Middle East corruption: how can ISO 37001 help?

Political and governmental unrest can affect a region’s economy and the integrity of business transactions. The current state of the Middle East exemplifies this phenomenon. While governments in the region are making efforts to curb corruption, political instability and regime changes often undermine these measures. Bad actors understand how to take advantage of such vulnerabilities, leading to increased bribery and corruption across international borders. Recent cases and statistics show that the problem persists in most countries in the region. Against this backdrop, most government officials and private sector business leaders view it as a high priority to reduce bribery and corruption. One of the problems, however, is that some dishonest politicians use supposed anti-corruption efforts as a tool against political enemies. This makes clear that the best approach is for government agencies and businesses themselves to lead from the front. By adopting an internationally recognised set of anti-bribery anti-corruption standards, increased business integrity will result. Organisations that are committed this effort are adopting the ISO 37001 – Anti-Bribery Management Systems standard as a comprehensive approach to mitigating bribery and corruption risk. ISO 37001 and its elements can be tailored to any type of organisation, of any size. The key elements include adopting an anti-bribery policy, appointing a person to oversee anti-bribery compliance, training, risk assessments and due diligence on projects and business associates. ISO 37001 also calls for implementing financial and commercial controls, and instituting reporting and investigation procedures.

Corruption a Major Challenge in the Middle East

The Middle East lags behind several other regions when it comes to bribery and corruption. Even as these elements are on a slight decrease globally, the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index shows the troubled state of the Middle East and North Africa. “The Corruption Perceptions Index 2018 presents a grim reality in the Middle East and Northern Africa where, despite some incremental progress by a select few, most countries are failing in the fight against corruption”. Syria, Yemen and Libya are at the bottom (worst) end of the list. There are some bright spots, though. United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, both countries that have taken strong stances on fraud and corruption, score the highest for the Middle East. Morocco and Egypt showed some improvement. Overall, however, the political instability in the region has created a tumultuous business environment. According to the article: “In many Arab governments, powerful individuals have actively influenced government policies and diverted public funds and state assets for their own self-interest and enrichment at the expense of citizens. This reduces anti-corruption efforts to merely ink on paper, where laws pass, but are rarely enforced or implemented.”

This is underscored by limits and obstacles that corruption throws up in the way of those looking to enact real change. “Across much of the developing world, the corruption of courts and other government institutions threatens the free flow of goods and capital that promotes economic growth. Left unaddressed, such threats can lead to heightened tensions among nations and even outright trade wars. Diplomats operate under constraints that limit how much they can call out international bad actors who violate the rule of law. That’s why the role of outside watchdogs is so important in promoting the Rule of Law and holding nations to the standards of fairness and impartiality they claim to meet,” writes National Review.

Iran: Power Structures Hamper Progress

One country that exemplifies the Middle East difficulties with corruption is Iran. The problem is described by one analyst as “deeply rooted,” and even recognised by the country’s conservative rulers. In such a political structure as Iran’s, a campaign to combat “systemic corruption” is often seen as the lens of political reprisals against rivals. “In autocratic systems, every now and then, a campaign emerges under the banner of fighting corruption. The main reason is to buy legitimacy for the system. During the last years of the rule of the former Shah of Iran, in an attempt to tame the revolution, such a campaign led to the arrest of several prominent political figures, including Amir-Abbas Hoveyda, who served for 13 years as prime minister”.

“While the same impetus could be behind the current move by Raisi, there is strong speculation in Iran that the move also, and more importantly, aims to shape a consensus within the country to accept Raisi’s giant leap towards assuming the leadership of the country after Khamenei’s death”.

While there has been some concern that the corruption crackdown is a cover for prosecuting reformers, some disagree – positing that it depends more on which party is leading the effort. “Corruption in Iran is linked to political power. Therefore, whichever of Iran’s two main political factions—fundamentalist or moderate-reformist—takes over the executive branch, corruption among the members of that faction increases. At the end of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s term in office, for instance, his first vice president, Mohammad-Reza Rahimi, and his Vice President for Executive Affairs, Hamid Baghaei, were imprisoned for economic corruption and embezzlement. Such corruption reached an all-time high during his tenure in office”. In any case, it’s clear that most observers aren’t convinced that the country’s anti-corruption campaign is to be taken at face-value – yet.

Bribery Cases Exposed in UAE

Two bribery cases demonstrate some common characteristics among such schemes. While both of these instances were uncovered (and prosecuted) in the UAE, they are likely typical for the Middle East region and beyond.

In 2018, an Emirates Post revenue officer was sentenced to prison after being convicted of attempted bribery. The officer solicited a Dh100,000 bribe from a corporate customer. He was in a unique position to attempt the crime, as his duties included collecting and auditing profits for the Emirates Post office in Dubai. The Jordanian revenue officer, 28, collected and audited profits, among other duties, on behalf of Emirates Post office in Dubai. The offender perpetrated the scheme by leveraging fines on a shipping company based in India for supposed postal fee violations. The alleged fine, according to the revenue officer, totaled Dh2.4 million, and he attempted to negotiate a scheme with the client to have the fine reduced to Dh400,000 – in exchange for the Dh100,000 bribe. Instead of paying, the client wisely contacted the police. In a sting operation, the client was fitted with a listening device, and met and paid the bribe – under coordination of the police. As a result, the revenue officer was arrested, and subsequently convicted.

In another case, two Asian residents of UAE were sentenced to three years and one year in jail for giving and accepting a bribe. They were also fined Dh5,000. One of the perpetrators was a government officer. The first defendant, a trader, offered a bribe of Dh900 to the government officer, who works as a customs clearance staff member with the Saqr Port in Ras Al Khaimah. The goal was to ship two containers full of scrap iron out of the UAE without paying taxes or undergoing an inspection. When they were caught, the trader who gave the bribe claimed that it was just a loan, and that he had already paid “over DH50,000 in taxes and charges”. The other defendant (the customs officer) agreed, but the court did not accept their explanation. Both defendants will be deported to their home countries after serving their prison sentences. These types of cases are typical among positions of access, and can happen in any jurisdiction. They exemplify the problem that government agencies and companies alike are trying to reduce and prevent.

‘Relationship Building’ v. Bribery

To some degree, the same problems that plague the Middle East are endemic around the world. Among them, the dilemma of misunderstanding in terms of what constitutes bribery. In nearly all cultures, relationship building is considered an essential part of doing business. Often, business associates consist of numerous friends or even family members. When that is the case, there can be a slippery scale in terms of what is merely a favor or a gift, versus what constitutes bribery or corruption. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) can provide some guidelines here. A case involving Bank of New York Mellon is instructive. “On 18 August 2015, Bank of New York Mellon (“BNYM”) consented to a Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Order requiring BNYM to pay $14.8 million to settle charges that it violated the FCPA by providing student internships to family members of foreign government officials affiliated with a Middle Eastern Sovereign Wealth Fund (“SWF”). All parties involved, except BNYM, have been anonymised in the Order so that the nationality of the foreign public officials and the SWF is publicly unknown beyond being described as ‘Middle Eastern’.

“The BNYM internships were given to three people: the son and nephew of one key figure of the SWF and the son of another. The internships were given despite the facts that the interns did not meet the rigorous selection criteria usually applied by BNYM and did not go through the standard (or any) recruitment process before being awarded the internships. In addition, these internships were found by the SEC to be more valuable than those offered to the regular applicants, who had endured the competitive admissions process against strict entry requirements. For example, rotation between business units was arranged, which is not an opportunity afforded to regular interns.”

