Business integrity can be made more robust through a multi-stakeholder approach to tackling corruption. This brings together government entities, businesses, civil society organizations and other relevant actors to participate in collective action, national anti-corruption strategies, public sector support for private sector capacity building, and more. Governments also have an opportunity to co-design mechanisms and tools with the private sector to strengthen anti-corruption efforts.
Some practical examples of collective action initiatives are below.
There are several examples around the world that demonstrate private sector-led collective action initiatives to counter corruption.
Public authorities can work with the private sector and other stakeholders when designing national policies and legal frameworks to counter corruption. Various stakeholders may have valuable information and useful recommendations for crafting more effective strategies better tailored to their country’s particular needs and circumstances. A broad range of voices can help build a common vision and increase the legitimacy of the laws and policies, including buy-in from the population. Those who feel that their voices were heard in the creation of a policy are more likely to be allies in pushing the strategy forward and ensuring its effective implementation.52
States need to not only adopt and enforce anti-corruption laws and regulations but communicate and disseminate them. States should provide businesses with guidance about the compliance requirements of legislation, how to design effective anti-corruption programmes and policies to respond to the law, and best practices to counter corruption. In determining best practices, the private sector should be involved early on to assist governments with understanding the on-the-ground realities, their capacity and limits for implementation, and a forward-looking plan for how to continuously improve best practices. Communicating expectations is key and must be done by the State to the private sector and vice versa.
Countering corruption through a multi-stakeholder approach fosters the ability to learn from one another. Governments can greatly benefit from working with non-state actors. These encompass civil society, media and business associations.
Governments can learn from private sector actors through a variety of means, including training on anti- corruption issues, advising on risk factors, and even in legislative drafting to ensure legal frameworks respond to on-the-ground requirements.
