Collective Action

Congratulations to the winners of the 2025 Anti-Corruption Collective Action Awards, presented by the Basel Institute on Governance with the support of the Siemens Integrity Initiative. The awards were announced on 4 June 2025 in a video on social media from Elizabeth Andersen, the Basel Institute’s Executive Director. Gretta Fenner Outstanding Achievement in Collective Action Award In the category of Outstanding Achievement in Collecti

A joint blog by Naomi Roht-Arriaza, Distinguished Professor of Law (emerita), University of California Law, and Lucie Binder, Senior Specialist, Governance and Integrity, Basel Institute on Governance. Who are the real victims of corruption? Traditionally, the answer has been “the state.” This stems from the fact that corruption typically involves the misuse of public office and the theft or diversion of public funds. In this legal framework, the state prosecutes the crime, claims the damag

The following blog post is a guest contribution and reflects the views and opinions of the original author, which do not necessarily represent those of the Basel Institute. It is shared as-is for informational purposes only. By Pat Poitevin, Co-Founder – Executive Director, Canadian Centre of Excellence for Anti-Corruption (CCEAC) Member, Collective Action Mentoring Programme In the global effort to tackle corruption, the concept of collective action has moved from theory to ne

The following blog post is a guest contribution and reflects the views and opinions of the original author, which do not necessarily represent those of the Basel Institute. It is shared as-is for informational purposes only. Image source: © UNICEF/UNI687651/Khan | Emergency supplies of water, sanitation and hygiene arrive at a warehouse run by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Kabul, Afghanistan. By Arco Iris Santos and

With increasing geopolitical and regulatory volatility, the need for companies to develop resilience to market shocks and uncertain conditions is critical. One of the most effective ways to do this is by embedding strong compliance programmes into their operations that not only ensure adherence to laws and regulations, but also support positive, ethical work environments. Effective compliance programmes provide a foundation for businesses to act ethically by helping them to identify and manage

Public voting has opened for this year’s prestigious Collective Action Awards. Launched in 2022, the Collective Action Awards celebrate inspiring and outstanding multi-stakeholder initiatives to raise standards of business integrity in a particular context. As in previous years, there are two award categories: “Outstanding Achievement in Collective Action” and “Collective Action Inspirational Newcomer”. The six finalists – three in each cate

“Strong and productive partnerships across diverse sectors were everywhere in evidence at the OECD Global Anti-Corruption & Integrity Forum. Such solidarity and collaboration are critically important, particularly in the face of the headwinds confronting the anti-corruption movement today." – Elizabeth Andersen, Executive Director, Basel Institute on Governance _This blog by Lucie Binder, Senior Specialist, Governance and Integrity, reflects on the [2025 OECD Global Anti-Corruption & Integrit

J. Edward “Ned” Conway became Executive Secretary of the Wolfsberg Group on 1 November 2024, succeeding Alan Ketley. With its 12 member banks, the Wolfsberg Group is a globally respected source of expertise on financial crime risk management, setting industry standards and building bridges between financial institutions and other stakeholders. The Basel Institute serves as Secretariat to the Group, which is now in its 25th year. In this Q&A, Ned challenges us to

Nominations are now open for the International Anti-Corruption Collective Action Awards 2025. With the Collective Action Awards, we celebrate outstanding achievements by multi-stakeholder initiatives in tackling corruption and raising standards of business integrity – and hopefully inspire the development of new Collective Action initiatives. Organisations and initiatives can submit their nomination for one of two award categories: Out

Twenty-five years after the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention came into force, companies are facing an increasingly complex regulatory landscape, not only on anti-corruption but also sustainability. In this blog, Vanessa Hans sheds light on recent corporate disclosure regulations and how companies can better meet stakeholders’ reporting expectations. ESG regulations tighten: time to break down siloes Most countries have had la

An interview with Martin Benderson by Nicolas Hocq. Maritime corruption poses significant challenges to global trade, inflating costs, delaying operations and undermining integrity in supply chains. The Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN), a leading international Collective Action initiative, has been at the forefront of addressing these issues through collaboration with governments, businesses and civil society. In this exclusive interview, Martin Benderson, Chief Pa

