ICC and private sector tools in line with G20 and OECD anti-corruption aims
Paris, 27 April 2011 – The toolkit RESIST, launched by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) along with several partners, offers a practical solution to recent worldwide calls for concrete results following anti-corruption commitments.
Resisting Extortion and Solicitation in International Transactions (RESIST) is an ICC joint initiative developed in collaboration with Transparency International, the UN Global Compact and the World Economic Forum Partnering Against Corruption Initiative (PACI). RESIST, now available in Spanish and French, is designed to help companies train their employees to resist bribe solicitation.
RESIST directly addresses concerns raised by the G20 in its Seoul anti-corruption plan, which calls for a strong private sector involvement in fighting corruption. G20 businesses and governments are convening for the G20-Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) conference, which is running 27-28 April in Paris, to consider how enterprises can work with governments on anti-corruption efforts.
RESIST is an example of how private-sector convergence can lead to concrete solutions in the fight against corruption. It provides an effective tool for managing third parties, which tend to be the weak link in attempts to engage in good business practices and to enforce anti-corruption.
“RESIST is the only anti-bribery training toolkit developed by companies for companies and sponsored by the four global anti-corruption initiatives working on the supply side of the issue of fighting corruption,” said Iohann Le Frapper, who chaired phase two of the RESIST initiative.
“It not only helps businesses avoid solicitation from the onset but also provides practical advice on how best to confront demands for bribes when they do arise,” he said.
This resource is also in line with the OECD’s Good Practice Guidance, which calls on businesses and business organizations, such as ICC, to address solicitation and extortion, as well as to assist companies by making training tools available.
ICC Third Parties Guidelines
ICC has just released another anti-corruption resource for businesses. The ICC Guidelines on Agents, Intermediaries and Other Third Parties provides companies with concrete advice on how to choose and manage third parties.
Third parties can often undermine even the most earnest anti-corruption policies and strategies. This resource provides useful guidance on how to manage this relationship with third parties, in addition to reducing the potential for damage to a business’s reputation.
The guidelines, which are available in both English and French, can be used in the context of a risk management approach for confronting sensitive choices when vetting a third party. They give guidance on how to contract, monitor and pay agents, as well as other intermediaries.
“The guidelines are the result of input and cooperation from many sectors, companies and federations,” said François Vincke, Vice-Chair of the ICC Corporate Responsibility and Anti-corruption Commission. “It is an example of real best practice in international business.”
They are in line with OECD research into international business transactions that focuses on the use of third parties and the bribery of foreign public officials.
For media inquiries on RESIST, please contact:
Clarisse Douaud
ICC Communications & Media Relations Officer
Tel + 33 (0)1 49 53 28 23
clarisse.douaud@iccwbo.org
About the International Chamber of Commerce
The International Chamber of Commerce is the largest, most representative business organization in the world. Its hundreds of thousands of member companies in over 120 countries have interests spanning every sector of private enterprise.
A world network of national committees keeps the ICC International Secretariat in Paris informed about national and regional business priorities. More than 2,000 experts drawn from ICC’s member companies feed their knowledge and experience into crafting the ICC stance on specific business issues.
The United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the G20 and many other intergovernmental bodies, both international and regional, are kept in touch with the views of international business through ICC.
For more information please visit: www.iccwbo.org
