New guidance seeks to help sector operate responsibly and ethically

22 January 2014 – Today Transparency International published its Anti-Bribery Principles for Not-For-Profit Organisations supported by Mishcon de Reya and Baker Tilly.

While it is in the nature of not-for-profits (NFPs) to want to operate with integrity, many NFPs are uncertain about the measures they should be adopting to comply with the new UK Bribery Act.

This tool aims to fill the gap by providing anti-bribery advice for such organisations of any size in the corruption-resources-corruption-resources-educational, voluntary, charitable, arts & heritage and related sectors by: 

• Giving practical advice for governance bodies and management on the consideration they should give to bribery risk
• Identifying the types of bribery risk that can apply to not-for-profits and how these can be identified and countered by designing and implementing a good practice anti-bribery programme
• Providing checklists to help not-for-profits benchmark their anti-bribery programmes against the good practice recommended in this guidance.

Organisations like museums, universities and charities of all size seem to have little awareness of what bribery is and how it can affect them. But many of them are now global organisations with operations, projects, partners, agents supplies overseas. This guidance is full of practical advice and case studies, designed to help senior managers in the sector understand the issues they face and how to deal with them”said Robert Barrington, Executive Director of Transparency International UK.

TI has received technical advice from Baker Tilly Mishcon de Reya and an advisory committee comprised of experts from the sector.

Notes:
Bribery and corruption are found in all countries including the UK, and affect the public, private and third sectors. They threaten democratic processes, increase inefficiency, hurt the poor disproportionately and undermine economic growth. Often, bribery and corruption can aggravate conflict and insecurity.

Related publications:
Click here to access TI-UK’s Anti-Bribery Principles and Guidance for NGOs (June 2011).