We are thrilled that anti-corruption Collective Action has received fresh impetus under the Brazilian presidency of the B20 – the voice of business of the G20 intergovernmental forum. This reflects a shift in mindset among global business leaders, towards recognising the power and necessity of multi-stakeholder collaboration for anti-corruption and integrity. Fostering Collective Action initiatives is one of three [policy recommendations of the B20 Integrity and Compliance Task Force](https://b

Shawn Teixeira became Head of the Siemens Integrity Initiative in 2024, having worked tirelessly together with Sabine Zindera over many years in the oversight of 85 projects in over 50 countries with around USD 120 million in committed funding. Under their leadership, the Siemens Integrity Initiative has been a driving force in the growth and evolution of anti-corruption Collective Action. Speaking at the 5th International Collective Action Conference in Basel, held with the support of Siemens,

The Basel Institute has secured a new grant to partner with leading pharmaceutical company Novartis to improve the effectiveness of compliance programmes in deterring corrupt behaviour. The two-year project is part of a larger initiative funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Countering Transnational Corruption Grand Challenge [D

As Chair of the Steering Committee of the Alliance for Integrity and Head of Compliance of Metro AG, Anke Struckmeier-Eickenberg has rich experience and deep insights to share with the Collective Action community. At the 5th International Collective Action Conference in Basel, she responded to a question about how can engaging in anti-corruption Collective Action initiatives help companies to navigate complex regulation and stakeholder expectations:

By Salifu Koray, Chief Revenue Officer, Ghana Revenue Authority Speaking at the Basel Institute’s International Collective Action Conference on 25–26 June 2024, Salifu Koray explained how the Ghana Revenue Authority was engaging in Collective Action through a World Customs Organization programme. The Anti-Corruption and Integrity Programme aims to restrict corrupt behaviour and promote good governance in customs operations and administration in Ghana and seven other countries. _In a short

We are proud to launch the world’s first fully interactive Collective Action eLearning course. The new course is part of our ongoing efforts to build practical skills in using this powerful anti-corruption approach, which brings businesses together with other stakeholders to address shared corruption challenges and raise standards of integrity and fair competition. The course puts you in the role of a young entrepreneur called Martha

An entrepreneur and vocal supporter of anti-corruption Collective Action, Norwegian-born Vibeke Lyssand Leirvag has two interesting perspectives: as a small business owner in Thailand and as Chairwoman of the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce. In this short interview on the sidelines of the Basel Institute’s International Collective Action Conference, Vibeke explained how engaging in a Collective Action initiative can help make the voice of business – whether an SME or a Chamber of Commerce –

By Oscar Caipo Ricci, President of the Empresarios por la Integridad initiative in Peru. The initiative is a member of the Basel Institute’s Mentoring Programme and recently became the national hub of Alliance for Integrity in Peru. _Speaking at the Basel Institute’s [International Collective Action Conference](https://collective-a

By Lisa Miller, Head of Integrity Compliance, World Bank Group. Speaking at the Basel Institute’s International Collective Action Conference on 25–26 June 2024, Lisa Miller explained why preventing fraud and corruption is essential for development banks like the World Bank Group to achieve their missions – and how engaging in Collective Action with other stakeholders can help. Video file

We are delighted that anti-corruption Collective Action with the private sector, government and civil society is included as a strategic priority in the Joint Communiqué of the 21st International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) High-Level Segment in Vilnius, Lithuania. The High-Level Segment of the 21st IACC convened on 19 June 2024 under the theme "Confronting Global Threats: Standing up

An interview with Nicola Bonucci by Lucie Binder, with input from Mirella Mahlstein and Anna Stransky. Our Collective Action Helpdesk has received several queries about the European Union (EU)’s introduction of two similarly named pieces of legislation: the [Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive](https://finance.ec.europa.eu/capital-markets-union-and-financial-markets/company-reporting-and-auditing/company-reporting/corporate-sust

The Basel Institute’s President Peter Maurer opened the 5th International Collective Action Conference on 24 June 2024 with an inspiring keynote speech about global challenges related to corruption and the role of Collective Action in addressing them. Setting out the current state of affairs, Peter Maurer highlighted disruption, instability and deep transformation of relations between states, international organisations and non-sta

Gemma Aiolfi led the Basel Institute’s Compliance and Collective Action work for many years, working closely with our late Managing Director Gretta Fenner as well as our former President Mark Pieth to transform private-sector engagement in the fight against corruption. At the 5th International Collective Action Conference on 24 June 2024, Gemma spoke of Gretta’s passion and efforts over the yea