“Emails between BNYM employees clearly demonstrate that the motivation behind the favour to the foreign officials was to influence the latter’s decision-making in the interests of BNYM. There can be no doubt that this was bribery in action – the BNYM employees expected to retain and gain business from the foreign officials in return for offering their relatives valuable internships to which they would not otherwise have had access”.

The case clearly describes what could be considered a “gray area” compared to some of the more extreme realities of bribery and corruption. One study of the Middle East and North Africa in 2016 suggested that people felt the need to bribe officials for basic services. “About 30 percent of those polled said that they had to access basic public services by bribing officials. If that figure holds across the entire MENA region, that would mean that about 50 million people, the majority of whom are poor, feel they must pay bribes in order to have access to basic public services. In five countries, the rich reported being far less likely to have to pay a bribe: 63 percent of poor Sudanese citizens versus 38 percent of wealthy ones, for example, and 23 percent versus 12 percent, respectively, in Algeria”.

ISO 37001:2016 to Combat Bribery & Corruption

Corruption certainly isn’t exclusively a Middle Eastern problem. Organisations around the world are taking action to reduce risk. They’ve found the structure and process they need in ISO 37001. ISO 37001 was issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 2016 to help organisations worldwide increase and measure their efforts against bribery and corruption. Through ISO 37001 ABMS, organisations can implement standards at every level. These measures include adopting an anti-bribery policy and appointing a person to oversee anti-bribery compliance, training, risk assessments and due diligence on projects and business associates. It’s also critical that the organisation implement financial and commercial controls, along with reporting procedures and investigation processes.

CRI Group founded ABAC® (Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption) Center of Excellence to help organisations of all types and industries implement ISO 37001 certification and/or training. ABAC® has a team of experts around the world that include certified ethics and compliance professionals, financial and corporate investigators, forensic analysts, certified fraud examiners, qualified auditors, and accountants. They are trained and experienced in the implementation of ISO 37001’s key elements, helping clients more effectively prevent bribery and corruption. ABAC Certification is an accredited provider of ISO 37001 ABMS, and it provides certification and training for organisations of various types and industries.

There are requirements and guidance that the ISO 37001 standard prescribes for a comprehensive anti-bribery management system. The following bribery elements are addressed by ISO 37001 in relation to the organisation’s business processes and activities:

• Bribery in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors
• Bribery by the organisation
• Bribery by the organisation’s personnel acting on the organisation’s behalf or for its benefit
• Bribery by the organisation’s business associates acting on the organisation’s behalf or for its benefit
• Bribery of the organisation
• Bribery of the organisation’s personnel in relation to the organisation’s activities
• Bribery of the organisation’s business associates in relation to the organisation’s activities
• Direct and indirect bribery (e.g. a bribe offered or accepted through or by a third party)

Government organisations and companies can reduce the risk of bribery through ISO 37001’s best practices for anti-bribery and anti-corruption. The following are just a few of the ways ISO 37001 helps accomplish this goal:

• Provide needed tools to prevent bribery and mitigate related risks
• Help an organisation create new and better business partnerships with entities that recognise ISO 37001 certified status, including supply chain manufacturing, joint ventures, pending acquisitions and co-marketing alliances
• Potentially reduce corporate insurance premiums
• Provide customers, stakeholders, employees and partners with confidence in the entity’s business operations and ethics
• Provide a competitive edge over non-certified organisations the organisation’s industry or niche
• Provide acceptable evidence to prosecutors or courts that the organisation has taken reasonable steps to prevent bribery and corruption

It is important to note that “Conformity with (ISO 37001) cannot provide assurance that no bribery has occurred or will occur in relation to the organisation, as it is not possible to completely eliminate the risk of bribery”, according to ISO.  The certification is potentially an important piece of evidence, however, that shows regulators, prosecutors, and the courts that the organisation has taken meaningful action to prevent bribery and corruption.

Conclusion

All is not lost. Some Middle Eastern countries, like the United Arab Emirates, have made a commitment and continue to demonstrate positive strides toward combating corruption. UAE has expanded its laws, broadened the definitions of what is considered bribery and corruption, and increased punishments. But the country is largely an outlier in a region that is struggling under the weight of instability and corruption.

In this type of environment, both government organisations and the businesses they serve (and regulate) need ISO 37001. The sooner organisations implement the comprehensive measures prescribed by ISO 37001, the calmer the seas will be for international trade, business agreements and mergers, acquisitions and other positive elements of economic growth.

An established standard like ISO 37001 ABMS can help organisations address bribery and corruption through implementing best practices in a program of training and certification. While following the curriculum, the training process can easily be tailored to the organisation based on its size, type, industry or risk level. Bribery and corruption are pervasive problems that won’t be solved overnight. It will take a concerted effort by all major players in the region to make positive strides and reduce risk factors. ISO 37001 provides a blueprint for making those changes. Twenty or thirty years ago, organisations were mostly on their own went it came to developing an anti-corruption strategy. Today, there is a tried-and-true path forward. Committing to it is the first step toward making real progress in the Middle East.

Sources

1. “Middle East & North Africa: Corruption Continues As Institutions And Political Rights Weaken,” Transparency International, 29 Jan. 2019,

< https://www.transparency.org/news/feature/regional-analysis-MENA> (accessed 25 Oct. 2019)

2. John Fund, “Cleaning Up Corruption Is a Key to Middle East Stability,” National Review, 23 October 2019,

<https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/cleaning-up-corruption-is-a-key-to-middle-east-stability/> (accessed 25 Oct. 2019)  OECD, The rationale for fighting corruption. 2014

3. Shahir Shahidsaless, “Iran’s conservatives are saying it: Corruption is ‘systemic’”, Middle East Eye, 7 Oct. 2019,

<https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/whats-behind-irans-crackdown-corruption> (accessed 25 Oct. 2019)

4. Jalil Bayat, “Iran’s Goals In The Fight Against Economic Corruption,” Lobe Log, 18 Oct. 2019,

<https://lobelog.com/irans-goals-in-the-fight-against-economic-corruption/> (accessed 25 Oct. 2019)

5. Salam Al Amir, “Emirates Post worker jailed for seeking Dh100k bribe from customer”, The National, 31 Oct. 2018,

< https://www.thenational.ae/uae/emirates-post-worker-jailed-for-seeking-dh100k-bribe-from-customer-1.786526> (accessed 10 Nov. 2019)

6. Ahmed Sheeban, “Government officer jailed for accepting Dh900 bribe in UAE”, Khaleej Times, 13 April 2019,

< https://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/ras-al-khaimah/government-officer-jailed-for-accepting-dh900-bribe-in-uae> (accessed 10 Nov. 2019)

7. Andrew Hudson, “Middle East meets West: Where is the line between relationship-building and bribery?,” Al Tamimi 7 Co., September 2015,

< https://www.tamimi.com/law-update-articles/middle-east-meets-west-where-is-the-line-between-relationship-building-and-bribery/> (accessed 25 Oct. 2019)

8. Ben Thompson, “Bribery worsening in the Middle East and North Africa, citizens say,” CSM, 3 May 2016,

< https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2016/0503/Bribery-worsening-in-the-Middle-East-and-North-Africa-citizens-say> (accessed 25 Oct. 2019)

9. “ISO 37001:2016 ANTI-BRIBERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS — REQUIREMENTS WITH GUIDANCE FOR USE”, www.ISO.org,

< https://www.iso.org/standard/65034.html > (accessed 5 Aug. 2019)

10. Adam Vause, Zara Merali, “The UAE’s fight against bribery and corruption,” DLA Piper, 16 July 2019,

< https://www.dlapiper.com/en/dubai/insights/publications/2019/07/the-uaes-fight-against-bribery-and-corruption/> (accessed 25 Oct. 2019)

Filed under: Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Solution, Compliance Solution, ISO 37001, Middle East, Resources, Third-Party Risk Management by admin
No Comments »

25 Benefits of ISO 37001:2016 ABMS Certification

How to fight bribery and corruption?

