New York and Vienna, 29 October 2026 - Corruption is a significant business risk that can expose companies to financial and legal consequences, disrupt operations and undermine stakeholder trust. Effective anti-corruption ethics and compliance programmes help organizations address these challenges through appropriate controls, clear procedures and a commitment to ethical conduct. However, establishing a programme that reflects an organization's specific risks and operating context can be challenging.
To support businesses in this effort, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Global Compact have launched a new e-learning course, Integrity by Design: Setting up an Anti-Corruption Ethics and Compliance Programme. The self-paced 60-minute course is available in English and aims to help companies strengthen their capacity to prevent and counter corruption.
The course is designed to operationalize the 2026 UN guidance, An Anti-Corruption Ethics and Compliance Programme for Business: A Practical Guide, which provides a globally applicable standard for anti-corruption ethics and compliance programmes for businesses. Grounded in international frameworks, including the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and UN Global Compact Principle Ten, the guide outlines the essential components of effective anti-corruption ethics and compliance programmes and presents them through concrete, actionable steps that can be applied across sectors and contexts.
Through the e-learning course based on the guide, participants will gain an understanding of the key elements of an effective anti-corruption ethics and compliance programme, learn how to tailor programmes to their company’s strategy and risk profile, explore practical approaches to implementing ethics and compliance measures, and discover ways to foster a culture of integrity across their organization. The e-learning course offers a certificate upon completion.
The course is particularly relevant for professionals in ethics, compliance, legal, governance, finance, strategic planning, business development, supply chain and procurement, as well as practitioners in reporting, disclosure and sustainability. It is also designed to support small and medium-sized enterprises seeking practical guidance on strengthening business integrity.
The e-learning course is currently offered in English. The accompanying publication, An Anti-Corruption Ethics and Compliance Programme for Business: A Practical Guide, is available in English, Portuguese and Spanish on the UNODC Business Integrity Portal.
Integrity by Design: Setting up an Anti-Corruption Ethics and Compliance Programme
New practical guide launched to advance global anti-corruption, ethics and compliance in business
