Global (online), 5 June 2025 – As global supply networks grow more complex and geographically dispersed, they become increasingly vulnerable to unethical practices such as bribery, fraud, procurement manipulation and environmental violations. These risks not only inflate costs and distort competition but also embed systemic inequality and become a barrier to fair trade, ethical sourcing and sustainable business conduct. Insufficient transparency and oversight of third-party relationships pose a major risk to supply chain integrity. Complex networks with multiple subcontractors can obscure accountability, enabling undetected corruption.
Implementing strong anti-corruption programmes in supply chains builds long-term business resilience. By adopting Transformational Governance, companies can integrate sustainability and ethics into supplier relationships, ensuring high environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, preventing corruption and reducing risks. This proactive approach supports accountability, legal compliance and sustainable growth while aligning with emerging regulations and investor expectations.
On 5 June 2025, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Global Compact hosted the second webinar session of 2025 under the Global Webinar Series on Business Integrity, entitled ‘Fighting corruption in the supply chain and managing value chains’. Attracting a large turnout from over 80 countries globally, the session welcomed nearly 600 participants.
UNODC and the UN Global Compact shared perspectives on enhancing business integrity in supply and value chains, complemented by real-life insights from experts and practitioners. The session was moderated by Xiaohong Li, Chief of the Thematic Support Section at UNODC’s Corruption and Economic Crime Branch.
Alvin Novalino, Senior Vice President Internal Audit & Risk Management at PT TBS Energi Utama Tbk in Indonesia, reflected on the most common corruption risks observed in global supply chain operations and how these could impact business performance. He delved into good practices and effective strategies that companies could use to mitigate these risks. He went on to explain how his company communicated the business case for anti-corruption to their suppliers and what benefits they had observed.
Representing the Group Chief Executive Officer, William Mwangi, the Group Head of Risk and Compliance at Jubilee Holdings Limited in Kenya, shared insights on strategies that provided successful in conducting risk-based due diligence and incorporating anti-corruption clauses into procurement and third-party contracts. Drawing on previous experiences, he noted that collaboration among stakeholders often leads to more successful outcomes in addressing business integrity challenges. William gave an example of a collective action initiative on anti-corruption legislation that effectively mitigated corruption risks and strengthened governance in Kenya.
Rama Nagappan, General Manager for Group Internal Audit at Duopharma Biotech Berhad in Malaysia, spoke on the application of Transformational Governance principles. He shared good practices and lessons learned while explaining how his company was embedding transparency, accountability and ethics, directly contributing to stronger integrity outcomes within their value chains.
Together, the speakers explored the evolving landscape of business integrity, highlighting the importance of collaboration, responsible leadership and continuous engagement to address corruption challenges across global supply networks. They urged companies to go beyond compliance by integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles into all aspects of supply chain management.