Bribery and corruption are a dent on the image of any company. It is an unwanted and unsightly reflection that can be not only be mitigated but prevented in the organisation. The negative representation might result in a loss of trust among customers, affiliates and business patrons. In addition, the lack of internal anti-bribery controls and procedures has been one of the key reasons for deficiency in productivity inside global organisations. ISO 37001 ABMS

To combat these adverse effects, a strong standard is needed where governance, risk management and compliance (GRC) procedures are at the heart of the system. ISO launched ISO 37001:2016 ABMS standard – a global benchmark in the Anti-Bribery Management System (ABMS) which detects, protects and addresses the issues of bribery and corruption in the corporation. It is an assurance of employing the highest ethical standards and harnessing transparency even in the most complex business activities.

What is ISO 37001:2016 ABMS certification?

ISO 37001:2016 ABMS certification demonstrates organisation’s commitment to upholding the best practices in the corporate world. Being a framework that measures, identifies and controls the level of transparent commercial performance combined with international guidelines, it is applicable for all kinds, sizes and natures of organisations By adopting the ISO 37001:2016 ABMS certification, companies, subsidiaries and other affiliates are able to shield themselves from the dent that can tarnish their reputation and decrease their proficiency in the industry.

Through the implementation of ISO 37001:2016 certification, your organisation can cultivate a better anti-bribery and ethics culture along with the trust within the establishment. By adopting the ISO 37001:2016 certification, organisations will be able to combine the GRC strategies with the ISO system across all departmental units in a transparent and operative manner. Built with a set of globally accepted requirements, the ISO 37001:2016 certification is compliant with global, regional and local anti-bribery regulations worldwide, which increases the multi-level integrity of the association.

What are the benefits of ISO 37001:2016 ABMS Certification?

ISO 37001:2016 ABMS certification includes audit assessment procedures, to utilise the application and maintenance of a robust anti-bribery program. Being an all-encompassing standard that is integrated with other management systems, the ISO 37001:2016 ABMS certification provides several benefits:

• Competitive advantage over other organisations
• Greater awareness on the output of bribery
• Enhanced aptitude for the prevention of corruption
• Expansion of business opportunities
• Continual improvement of services and products
• Enhancement of the organisation’s reputation
• Facilitation of efficient management operations
• Apt demonstration of legal compliance and assurance
• Reduction in structural and miscellaneous costs
• Escalation of organisational assets
• Better implementation of compliance programs
• Precise execution of significant measures
• Increase in business efficiency and effectivity
• Superior trust and transparency
• Reduction of malpractice and other hazards
• Protection of resources and other capitals
• Easy integration to existing management systems
• Appropriate utilisation as a due diligence evidence
• Accurate evaluation of organisation’s position
• Recognition and deterrence of immediate threats
• Placement of adequate procedures to combat risks
• Timely observation and development of controls
• Execution of feasible anti-bribery procedures
• Practice of internationally recognised processes
• Establishment of ethical global practices

How can your organisation attain ISO 37001: 2016 ABMS certification?

With the list of returns that ISO 37001:2016 ABMS certification holds, its value is undeniable. The cost and benefits of not adopting a viable Anti-Bribery Management System are far greater than the cost of its implementation. Dedicate your time, energy and capital towards your organisation’s growth and progress. By engaging with a qualified, trained and independent third-party certification body, your company is securing its future against losses and gaining a surplus of rewards. The Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC®) Center of Excellence is looking forward to connecting with you and steering your organisation towards the espousal of ISO 37001:2016 ABMS certification. Provide your company with the credibility to go beyond and reach its envisioned destination. For more information, please feel free to contact our team and visit our website www.ABACgroup.com.

Who is CRI Group?

Based in London, CRI Group works with companies across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific as a one-stop international Risk Management, Employee Background Screening, Business Intelligence, Due Diligence, Compliance Solutions and other professional Investigative Research solutions provider. We have the largest proprietary network of background-screening analysts and investigators across the Middle East and Asia. Our global presence ensures that no matter how international your operations are we have the network needed to provide you with all you need, wherever you happen to be. CRI Group also holds BS 102000:2013 and BS 7858:2012 Certifications, is an HRO certified provider and partner with Oracle.

In 2016, CRI Group launched Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC®) Center of Excellence – an independent certification body established for ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems, ISO 37301 Compliance Management Systems and ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management, providing training and certification. ABAC® operates through its global network of certified ethics and compliance professionals, qualified auditors and other certified professionals. As a result, CRI Group’s global team of certified fraud examiners work as a discreet white-labelled supplier to some of the world’s largest organisations. Contact ABAC® for more on ISO Certification and training.

Filed under: Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Solution, Compliance Solution, ISO 37001, Resources by admin
No Comments »

Corruption: An Impending Doom on Investments

Bribery and corruption are a form of abuse to the progress of the economy. It has far-reaching consequences that hinder the development of individuals, businesses and the nation. The impact of corruption and bribery go beyond discernment and can lead to financial losses, withdrawal of investors, dissuasion of shareholders, perpetuation of fraud, reputational damages, business inefficiency and numerous other factors that deter economic growth.

Business leaders have been constantly aspiring to bring their businesses to greater heights. A resilient foundation needs to be created in which every aspect of their work is accounted for, each part of their operations is monitored, and all kinds of procedures and processes are rationalised. If the corporation, community or country is not protected by the policies against bribery and corruption, then the evolution of the nation is deferred. This kind of negligence breeds bribery and corruption and corrodes the substance of the organisation. It decreases the fuel of the economy which is not only its people but the investments that improve the standard of living in the country.

It is true when they say that ‘beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.’ Corrupt countries are always viewed as less attractive to investors compared to nations that practice more transparency. Due to ambiguous government activities, investors enter the market through joint ventures with a local or existing company that understands regional rules and regulations and is able to assist them in the acquisition of local licenses and permits. Through the partnership, the local establishment prepares the foreign company to pass through the bureaucratic maze with ease and at a lesser cost in order to adapt to the local conditions of the nation.

The bureaucratic maze is a puzzle filled with many twists and turns. The size, employees, nature of business and economic circumstances affect the growth of the conglomerate. If not protected by secure laws, the company falls into the trap of defeat where the heads might give in to unreasonable demands which may be detrimental to the advancement of the establishment. The demand may be in the form of bribe or corrupt activity which poses a risk and is against the company’s vision. Thus, bribery and corruption have a negative impact on investments in the country which are distinguished by its kind, form, level and quality.

In short, foreign companies lack confidence in doing business in a new country or in a state where bribery and corruption are common. If the firm does not find a reliable local partner, stable resource or suitable support system, they are likely to pull out their investment and look for other partners or countries that will comply with their requirements. Hence, the local companies need to create a strong international ethical standard to boost the confidence of their potential partners for future business affiliations.

