as well as environmental sustainability. Ineffective implementation of anti-corruption policies contributes to illegal logging, water and air pollution, exploitation of mineral resources, and unsustainable bio-fuel use. Corruption undermines the gains and positive effects generated by sustainable corporate practices.
To combat this problem, the Global Compact promotes the implementation of rigorous anti-corruption measures though organization change at the company level and collective action at the country level. First, companies are asked to integrate anti-corruption and compliance measures into their business strategies and operations. Companies develop their own code of conduct, including the implementation of a zero tolerance policy and a range of rules and regulations concerning gifts, political contributions, charities and travel. To apply these policies, companies implement a range of actions, including the establishment of anonymous hotlines, employee training, supply chain management, risk assessment and disciplinary measures. Second, companies are asked to take part in collective action¹, multi-stakeholder dialogue, and integrity or compliance pacts with industry peers. Global Compact business participants are required to present their efforts to advance the 10th Principle in an annual Communication on Progress.
The Global Compact and key partners have developed a range of resources to help participating companies implement the 10th principle, including the following publications: Business Against Corruption: Framework for Action; Reporting Guidance on the 10th Principle against Corruption; The Fight against Corruption: E-Learning Tool, Fighting Corruption in the Supply Chain: a Guide for Customers and Suppliers; Collective Action – Building a Coalition against Corruption; and Clean Business is Good Business. These resources outline the ethical and business benefits of anti-corruption initiatives based on legal risks, compromised reputation, financial cost, and the erosion of consumer trust and confidence. Additionally, the Global Compact has embarked upon a multi-year collective action project with Global Compact Local Networks and strategic partners to foster anti-corruption action².
Despite understanding the importance and advantages of anti-corruption initiatives, many companies struggle to implement the 10th Principle. There is a substantial gap in anti-corruption action between large corporations (over 5,000 employees) and small and medium enterprises. Here are several examples of the differences: Only nine per cent of SMEs implement anonymous hotlines as opposed to 68 per cent of large companies; less than 12 per cent of SMEs record corruption as opposed to 57 per cent of large companies; less than 23 per cent of SMEs integrate anti-corruption into their management system as opposed to 65 per cent of large companies. Similarly, anti-corruption is one of the least reported principles in the annual Communication on Progress. The Global Compact differentiation framework categorizes companies into three groups: Learner, Active, and Advanced. One of the main reasons Global Compact participants stay in the Learner group is because of a failure to report anti-corruption implementation efforts.
Categorías: | Lucha Contra la Corrupción |
Autores: | Pacto Mundial de las Naciones Unidas |
ISBN-10(13): | N/A |
Editorial: | Pacto Mundial de las Naciones Unidas |
Fecha de publicación: | 2012 |
Edición: | 1 |
Número de páginas: | 22 |
Idioma: | Inglés |
E-Book: | Clic aquí para descargar tu E-Book |