Introduction

Bribery is a pervasive issue that presents significant social, moral, economic, and political challenges. It undermines good governance, stifles development, and distorts competition. Bribery erodes justice, infringes on human rights, and impedes efforts to alleviate poverty. It also escalates business costs, introduces uncertainty in commercial transactions, raises the prices of goods and services, reduces the quality of products and services, and can result in loss of life and property. Additionally, bribery destroys trust in institutions and disrupts the fair and efficient functioning of markets.

Governments have made strides in tackling bribery through international agreements like the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions and the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, along with national laws. In many jurisdictions, engaging in bribery is a criminal offense, and there is a growing trend to hold both individuals and organizations accountable for bribery.

However, laws alone are insufficient to address the issue. Organizations must take proactive steps to combat bribery. This can be achieved through an anti-bribery management system, as outlined in this document, along with a commitment from leadership to establish a culture of integrity, transparency, openness, and compliance. The organizational culture plays a crucial role in the effectiveness of an anti-bribery management system.

Scope

This document outlines the requirements and provides guidance for establishing, implementing, maintaining, reviewing, and enhancing an anti-bribery management system. The system can be standalone or integrated into an organization’s overall management framework. This document addresses the following areas related to the organization’s operations:

• Bribery in the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
• Bribery committed by the organization.
• Bribery by the organization’s personnel acting on its behalf or for its benefit.
• Bribery by the organization’s business partners acting on its behalf or for its benefit.
• Bribery of the organization itself.
• Bribery of the organization’s personnel in relation to its activities.
• Bribery of the organization’s business associates in relation to its operations.
• Both direct and indirect bribery (e.g., a bribe offered or accepted via a third party).