No individual, enterprise or economy is immune to bribery and corruption. Appropriate risk management measures need to be created that are on par with the demand of the global economy. The ISO 37001:2016 is an internationally recognised standard for the execution of an Anti-Bribery Management System (ABMS) that helps to combat illegal activities and prevent its repeated occurrence. It is a structural tool that is specifically formulated to strengthen organisation’s anti-bribery policies and procedures. An investment in the ISO 37001:2016 is equal to an investment in the organisation’s betterment which is one of the prime building blocks of the nation.

In the United Arab Emirates, CRI Group’s Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption (ABAC®) Center of Excellence is the only independent accredited certification body established for ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System, providing training and accredited certification.

Through the principles of detection, prevention and protection, ABAC Center of Excellence advocates stringent methods and rigorous initiatives to ensure the cooperation of top-level leaders and their affiliates. Having a global network of audit teams and subject specialists with training in risk management, financial controls, due diligence, investigative analysis and other assessment areas, ABAC Center of Excellence provides the best compliance framework to distinct organisations in any part of the world to sustain the future of the global economy.

Who is CRI Group?

Based in London, CRI Group works with companies across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific as a one-stop international Risk Management, Employee Background Screening, Business Intelligence, Due Diligence and other professional Investigative Research solutions provider. We have the largest proprietary network of background-screening analysts and investigators across the Middle East and Asia. Our global presence ensures that no matter how international your operations are we have the network needed to provide you with all you need, wherever you happen to be. CRI Group also holds BS 102000:2013 and BS 7858:2012 Certifications, is an HRO certified provider and partner with Oracle.

In 2016, CRI Group launched Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC®) Center of Excellence – an independent certification body established for ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems, ISO 37301 Compliance Management Systems and ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management, providing training and certification. ABAC® operates through its global network of certified ethics and compliance professionals, qualified auditors and other certified professionals. As a result, CRI Group’s global team of certified fraud examiners work as a discreet white-labelled supplier to some of the world’s largest organisations. Contact ABAC® for more on ISO Certification and training.

Filed under: Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Solution, Compliance Solution, ISO 37001, Resources by admin
No Comments »

South Asia and CRI Group™ United for Against Bribery and Corruption

We recently launched a FREE publication “South Asia grapples with anti-bribery compliance”, which overviews anti-bribery, anti-corruption and ISO 37001 solutions in Malaysia and entire in South Asia. South Asia has a troubled record when it comes to preventing bribery and corruption, as well as enforcing compliance. Recent cases and statistics show that the problem persists in most countries in the region. Both government officials and private sector business leaders are struggling to adopt policies, control methods and best practices to help reduce bribery and corruption on their watch. High profile cases such as the 1MDB scandal in Malaysia and, more recently, the alleged Meikarta township case in Indonesia underscore this point. The investigations that were triggered by these cases demonstrate, however, that regulators are serious about addressing the threat of bribery and corruption as more than just a legal issue, but as a societal one, as well. In response, organizations that are committed to being in compliance are adopting the ISO 37001 – Anti-Bribery Management Systems standard as a comprehensive approach to mitigating risk.

To raise awareness on these issues, CRI Group™ is proudly supporting and encouraging anti-bribery and anti-corruption activities in Malaysia and worldwide. Last Tuesday, our ABAC™ Center of Excellence participated at a briefing session and discussed ‘The Importance of ISO 37001 ABMS’ at the Malaysia German Chamber of Commerce and Industry. ABAC™ shared insights on how to demonstrate resilience with ISO 37001:2016 ABMS Accredited Certification and its importance for organizations.

On Thursday of the same week, ABAC™ proudly supported at Malaysia Anti-corruption forum, themed ‘Understanding and Addressing the World’s Biggest Problem”, organized by International Strategy Institute (ISI).

As stated by ISI, “Corruption has undoubtedly been one of the most deep-rooted, pervasive problems that have crippled economies around the world. Even in advanced economies, authorities have not been able to quell corruption completely. The Corruption Perception Index (CPI) has last year ranked Malaysia number 61st out of 180 countries. Though this is way above notoriously corrupt countries in the Middle East, Africa, and some of its ASEAN neighbors, recent corruption cases have nonetheless propelled Malaysia into the global spotlight. With the establishment of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the newly launched National Anti-Corruption Plan (NACP), Malaysia is committed to tackle this problem head on.”

The speakers include International Strategy Institute professionals Fazil Irwan Som (Executive Director), Cheah Chyuan Yong (Chairman), YB Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Malaysia), and YB Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim (President, Parti Keadilan Rakyat). The forum brought together all “concerned Malaysian citizens, government authorities, the media and the private sector to discuss, exchange ideas, and formulate key proposals” to tackle corruption.

Earlier this year, ABAC™ and CRI Group™ CEO Mr. Zafar Anjum spoke at MACC Seminar Benchmark on Governance, Integrity & Anti-Corruption, where he presented “Anti-Bribery Management System (ABMS 37001) Case Study and Implementation – UK Experience.” He provided an overview of ABMS 37001 Accreditation & Certification as an effective and “adequate procedure” for organisations.

During his speech, Anjum mentioned ABAC™ Certification as a tool for organisations of all types and industries to prevent bribery and corruption. ABAC™ serves as a global network of certified ethics, compliance professionals, qualified auditors, financial and corporate investigators, certified fraud examiners, forensic analysts and accountants to educate, equip and support the world’s leading business organisations with the latest best in practice due diligence processes and procedures.

Anti-bribery and anti-corruption efforts are top priorities in Malaysia. That’s why  ABAC™ partnered with MACC, Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M), the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Foundation and the Malaysian Youth Council for “United Against Corruption” on International Anti-Corruption Day last year. The campaign raised awareness throughout Malaysia and beyond about risk factors facing businesses today.

The latest seminars provided a further means to disseminate critical information about ISO 37001 ABMS in Malaysia and the latest best practices for preventing and detecting bribery and corruption worldwide and in Malaysia.

Do you have the right processes and procedures in place to protect your organisation from bribery and corruption? Learn more about ABAC™ Solutions today.

About us…

Based in London, CRI Group™ works with companies across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific as a one-stop international Risk Management, Employee Background Screening, Business Intelligence, Due Diligence, Compliance Solutions and other professional Investigative Research solutions provider. We have the largest proprietary network of background screening analysts and investigators across the Middle East and Asia. Our global presence ensures that no matter how international your operations are, we have the network needed to provide you with all you need, wherever you happen to be. CRI Group™ also holds BS102000:2013 and BS7858:2019 Certifications is an HRO certified provider and partner with Oracle.

In 2016, CRI Group™ launched the Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC™) Center of Excellence – an independent certification body established for ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems, ISO 37301 Compliance Management Systems and ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management, providing training and certification. ABAC® operates through its global network of certified ethics and compliance professionals, qualified auditors and other certified professionals. As a result, CRI Group™’s global team of certified fraud examiners work as a discreet white-labelled supplier to some of the world’s largest organizations. Contact ABAC™ for more on ISO Certification and training.

