While the world is not free from corruption, it is a very different place than when Transparency International began its work more than 15 years ago. There has been a marked increase in the understanding of corruption’s ills and the need to prevent, mitigate and combat it. Yet the financial and economic crisis in 2008 has served as a reminder of what can happen when transparency, accountability and anti-corruption become afterthoughts rather than the guide for one’s actions.

Having a common understanding and language for the anti-corruption movement is one channel for ensuring that such breakdowns and abuses are prevented in the future. It is in this spirit that this plain language guide has been developed to capture the key terms and their meanings for TI and to provide the anti-corruption movement with a resource to work more effectively with government, private sector and civil society stakeholders.