A strong business contingent turned out for the third annual High-Level Anti-Corruption Conference for G20 Governments and Business, which took place April 25-26 at the Paris headquarters of the OECD. Jointly organized by the Russian Presidency of the G20 and the OECD, with support from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the conference brought together some 300 participants from government, business and civil society to discuss the priorities laid out in the 2013-2014 G20 Anti-Corruption Action Plan and B20 recommendations to governments.
BIAC Chairman and USCIB board member Charlie Heeter (Deloitte) said the OECD can and should play an important role by developing global frameworks to address the problems of corruption and bribery and continuing its active involvement in the G20 process. It is important to create fair conditions for all market participants, foster consistent implementation of existing rules to create a level playing field and fight corruption and fraud through collective action, education, training, and partnership approaches that are mutually beneficial.
Heeter said governments should create an efficient legal and institutional framework, also addressing the demand side of corruption. The private sector has a key role to play, both by supporting governments to take action and by taking appropriate measures to address the challenges of corruption.
Erik Belfrage, chair of the ICC Commission on Corporate Responsibility and Anti-Corruption, underscored how concrete ICC tools for training and capacity building help companies – particularly small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) – fight corruption. Belfrage, who is also chairman of the International Council of Swedish Industry, called attention to the groundwork laid by the ICC Rules on Combating Corruption, which provide a global standard for the private sector to fight corruption.
Read more on the ICC website.
Staff contact: Shaun Donnelly