MEET THE CEO

Zafar I. Anjum is Group Chief Executive Officer of CRI Group™ (www.crigroup.com), a global supplier of investigative, forensic accounting, business due to diligence and employee background screening services for some of the world’s leading business organizations. Headquartered in London (with a significant presence throughout the region) and licensed by the Dubai International Financial Centre-DIFC, the Qatar Financial Center – QFC, and the Abu Dhabi Global Market-ADGM, CRI Group™ safeguard businesses by establishing the legal compliance, financial viability, and integrity levels of outside partners, suppliers and customers seeking to affiliate with your business. CRI Group™ maintains offices in UAE, Pakistan, Qatar, Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil, China, the USA, and the United Kingdom.

Contact CRI Group™ to learn more about its 3PRM-Certified™ third-party risk management strategy program and discover an effective and proactive approach to mitigating the risks associated with corruption, bribery, financial crimes and other dangerous risks posed by third-party partnerships.

Filed under: Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Solution, Compliance Solution, ISO 37001, Resources by admin
No Comments »

ISO 37001:2016 Standard: Who should get certified?

There is a new standard for preventing bribery in business: ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System standard was created by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to help companies worldwide increase and measure their efforts against bribery and corruption. This important new standard mirrors numerous steps contained in:

• The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA)
• Good Practice Guidance on Internal Controls, Ethics and Compliance (OECD)
• Anti-Corruption Ethics and Compliance Handbook for Business (OECD)
• UK Bribery Act 2010
• The British Ministry of Justice’s Adequate Procedures document

ISO 37001:2016 certifies that your organisation has implemented reasonable and proportionate measures to prevent bribery. These measures involve top-level leadership, training, bribery risk assessment, due diligence adequacy, financial and commercial controls, reporting, audit and investigation. But which types of organisations need this new standard? Read on to find out.

Corporate/private sector

In the present era of globalisation, anti-corruption compliance plays a vital role for companies with high ethical values trying to expand business across borders and attract potential investors and business partners for the long term. Such companies are expected to ensure not just the integrity of their own operations but also the conduct of their suppliers, distributors, and agents wherever they may be. Evidence of this comes from high-profile prosecutions of multi-national firms that are not only subject to significant fines but also risk loss of share value and reputation.

To meet these needs, the standard ISO 37001:2016 is designed to apply to all organisations (or parts of an organisation) regardless of type, size and nature of business activity. The program is tailored to the needs and requirements of the organisation.

Public sector organisations

Public sector organisations play critical roles, often interacting directly with the public they serve; they include utility service providers, license issuing authorities and other regulatory bodies. These are vulnerable areas where authority is concentrated with weak financial positions that must fulfil the needs of both the service provider and its users. Such public sector organisations can benefit from implementation of ISO 37001:2016 to control bribery and corruption for enhancement of their productivity level and play an improved role in the socio-economic development of their country.

Government departments

The government is a major stakeholder in socio-economic development of a country, hence it makes laws, regulations, and establishes departments to check and control bribery and corruption. Bribery damages economic growth and creates social problems, including depression, a sense of injustice and deprivation. However, in many developing countries, anti-corruption laws and regulations are either weak or implemented unevenly, providing no results. And government-led steps or campaigns to fight corruption remain ineffective, while bribes continue to be accepted as part of doing business. However, the menace of bribery and corruption can be mitigated through implementing ISO 37001:2016 standard, which provides safeguards within a management system, rather than temporary measures or mere slogans.

Get started today

In 2016, CRI Group launched ABAC® Center of Excellence (ABACGroup.com) – an independent certification body established for ISO 37001:2016 ABMS. The Center provides ISO 37001 training, and its certification services are accredited by the Emirates International Accreditation Center (EIAC).

Learn more about ISO 37001:2016 training and certification services with the ABAC Center of Excellence at ABACGroup.com.[/vc_column_text][accordion_father caption_url=””][accordion_son title=”About CRI Group” clr=”#ffffff” bgclr=”#1e73be”]Based in London, CRI Group works with companies across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific as a one-stop international Risk Management, Employee Background Screening, Business Intelligence, Due Diligence, Compliance Solutions and other professional Investigative Research solutions provider. We have the largest proprietary network of background-screening analysts and investigators across the Middle East and Asia. Our global presence ensures that no matter how international your operations are we have the network needed to provide you with all you need, wherever you happen to be. CRI Group also holds BS 102000:2013 and BS 7858:2012 Certifications, is an HRO certified provider and partner with Oracle.

In 2016, CRI Group launched Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC®) Center of Excellence – an independent certification body established for ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems, ISO 37301 Compliance Management Systems and ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management, providing training and certification. ABAC® operates through its global network of certified ethics and compliance professionals, qualified auditors and other certified professionals. As a result, CRI Group’s global team of certified fraud examiners work as a discreet white-labelled supplier to some of the world’s largest organisations. Contact ABAC® for more on ISO Certification and training.[/accordion_son][/accordion_father][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Filed under: Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Solution, Compliance Solution, ISO 37001, Resources by admin
No Comments »

South Asia Grapples with anti-bribery compliance, ISO 37001 provides solutions

On the whole, South Asia has a troubled record when it comes to preventing bribery and corruption, and enforcing compliance. Recent cases and statistics show that the problem persists in most countries in the region. Both government officials and private sector business leaders are struggling to adopt policies, control methods and best practices to help reduce bribery and corruption on their watch.

High profile cases such as the IMDB scandal in Malaysia and, more recently, the alleged Meikarta township case in Indonesia underscore this point. The investigations that were triggered by these cases demonstrate, however, that regulators are serious about addressing the threat of bribery and corruption as more than just a legal issue, but as a societal one, as well. In response, organisations that are committed to being in compliance are adopting the ISO 37001 – Anti-Bribery Management Systems standard as a comprehensive approach to mitigating risk. ISO 37001 and its elements can be tailored to any type of organisation. It prescribes implementing an anti-bribery policy, appointing a person to oversee anti-bribery compliance, training, risk assessments and due diligence on projects and business associates. It also calls for implementing financial and commercial controls, and instituting reporting and investigation procedures.

Bribery Persists, With a Shifting Enforcement Landscape

While bribery and collusion appear to be decreasing slightly on a global scale, the unfortunate fact is that they remain steady in the South Asia (also referred to as the Asia Pacific) region. Other than New Zealand, Singapore, and Australia, who scored well in combating corruption, a majority of countries in the region are on the bottom half of the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) spectrum. North Korea ranks the worst at No. 176. Cambodia ranks No. 161, Vietnam is 117, Thailand and the Philippines are tied at No. 99, and Sri Lanka and Indonesia are tied at 89, just to name a few. In an article presenting the latest rankings, Transparency International asserts that the region’s performance over the past three years indicates that “the Asia Pacific region is making little progress in the fight against corruption.” The report further states: “Why is Asia Pacific making little to no progress in its anti-corruption efforts? One of the reasons is an overall weakening of democratic institutions and political rights.”

This reputation for poor performance on the global stage of anti-corruption measures has spurred government initiatives in several jurisdictions to make new headway in efforts to combat bribery and corruption. Awareness of bribery and corruption is peaking and government leaders, by and large, do not want the perception of being on the wrong side of progress on this issue: “Corruption is one of the main obstacles to sustainable economic, political and social development, for developing, emerging and developed economies alike. Overall, corruption reduces efficiency and increases inequality. Estimates show that the cost of corruption equals more than 5% of the gross world product, which means estimated fraud losses of £3.65 trillion for 2019 – with over £829 million paid in bribes each year (World Bank). It is not only a question of ethics; we simply cannot afford such waste”.

