Technical staff
August 26, 2021
The government is in charge of fighting corruption in the country. However, to obtain meaningful outcomes, people, civil society, and the media community are required to engage in anti-corruption efforts. We will concentrate on what a government may do to accomplish successful anti-corruption goals in the private sector even though corruption exists in all economic sectors, including public organizations.
Quantify the Corruption Exposure of the Private Sector
It is the first step the government should make so that it designs and oversees the implementation of its strategy. Further, it also should not be crippled by the current relevant laws that may hamper its anti-corruption plans.
Request the Private Sector to Implement the Following
The government should nullify the obstacles it may face in requesting the private sector to:
1. Quantify corruption exposure at the beginning and the ending of the year.
2. Design and implement a corruption prevention policy that is appropriate for the type of business, its nature, complexity, and operations.
3. Establish and maintain effective internal control.
4. Qualify one or more of the executive management and decision makers to play an effective role in preventing, deterring, and detecting corruption. For example, encouraging the management and leadership to become professionally qualified Certified Anti-Corruption Manager (CACM).
5. Conduct two or three annual anti-corruption learning programs for the middle and senior management.
6. Request qualified third parties to assess, evaluate, and report on the entity’s compliance with the government’s anti-corruption requirements (points from 1-5 above)
A government that is serious in fighting corruption beyond media slogans shall, at least, request its private sector to abide by points 1-6.
Finally, the government shall publish the results of its fight against corruption in the private sector, celebrate its achievements, and reward whistleblowers and those of high integrity.
It is the first step a patriotic government takes to fight corruption in the private sector. Such a step is an integral part of implementing the Ten Principles of Fighting Corruption promulgated by The American Anti-Corruption Institute (AACI). It is not the end.
