Corruption distorts markets and causes unfair competition, which for business, means increased costs, missed business opportunities, as well as legal and reputational risks. The role of the private sector in the fight against corruption is key, as it cannot be tackled alone. Despite a clear need for a multisectoral and holistic approach, corruption tends to be perceived as a law enforcement issue. For this reason, compliance strategies aimed at promoting business integrity are frequently implemented in isolation with “one size fits all” solutions that underestimate local contexts and geopolitical considerations, instead of seeking a sustainable behavioral change while leveraging the power of acting collectively.
Business Integrity Accelerator is a programme designed to increase the knowledge of companies in preventing and fighting corruption and promoting a culture of integrity. The programme aims to give companies a clear understanding of where they are in their integrity journey and build a roadmap for improvements, through the development of an action plan.
• An understanding of where your company is on their human rights journey.
• An assessment of actual and potential adverse human rights impacts and the ability to prioritize action.
• The ability to mitigate your human rights impacts, including grievance mechanisms and remedy.
• How to identify corruption risks and integrity gaps across your internal operations, value chains, and stakeholder relationships, using UNGC and UNODC tools.
• How to develop and implement a tailored Integrity Action Plan with measurable anti-corruption targets aligned with your business context.
• How to integrate anti-corruption and good governance practices into your company’s policies, strategies, and daily operations.
• How to engage external stakeholders—including suppliers, partners, and peers— in promoting transparency and accountability beyond your own company.
• How to collaborate in collective action efforts to strengthen business integrity at the sectoral or national level.
To take part in the Business Integrity Accelerator, companies are required to be participants of the UN Global Compact or willing to join. Your company should also be:
• Currently engaged with a Global Compact Country Network in your region or willing to join.
• Willing to identify its corruption risks and impacts and scope a core area of your value chain for further focus.
• Committed to developing an Action Plan to help address the corruption risks identified and prioritized.
• Able to appoint two working-level representatives to attend sessions and participate in Accelerator activities and an additional executive-level representative to follow programme developments, provide support and participate in high-level events.
• Commit to completing the programme and embedding the learnings across the company strategy and operations.