Southeast Asia is seeing countries boost their efforts. This is evident to varying degrees in Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia and others – though, as the Transparency International report shows, there is much work to be done. Farther East, South Korea experienced recent high profile corruption scandals, which led to massive public protests and the swift impeachment and prosecution of its President, Park Geun-hye”. Three years ago, South Korea passed the sweeping Improper Solicitations and Graft Prohibition Act, better known as the “Kim Young Ran Law” after the former Supreme Court justice who proposed the Act.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner]

We know your time is precious that’s why we have this article (and more) available for download now.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE EBOOK NOW![/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner]

Newest Developments: “Shenzhen of Indonesia” Case

One of the latest high-profile bribery cases in the region involves the chairman of Indonesian-based Lippo Group and other figures involved in a major development build called Meikarta township. The project has been touted as the “Shenzhen of Indonesia.” After months of investigation, Lippo Group deputy chairman James Riady appeared as a witness in court in February and denied allegations that he was involved in corruption involving permits for the project. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Indonesia had already arrested Lippo Group operational director Billy Sindoro, along with Bekasi Regent Neneng Hasanah Yasin and several other top officials in the administration “for their alleged roles in bribery connected to the issuance of property permits for the project.” The allegations involve a promise of Rp 13 billion (US$856,888) in bribes to the Bekasi regency administration for issuing the relevant permits, of which Rp 7 billion had reportedly been transferred. The case is not yet fully resolved as of this writing.

The Meikarta case isn’t the only alleged corruption scandal plaguing Indonesia. The head of a state power utility and a senior politician were implicated in a bribery scandal involving the awarding of a major public works contract. KPK officials suspect that Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) President Sofyan Basir agreed to award a contract to build a 600 megawatt coal-fired power plant in exchange for a kickback of Rp 4.75 billion ($332,800). And, in yet another recent bribery case, the KPK arrested the head of the United Development Party, or PPP.

Perhaps the defining bribery case for the region in recent years is the 1MDB case in Malaysia. Malaysia’s state-owned investment fund, 1MDB, was supposed to attract foreign investment. Instead, it “spurred criminal and regulatory investigations around the world that have cast an unflattering spotlight on financial deal-making, election spending and political patronage under former Prime Minister Najib Razak. The figures are mind-boggling: a Malaysian parliamentary committee identified at least $4.2 billion in irregular transactions related to 1MDB. In May, Najib was ousted from power in a general election as the scandal fueled a voter backlash that ended his party’s 61 years of rule. As the investigations continue, Najib faces trial on corruption charges and U.S. prosecutors have implicated at least three senior Goldman Sachs Group Inc. bankers in a multiyear criminal enterprise”.

The 1MDB case has implications that spread far beyond Malaysia and the South Asia region. In the U.S., federal prosecutors announced that one of the implicated former Goldman Sachs bankers had pleaded guilty, with bribery and money laundering charges lodged against a second banker as part of the investigation. U.S. prosecutors “also brought charges against the Malaysian businessman they believe stole some of the money: Jho Low, who spent millions of dollars on gifts to celebrities like the actor Leonardo DiCaprio and the model Miranda Kerr. The money was used to buy a Picasso painting, diamond necklaces and Birkin bags as well as to pay for the Hollywood blockbuster ‘The Wolf of Wall Street.’”.

Cases like the 1MDB scandal demonstrate that investigation and enforcement are stepping up. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), UK Bribery Act 2010 and other laws on the books provide tools for regulators to bring action against companies doing business overseas, and even those principal actors in foreign organisations if they run afoul of anti-corruption laws. In Malaysia, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (Amendment) Act 2018 added a provision on corporate liability. The amended act (formerly the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission [MACC] Act 2009) gives more power to the MACC in fighting corruption in the private sector, as it includes penalties for firms that can now be held liable if their employees commit bribery.

Speaking in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC) Summit 2018, Mohd Nur Lokman bin Samingan, Assistant Commissioner at Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, explained some of the key objectives of the 2018 Amendment Act. Among them, the new provisions are meant “to encourage business and commercial activities being carried out in a corruption-free environment; to encourage all commercial organisations to take adequate measures in order to prevent corruption in their respective organisations; and to promote better corporate governance and legal compliance by requiring corporations to take proactive roles in preventing corruption”. Mr. Mohd Nur Lokman went on to explain that punishment for bribery and other corrupt acts under the amendment can include fines “of not less than 10 times the sum of value of the gratification which is the subject matter of the offence”, or one million ringgit (whichever is higher) – and can also include imprisonment for a term not exceeding 20 years.[/vc_column_text]

ISO 37001:2016 to Tackle Bribery

At this year’s (2019) Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Seminar Benchmark on Governance, Integrity & Anti-Corruption, leaders and luminaries in anti-bribery and anti-corruption gathered to speak on compliance issues affecting the region. The event was held in conjunction with the British High Commission (BHC). The seminar provided examination and discussion of UK’s best practices in governance, integrity and anti-corruption, including a focus on the ISO 37001 Anti-Bribery Management System Standard.

Keynote speaker Zafar Anjum, founder and CEO of CRI® Group and ABAC® Center of Excellence, presented “Anti-Bribery Management System (ABMS 37001) Case Study and Implementation – UK Experience”. Anjum provided an overview on ISO 37001 ABMS Accreditation & Certification as an effective and “adequate procedure” for organisations in the region and beyond. First, Anjum provided some stark statistics. He said that according to the International Monetary Fund, “An estimated $2 trillion in bribes is paid annually in both developing and developed countries”. Anjum also noted that the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) 2018 Report to the Nations – Global Study on Occupational Fraud and Abuse found that “Organizations lose an average of 5% of their annual revenue to fraud each year”.

To combat the threat, organisations around the world are turning to ISO 37001. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) issued ISO 37001 in 2016 to help organisations worldwide increase and measure their efforts against bribery and corruption. Anjum explained that ISO 37001 ABMS implements standards in organisations at every level through measures that include adopting an anti-bribery policy, appointing a person to oversee anti-bribery compliance, training, risk assessments and due diligence on projects and business associates. It also involves implementing financial and commercial controls and instituting reporting and investigation procedures. Anjum described the work of the ABAC® (Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption) Center of Excellence, a global network of certified ethics and compliance professionals, qualified auditors, financial and corporate investigators, certified fraud examiners, forensic analysts and accountants, as a tool for organisations to prevent bribery and corruption. ABAC Certification is an accredited provider of ISO 37001 ABMS Certification and Training for organisations of all types and industries.

