Bribery is one of the most destructive and complex problems of our times, and despite national and international efforts to combat it, it remains widespread. (www.iso.org) Bribery undermines democracy and the rule of law and poses serious threats to sustained economic progress in developed and emerging economies and to the proper operation of free markets more generally.
As there is an increasing focus on bribery, business reputation, sustainability and growth are at stake. The effects of bribery are felt globally and acts of bribery incur significant criminal sanctions.
An anti-bribery management system (ABMS), based on ISO 37001, will provide a wide range of institutions with a framework for prohibiting, preventing, detecting, reporting and dealing with any bribery that does occur.
Global Fraud Survey 2016 showed that 39% of respondents consider bribery and corruption to happen widely in their country. ISO 37001 anti-bribery management systems is a significant development for organizations seeking to better manage bribery and corruption risks. Combining corporate values with an appropriate anti-bribery management program is paramount if a business is to maintain integrity and address the risks associated with bribery and corruption.
The World Bank estimates that over USD 1 trillion is paid in bribes each year, with disastrous impacts such as eroding political stability, increasing the cost of business and contributing to poverty. On a global level, it is a significant barrier to international trade, while within an organization it has a highly negative impact on employee morale. Many governments have taken measures to address bribery through national laws as well as international agreements such as the United Nations Convention against Corruption, but more can be done. Institutional change and an anti-bribery culture within organizations can contribute significantly to the fight against bribery and complement national and international measures. (www.iso.org).
The cooperation between the Pan-African quality infrastructure bodies is very essential for support of the development of a country not only for industry and trade but also for the health and safety of the public and the protection of the environment. There is a need to emphasize the mission of the PAQI which is to strengthen the regional and global competitiveness of Africa’s goods and services and contribute towards an improved quality of life for the African people through prudent use of standards, measurements, conformity assessment and accreditation and to recognize that corruption can be a primary obstacle to the operation and growth of firms and to reduce regional and international trade by limiting trade volumes, obstructing trade transactions and facilitating the propagation of low quality goods and services. As a response, we highlight the launch of 2018 as the African Year of Anti-corruption by the 30th Assembly of Heads of State and Government that took place in Addis Ababa from 28 – 29 January 2018 under the theme: “Winning the Fight against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africa’s Transformation”