Benchmarking anti-bribery
and corruption procedures
To help businesses assess the effectiveness of their anti-bribery and corruption (ABC) programmes, relative to their competitors and peers, GoodCorporation has developed an ABC Benchmark which ranks anti-bribery programmes by adequacy.Â
The benchmark is made up of data from over 120 anti-corruption assessments comprising effectiveness tests for over 8,500 anti-bribery procedures, mainly in large international organisation.Â
What is the GoodCorporation anti-corruption benchmark?
With businesses under increasing pressure to ensure that robust anti-bribery controls are in place and properly embedded, it is vital that businesses understand the extent to which their anti-corruption measures are working. Failure to understand this can expose a company to the risk of corruption and harm their defence should prosecution occur.Â
Through the benchmark, GoodCorporation is able to identify which anti-corruption procedures are proving difficult to implement and where good companies are excelling.
Assessing adequate
procedures to prevent corruption
Most authorities have published guidance on what is required to comply with their anti-bribery legislation, but it remains for businesses and their advisors to judge what might be considered adequate.
Analysis against the GoodCorporation benchmark can provide an independent verification of adequacy. The benchmark is updated regularly to provide relevant information to assist with internal and external reviews of anti-bribery procedures.
Anti-corruption benchmarking podcast
In our anti-corruption benchmarking podcast, Leo Martin introduces GoodCorporation’s benchmarking programme.Â
Use of the benchmark enables companies to provide assurances to the board, prospective clients or regulatory authorities that adequate procedures and effective compliance systems to prevent corruption are in place.
Where would your organisation rank
in the GoodCorporation benchmark?
90% or more of the anti-bribery procedures of organisations in the top quartile of the GoodCorporation benchmark were found to be adequate. However, in the worst performing companies, as few as 20% of the anti-corruption controls were effective. This marked disparity shows that there is a real gap emerging between those organisations that are succeeding in developing adequate procedures to prevent corruption and those that are not.Â
CONTACT US
The GoodCorporation Framework on Bribery and Corruption
The GoodCorporation Framework on Bribery and Corruption is a set of responsible business principles with a robust and easy-to-understand methodology that can be used to test and strengthen anti-bribery and corruption (ABC) programmes. The framework covers all forms of corruption, not just bribes, including conflicts of interest, gifts and hospitality, competitive and transparent purchasing procedures, remuneration of sales agents, relationships with governments and public officials, whistleblowing, as well as governance structure and processes.Â
GoodCorporation uses this framework to conduct high-level reviews of head office anti-bribery policies and also for site level reviews testing the effectiveness of anti-corruption procedures in operating units. Companies also use our assessments to identify any gaps in anti-corruption policies, for board reports, internal assurances of anti-bribery controls, external reporting and, increasingly, as a component of their ESG criteria.
Assessments against this framework help companies test the strength of their ABC programme and the effectiveness of their measures to prevent corruption. It can also be used to demonstrate improvement by companies facing prosecution or debarment. In addition, when needed, our assessments can provide an ABC certification with the benefit of a clear road map for risk mitigation and improvement.
GoodCorporation’s anti-corruption benchmark is made up of data from over 100 ABC assessments testing more than 7,000 business practices. It enables us to identify which anti-corruption procedures are proving difficult to implement and where good companies are excelling.
Dr Gareth Thomas
Related blogs
GoodBlog
Key ethics, compliance and sustainability trends to watch in 2025Â
Last year was a significant one for ethics and compliance professionals, with various major changes...
GoodBlog
Due diligence and EU directives: unpacking the relationship between the CSDDD and the CSRD
In July 2024, the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive – the CSDDD – came...
GoodBlog
The benefits of stakeholder audits Â
Businesses are increasingly under pressure to be run responsibly and sustainably, and the only way...
GoodBlog
The role of DEI in Human Rights Impact Assessments
Human Rights Impact Assessments (HRIAs) are an essential tool for companies to identify and address...
Business Ethics Debates
The ECCTA: Navigating the identification doctrine and the failure to prevent fraud offenceÂ
Since its introduction, the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA) has ushered in significant changes...
GoodBlog
Emerging trends and key challenges in implementing the UNGPsÂ
The United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights provides a unique multi-stakeholder platform for...
GoodBlog
A best-practice guide to conducting effective human rights due diligence
Large, complex supply chains are fraught with risk for many businesses, not least in the...
GoodBlog
Taking an integrated approach to complianceÂ
As global compliance requirements expand, recent legislation such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (2023)...