The ISO 37001 standard specifies requirements and provides guidance for establishing, implementing, maintaining, reviewing and improving an anti-bribery management system. The system can be stand-alone or can be integrated into an overall management system. ISO 37001 addresses the following in relation to the organisation’s activities:

• Bribery in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors
• Bribery by the organisation
• Bribery by the organisation’s personnel acting on the organisation’s behalf or for its benefit
• Bribery by the organisation’s business associates acting on the organisation’s behalf or for its benefit
• Bribery of the organisation
• Bribery of the organisation’s personnel in relation to the organisation’s activities
• Bribery of the organisation’s business associates in relation to the organisation’s activities
• Direct and indirect bribery (e.g. a bribe offered or accepted through or by a third party)

The ISO 37001 process helps companies and government organisations reduce the risk of bribery by establishing, implementing, maintaining and enhancing internal anti-bribery and anti-corruption systems. When administered by an accredited provider of ISO ABMS certification and training, the protocol can:

• Provide needed tools to prevent bribery and mitigate related risks
• Help an organisation create new and better business partnerships with entities that recognizse ISO 37001 certified status, including supply chain manufacturing, joint ventures, pending acquisitions and co-marketing alliances
• Potentially reduce corporate insurance premiums
• Provide customers, stakeholders, employees and partners with confidence in the entity’s business operations and ethics
• Provide a competitive edge over non-certified organizations the organisation’s industry or niche
• Provide acceptable evidence to prosecutors or courts that the organization has taken reasonable steps to prevent bribery and corruption

As the ISO documentation states, “Conformity with (ISO 37001) cannot provide assurance that no bribery has occurred or will occur in relation to the organisation, as it is not possible to completely eliminate the risk of bribery”. ISO ABMS certification is, however, a potential mitigating piece of evidence to regulators or even prosecutors and the courts that the entity has taken meaningful steps in its efforts to prevent bribery and corruption.

Conclusion

Which organisations need ISO 37001? Despite the slow progress in combating bribery and corruption, the South Asia region remains an attractive market for organisations looking to expand. New laws and enforcement efforts are providing an increasing emphasis on compliance. In such a climate, organisations must stand ready to demonstrate their implementation of internal processes, policies and controls to prevent and detect bribery and corruption and remain in compliance.

The ISO 37001 ABMS standard is an established, tried and tested program that addresses those issues head-on through a comprehensive program of training and certification. The training process is tailored to the organisation, while still following the developed curriculum and documented best practices. Certification requires the demonstration that processes have been implemented effectively, with follow-up evaluations. Developments in the South Asia region and worldwide have demonstrated that there isn’t time to wait to implement controls and compliance procedures – the next investigation and/or prosecution may be too late. The harm caused by bribery and corruption to an entity’s reputation, investments and business can be far-reaching and long-lasting.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_section][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][accordion_father activetabbg=”#4c4c4c”][accordion_son title=”About CRI® Group” clr=”#ffffff” bgclr=”#bfbfbf”]Based in London, CRI Group works with companies across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific as a one-stop international Risk Management, Employee Background Screening, Business Intelligence, Due Diligence, Compliance Solutions and other professional Investigative Research solutions provider. We have the largest proprietary network of background-screening analysts and investigators across the Middle East and Asia. Our global presence ensures that no matter how international your operations are we have the network needed to provide you with all you need, wherever you happen to be. CRI Group also holds BS 102000:2013 and BS 7858:2012 Certifications, is an HRO certified provider and partner with Oracle.

In 2016, CRI® Group launched Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC®) Center of Excellence – an independent certification body established for ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems, ISO 37301 Compliance Management Systems and ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management, providing training and certification. ABAC® operates through its global network of certified ethics and compliance professionals, qualified auditors and other certified professionals. As a result, CRI Group’s global team of certified fraud examiners work as a discreet white-labelled supplier to some of the world’s largest organisations. Contact ABAC® for more on ISO Certification and training.[/accordion_son][accordion_son title=”About the Author” clr=”#ffffff” bgclr=”#bfbfbf”]By Zafar Anjum MSc, CFE, Intl. Dip. (Fin. Crime)

Group Chief Executive, CRI Group[/accordion_son][accordion_son title=”Sources & Credits” clr=”#ffffff” bgclr=”#bfbfbf”]

1. Danielle Keeton-Olsen, “Why Foreign Businesses Will Put Up With Some Corrupt Practices In Southeast Asia”, Forbes, < https://www.forbes.com/sites/daniellekeetonolsen/2018/01/12/why-foreign-businesses-will-put-up-with-some-corrupt-practices-in-southeast-asia/#673e13902fe3> (accessed 2 Nov. 2018).
2. “Corruption Perceptions Index 2018”, Transparency International, 2019, < https://www.transparency.org/cpi2018> (accessed 5 Aug. 2019)
3. “Asia Pacific: Little To No Progress On Anti-Corruption”, Transparency International, 29 Jan. 2019, <https://www.transparency.org/news/feature/asia_pacific_makes_little_to_no_progress_on_anti_corruption> (accessed 5 Aug. 2019)
4. OECD, The rationale for fighting corruption. 2014 <http://www.oecd.org/cleangovbiz/49693613.pdf> (accessed 2 Nov. 2018)
5. Vanessa Romo, “Former Interpol President Pleads Guilty To Bribery In Chinese Court,” NPR, 20 June 2019, <https://www.npr.org/2019/06/20/734397465/former-interpol-president-pleads-guilty-to-bribery-in-chinese-court> (accessed 5 Aug. 2019)
6. Alejandro Salas, Asia and the Pacific’s corruption scorecard: Fighting corruption needs long-term political commitment in the region, Policy Forum, 2018, <https://www.policyforum.net/asia-and-the-pacifics-corruption-scorecard/> (accessed 2 Nov. 2018).
7. “A year on, anti-corruption law changes South Korea’s graft-prone culture,” Straits Times, 2017, <https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/a-year-on-anti-corruption-law-changes-south-koreas-graft-prone-culture (accessed 2 Nov. 2018).
8. Harry Suhartono and David Yong, “Bribery Probe Hurts One of Southeast Asia’s Biggest Projects”, Bloomberg, 18 Oct. 2018, <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-17/arrests-leave-one-of-southeast-asia-s-biggest-projects-in-limbo> (accessed 4 Aug. 2019)
9. Arya Dipa, “‘It wasn’t my idea’: Lippo Group’s James Riady denies involvement in Meikarta case”, The Jakarta Post, 9 Feb. 2019, < https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2019/02/09/it-wasnt-my-idea-lippo-groups-james-riady-denies-involvement-in-meikarta-case.html> (accessed 4 Aug. 2019)
10.  Erwida Maulia, ‘Indonesia bribery cases weigh on Jokowi’s reform plans”, Nikkei Asian Review, 2 May 2019, < https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Indonesia-bribery-cases-weigh-on-Jokowi-s-reform-plans> (accessed 4 Aug 2019)
11. Shamim Adam , Laurence Arnold , and Yudith Ho, “The Story of Malaysia’s 1MDB, the Scandal That Shook the World of Finance,” Bloomberg, 2018, <https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-24/how-malaysia-s-1mdb-scandal-shook-the-financial-world-quicktake> (accessed 3 Nov. 2018)
12. Matthew Goldstein, Alexandra Stevenson and Emily Flitter, “Goldman Sachs Ensnarled in Vast 1MDB Fraud Scandal,” The New York Times, 2018, <https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/01/business/goldman-sachs-malaysia-investment-fund.html> (accessed 3 Nov. 2018)
13. Bernama, “Revised MACC Act 2009 to come into force in 2018,” The Straits Times, 2018. < https://10times.com/abac-malaysia> (accessed 11 Nov. 2018).
14. Mohd Nur Lokman bin Samingan, “Offence by Commercial Organisation”, ABAC Summit 2018, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 25 Sept. 2018.
15. Zafar Anjum, “Anti-Bribery Management System (ABMS 37001) Case Study and Implementation – UK Experience”, MACC Seminar Benchmark on Governance, Integrity & Anti-Corruption, Putrajaya, Malaysia, July 2019.