Congratulations to the winners of the 2024 Anti-Corruption Collective Action Awards, presented by the Basel Institute on Governance with the support of the Siemens Integrity Initiative. The awards were presented on 25 June 2024, at the end of the first day of the International Collective Action Conference 2024 in Basel, Switzerland. You can watch part of the ceremony [here](https:

Public procurement is a notorious risk area for corruption and other unfair business practices all over the world – including in Bulgaria, where diverse stakeholders are now coming together to find a practical solution to corruption risks in public tenders that works for all parties. One solution they are discussing is a High-Level Reporting Mechanism. In essence, this is a channel to raise and quickly resolve alerts about suspected bribery or unfai

Public voting has opened for this year’s prestigious Collective Action Awards. Launched in 2022, the Collective Action Awards celebrate inspiring and outstanding multi-stakeholder initiatives to raise standards of business integrity in a particular context. Two award categories are available: “Outstanding Achievement” and “Inspirational Newcomer”. Following the public vote, this year’s awards will be presented at the [5th International Colle

Paris is known as the city of love. But once a year, during the OECD Global Anti-Corruption Forum (GACIF), it also becomes the beating heart of integrity – at least for the anti-corruption community. Under the theme “Designing our future with integrity”, this year’s Forum brought together anti-corruption experts from business, government and civil society from around the world to explore trends in the fight for integrity and against corruption. Amid the

Business integrity was among the priority topics at the 10th session of the Conference of the States Parties (CoSP) to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in December 2023. For the first time ever, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) together with the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) hosted a Private Sector Forum in the margins of CoSP10. Serving as a partner of the Forum, the Basel Institute welcomes the UN’s efforts to bring businesses to the table on

Nominations are now open for the International Collective Action Awards 2024. Launched in 2022, the prestigious Collective Action Awards celebrate inspiring and outstanding multi-stakeholder initiatives to raise standards of business integrity in a particular context. Two award categories are available: Outstanding Achievement in Collective Action 2024: Organisations and initiatives that have made significant contributions towards fairer

This blog was originally published on the FCPA Blog, which was discontinued in February 2024. 2023 was a mixed bag for the business integrity community. On the one hand, the B20 – the voice of business of the G20 forum of major economies – had no Integrity & Compliance Task Force under the Indian Presidency. That was a major missed opportunity for all of us who care about raising standards of business integrity around the world. The B20 Integrity & Compliance [Task Force](https://collective-

As we expand our efforts to support Collective Action against corruption in Latin America, Private Sector Specialist Andrea Prieto takes stock of existing initiatives in the region. She and representatives from some of the initiatives discussed the Collective Action approach to fighting corruption in Lima, Peru at the Eighth Integrity Week organised by Alliance for Integrity. También disponible

A medida que ampliamos nuestros esfuerzos para apoyar la Acción Colectiva contra la corrupción en América Latina, Andrea Prieto, especialista en el sector privado, hace un balance de las iniciativas existentes en la región. Ella y representantes de algunas de las iniciativas discutieron el enfoque de Acción Colectiva para combatir la corrupción en Lima, Perú, en la Octava Semana de la Integridad _or

We are pleased to see States embracing the business community in corruption prevention activities in Africa. At a recent anti-corruption conference in Rabat, a new declaration emphasised the importance of the "involvement of all stakeholders, with a shared vision and an action based on collective mobilisation…”. This language underlies the Collective Action approach that we at the Basel Institute have long promoted to increase standards of integrity and fair bus

A high-level meeting of heads of anti-corruption agencies in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) last month was a chance to take stock of member countries’ efforts to tackle corruption. The meeting allowed for a reflection on many ongoing activities and discussions around Collective Action in the region this year. It was the perfect opportunity to reflect on how to galvanise joint efforts aga

“Fighting corruption has to be a collective effort. No single stakeholder can do it alone. Government cannot do it alone, or the public administration. If only citizens are left to fight corruption, they will struggle. And the private sector likewise.” – Gretta Fenner, Managing Director, Basel Institute on Governance Effectively combating pervasive corruption in Bulgaria requires sustained, collective efforts by the government, the business sector, civil society and individual citizens. And t

Asia and the Pacific are expected to contribute to around 70 percent of global growth in 2023 – but sustaining this economic development in the face of environmental and social challenges will be tough. Business integrity, transparency and collaboration are key. That is why we applaud the numerous initiatives that have blossomed throughout the region, bringing together sta

