Anti-corruption Collective Action: SMEs as drivers for business integrity
May 25, 2023 | 7:00 AM - 8:00 AMAuditorium
May 25, 2023 | 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Auditorium
Description
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of many economies around the globe. They represent 99 percent of all business in the OECD area – the critical mass needed to drive positive change for a cleaner business environment. With generally scarcer resources than larger companies and often operating in difficult environments, SMEs are particularly at risk of corruption and foreign bribery. This heightened vulnerability to corruption and need for support on compliance efforts opens opportunities for anticorruption Collective Action.
Since the 2008 World Bank guide for business "Fighting Corruption Through Collective Action”, the need for multi-stakeholder collaboration to address corruption has gained momentum, including through the 2021 OECD Anti-Bribery Recommendation. However, SMEs need clear business incentives and a tailored approach considering their limited resources for compliance. Collective Action allows for peer learning, capacity-building as well as collaborative problem-solving addressing integrity challenges.
This session will bring together private sector representatives and experts with hands-on experience of the benefits and challenges of anti-corruption Collective Action from an SME perspective.
