Celebrating International Anti-Corruption Day 2022: Lessons to be learnt

by Roque Fernandes · Published December 5, 2022 · Updated December 14, 2022

Together, we can uproot corruption

The world as we know it is today delicately poised on the brink of tantalising growth and possibly a nuclear war at the same time. Both these possibilities are fuelled indirectly by the grim reality of money from corruption, to cut to the chase.

Corruption fuels conflict and hampers peace by undermining the rule of law, and facilitating the illegal use of resources for armed conflict or illicit substances like drugs.

The United Nations designated 9 December as International Anti-Corruption Day in 2005, to raise awareness of corruption and of the role of the United Nations Convention against Corruption in combating and preventing it.

The 2022 International Anti-Corruption Day drives home the crucial link between anti-corruption and peace, security, and development. Tackling this crime is the right and responsibility of everyone, and this is possible only through cooperation and the involvement of all people and institutions in play, according to the United Nations.

Even as we celebrate Anti-Corruption Day, the 20th edition of world’s largest anti-corruption gathering is set to take place from 6-10 December 2022 in the US capital of Washington DC. The 2022 International Anti-Corruption Conference will be hosted by the United States government and organised by the IACC Council and Transparency International.

Taking a closer look at corruption around us

To what extent have you seen a notable rise in the level of corporate fraud, bribery and corruption uncovered in your country of focus?

Have there been any legal and regulatory changes implemented in your country of focus designed to combat fraud and corruption? What penalties do companies face for failure to comply?
In your opinion, do regulators in your region have sufficient resources to enforce the law in this area? Are they making inroads?
If a company finds itself subject to a government investigation or dawn raid, how should it respond?
What role are whistleblowers playing in the fight against corporate fraud and corruption? How important is it to train staff to identify and report potentially fraudulent activity?
What advice can you offer to companies on conducting an internal investigation to follow up on suspicions of fraud or corruption?
What general steps can companies take to proactively prevent corruption and fraud within their organisation?

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ABAC’s Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption solutions

At ABAC® Group we offer ISO/IEC 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System training and Certification. Developed by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), this standard helps establish that an organisation has implemented reasonable and proportionate measures designed to prevent bribery.

Through ABAC®, CRI® Group was recently granted accreditation by the Dubai Accreditation Department (DAC) as an ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System Certification and Conformity Assessment Body – the first accreditation of its kind awarded to a certification body specialising in global anti-bribery and anti-corruption, risk and compliance standards. Organisations like Dubai-based Apex Shipping Services LLC have already completed the training and certification and are positioned as ethical leaders in anti-bribery, anti-corruption and compliance.

The sooner organisations are certified to prevent bribery and corruption, the sooner they can build stronger and more beneficial relationships. And they will be better protected, with trained staff and effective controls in place to safeguard business and investments from fraud.

Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC®) Center of Excellence is an independent certification body that provides education and certification services for individuals and organisations on a wide range of disciplines and ISO standards, including:

ABAC® offers a complete suite of solutions designed to help organisations mitigate the internal and external risks associated with operating in multi-jurisdiction and multi-cultural environments while assisting in developing frameworks for strategic compliance programs.

ABAC® is accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS CB number: 10613) against ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 Conformity assessment — Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of the scheme’s management systems of ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems (ABMS). This makes ABAC® Certification the leading accreditated certification body specialising in global anti-bribery and anti-corruption, risk and compliance management system standards. ABAC® experts audit any existing compliance and anti-bribery anti-corruption management systems to assess effectiveness and vulnerabilities while ensuring your organisation complies with Internal Standards, FCPA, U.K. Bribery Act, Anti-Money Laundering regulations, and all other global, regional and local regulations while maintaining a competitive edge in the world marketplace.

If you seek to validate or expand your existing compliance frameworks to maintain a competitive edge in the world marketplace, ABAC® can help you. Our experts audit your existing compliance and anti-bribery anti-corruption management systems to assess effectiveness and vulnerabilities while ensuring your organisation complies with Internal Standards, FCPA rules, U.K. Bribery Act laws, Anti-Money Laundering regulations, and all other global, regional and local regulations.