This event has now passed. See short takeaways and quotes. A high-level forum in the Bulgarian capital Sofia on 10 October 2023 will focus on Bulgaria’s efforts to strengthen integrity, transparency, accountability and open government through Collective Action and the active participation of the business sector. The in-person event (with live streaming) is aimed primarily at govern

Dernièrement, l’Afrique de l’Ouest a connu une forte croissance économique et des investissements directs étrangers. Pourtant, elle perd aussi des milliards de dollars en flux financiers illicites, dont la corruption est une composante majeure. L’éradication de la corruption est essentielle pour attirer les investisseurs et favoriser le développement durable. C’est pourquoi l’Action Collective pour la lutte contre

West Africa is experiencing a surge of economic growth and foreign direct investment. Yet it also loses billions of dollars in illicit financial flows, of which corruption is a major component. Rooting out corruption is essential to attract investors and foster sustainable development. This is why anti-corruption Collective Action – jointly tackling corruption issues through multi-stakeholder initiatives with the

Nominations are now open for the Asia-Pacific Collective Action Award 2023. Launched in 2022, the Collective Action Awards celebrate inspiring and outstanding multi-stakeholder initiatives to raise standards of business integrity in a particular context. This is our second regional Collective Action Award this year. In early June, CoST Uganda – the Ugandan arm of the global Infrastructure Transparency Initiative – won our [Southern Africa Co

“Collective action and meaningful engagement with local and international civil society organisations, business, professional associations, and international organisations also may help enterprises to better design and implement effective enterprise anti-corruption policies and mitigate corruption risks one enterprise cannot mitigate individually.” "Both home and host governments should […] consider fostering collective action initiatives with private and public sector representatives

The Wolfsberg Group’s recent updates to its renowned Anti-Bribery and Corruption Programme Guidance for financial institutions has made quite some waves. In part, the interest is due to the practical value of the Guidance for financial institutions seeking to comply with anti-corruption legislation and mitigate risks of bribery and corruption throughout their operations. It is also due to

Across Southern Africa, leaders from the business community, civil society and government are coming together to strengthen business integrity and thus catalyse the region’s huge economic potential. That groundswell of multi-stakeholder action – anti-corruption Collective Action – was on display on 31 May at the Southern Africa Anti-Corruption Collective Action Forum. The Forum mark

Business integrity is vital to the health of the vibrant economies of the Asia-Pacific region, as well as of the companies based or seeking to do business in the region. Fostering trust and transparency through Collective Action between stakeholders – local businesses, foreign investors, governments, civil society – is key to advancing a strong culture of business integrity, levelling the playing field and solving practical challenges that hold back fair busines

Gemma Aiolfi is an international expert in anti-corruption compliance and a driving force behind the development of private sector-led Collective Action. Gemma helped to establish the Basel Institute on Governance in 2003 alongside Professor Mark Pieth. She served as the organisation’s Head of Compliance, Corporate Governance and Collective Action from July 2013 until October 2022, when she transitioned to the role of Senior Advisor.

Business entities wishing to implement projects funded by Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs, also referred to as International Financial Institutions) will be interested to know that six major MDBs have agreed and published new General Principles for Business Integrity Programmes. Such programmes play an important part in the MDBs’ efforts to fight fraud and corruption in the projects they finance or otherwise support. _These General Principles provide non-exhaustive, non-binding guidance

What is the role of business in reducing illicit financial flows in the Southern Africa subregion? How is it evolving? What can businesses do to address corruption and money laundering risks in order to boost market growth and development and to strengthen governance systems? To explore these questions, the Basel Institute on Governance together with the National Business Initiative (NBI), the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) and Covington organised a multi-stakeholder Thought

In last week’s interview on how Collective Action has cut corruption in Nigerian ports, Cecilia Müller Torbrand of the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network and Soji Apampa of the Convention on Business Integrity explained their data-driven approach and the measurable impact it has had. In the second part of the interview, Cecilia and Soji _offer lessons for anti-corruption practitioners

Nominations are now open for the Anti-Corruption Collective Action Award 2023, which this year focuses on Southern Africa. Launched last year, the Collective Action Awards celebrate inspiring and outstanding Collective Action initiatives to tackle corruption and raise standards of business integrity. Last year’s winners were the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network and UN Glob