[/accordion_son][/accordion_father][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][/vc_section]

Filed under: Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Solution, Compliance Solution, ISO 37001, Resources by admin
10 Comments »

Top 10 ways to protect your organisation from bribery and corruption

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) public sector corruption siphons $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion annually from the global economy in bribes and costs far more in stunted economic growth, lost tax revenues and sustained poverty. The fact is, bribery and corruption can affect any organization, of any size, in any industry and location. So how to protect your organization from bribery and corruption.

There are 10 things that an organization can do, to be better protected against the threat of bribery and corruption:

1. Be proactive: Adopt a code of ethics for management and employees. Evaluate your internal controls for effectiveness and identify areas of the business that are vulnerable to bribery and corruption.
2. Be strict: Communicate regularly to staff about anti-bribery and corruption policies, ways to report suspicions of misconduct, and the potential consequences (including termination and prosecution) of unethical behavior.
3. Train your employees: Your workforce is your first line of defense against corruption – enroll your organization in training programs like ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System Introductory, Internal Auditor or Lead Auditor training to ensure they can properly identify, prevent and detect bribery.
4. Be aware of red flags: Payment for vague services like “facilitating”, paying higher-than-normal fees to a vendor as “commission”, off-the-books deals, requirements of cash-only payments or unusual payment arrangements are all signs that things may be amiss and require further review.
5. Validate compliance regularly: Putting standards in place is only effective if you test and follow them year-round. Implement a process to ensure compliance with legislation like the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and UK Bribery Act 2010.
6. Conduct due diligence: An unethical partner or supplier engaging in bribery and corruption can have serious effects on your own company’s reputation. Conduct thorough due diligence, with background checks and full risk assessments, on all third-parties with which you are engaged.
7. Encourage whistleblowing. Corruption is still most likely to be detected by a tip. Providing an anonymous reporting system for your employees, contractors and clients will help uncover more cases of bribery and other misconduct.
8. Be transparent: A way to be proactive in your engagement with others is to ask for feedback. Then be prepared to address it, good or bad – creating open lines of communication and honest dialogue regarding what is and what isn’t unethical behavior.
9. Establish Hiring Procedures: When hiring staff, conduct thorough background investigations. Check educational, credit and employment history (as permitted by law), as well as references.
10. Get Certified: The ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System standard is designed to help an organization implement an anti-bribery management system. Any organization can and should become ISO 37001 certified to signify the measures it has taken to prevent and detect bribery and corruption

About us…

Based in London, CRI® Group works with companies across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific as a one-stop international Risk Management, Employee Background Screening, Business Intelligence, Due Diligence, Compliance Solutions and other professional Investigative Research solutions provider. We have the largest proprietary network of background screening analysts and investigators across the Middle East and Asia. Our global presence ensures that no matter how international your operations are, we have the network needed to provide you with all you need, wherever you happen to be. CRI® Group also holds BS102000:2013 and BS7858:2019 Certifications is an HRO certified provider and partner with Oracle.

In 2016, CRI® Group launched the Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC®) Center of Excellence – an independent certification body established for ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems, ISO 37301 Compliance Management Systems and ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management, providing training and certification. ABAC® operates through its global network of certified ethics and compliance professionals, qualified auditors and other certified professionals. As a result, CRI® Group’s global team of certified fraud examiners work as a discreet white-labelled supplier to some of the world’s largest organizations. Contact ABAC® for more on ISO Certification and training.

MEET THE CEO

Zafar I. Anjum is Group Chief Executive Officer of CRI® Group (www.crigroup.com), a global supplier of investigative, forensic accounting, business due to diligence and employee background screening services for some of the world’s leading business organizations. Headquartered in London (with a significant presence throughout the region) and licensed by the Dubai International Financial Centre-DIFC, the Qatar Financial Center – QFC, and the Abu Dhabi Global Market-ADGM, CRI® Group safeguard businesses by establishing the legal compliance, financial viability, and integrity levels of outside partners, suppliers and customers seeking to affiliate with your business. CRI® Group maintains offices in UAE, Pakistan, Qatar, Singapore, Malaysia, Brazil, China, the USA, and the United Kingdom.

Contact CRI® Group to learn more about its 3PRM-Certified™ third-party risk management strategy program and discover an effective and proactive approach to mitigating the risks associated with corruption, bribery, financial crimes and other dangerous risks posed by third-party partnerships.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Zafar Anjum, MSc, MS, CFE, CII, MICA, Int. Dip. (Fin. Crime) | CRI® Group Chief Executive Officer

37th Floor, 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5AA United Kingdom

t: +44 207 8681415 | m: +44 7588 454959 | e: zanjum@crigroup.com

Filed under: Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Solution, Compliance Solution, ISO 37001, Resources, Third-Party Risk Management by admin
No Comments »

Decrease Bribery Risk with ISO 37001:2016 ABMS

Bribery and corruption are worldwide problems with serious consequences for organisations of any size, industry or region. To help combat this threat, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) issued the ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System (ABMS) standard. This standard helps businesses, nonprofits and governmental agencies to reduce their risk of bribery and corruption, How? By establishing, implementing, maintaining and improving an anti-bribery management system.

> Does your organisation have an ethical code of conduct? Don’t make assumptions that your employees know to conduct themselves in an ethical manner. Read “Your organisation needs an ethical code of conduct” to learn more.

The ISO 37001:2016 standard mirrors numerous steps contained in the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the UK Bribery Act 2010 and other major legislation aimed to curb bribery and corruption and increase punishments resulting from its occurrence. When an organisation makes the decision to move forward with ISO 37001:2016 ABMS training and certification, the benefits are immediate. That’s because ISO 37001:2016 puts methods in place that do the following:

• Ensure that your organisation is implementing a viable anti-bribery management system using widely accepted controls and systems.
• Give your company the tools it needs to prevent bribery and mitigate related risks
• Provide assurance to management, investors, business associates, personnel and other stakeholders that the organisation is actively pursuing internationally recognised and accepted processes to prevent bribery and corruption.
• Help your company create new and better business partnerships with entities that recognise your certified status, including supply chain manufacturing, joint ventures, pending acquisitions and co-marketing alliances
• Potentially reduce corporate insurance premiums
• Provide your customers, stakeholders, employees and partners with confidence in your business operations and ethics
• Provide a competitive edge over non-certified organisations in your industry or niche
• Provide acceptable evidence to prosecutors or courts that the organisation has taken reasonable steps to prevent bribery and corruption

ISO 37001:2016 certifies that your organisation has implemented reasonable and proportionate measures to prevent bribery. These measures involve top-level leadership, training, bribery risk assessment, due diligence adequacy, financial and commercial controls, reporting, audit and investigation.

Impacting your corporate culture

An organisation that takes a firm stand against bribery and corruption, and makes compliance standards a priority, will see the effects among its employees and in its corporate culture. After all, ISO 37001:2016 isn’t just for the security team or executives. It involves the entire organisation. Staff learn how to recognise red flags of noncompliance for bribery and fraud, and how to report them. They also gain an understanding that the organisation won’t tolerate unethical behaviour, especially when it comes to bribery and corruption. For example, many employees in today’s workforce might think they understand what bribery and corruption are – but they probably don’t recognise the many different ways it can manifest itself in the business world. ABAC® Certified™ training and certification process for ISO 37001:2016 educates your personnel and helps your company address bribery in all its forms, including:

• In the public, private and not-for-profit sectors
• By the organisation
• By the organisation’s personnel acting on the organisation’s behalf or for its benefit
• By the organisation’s business associates acting on the organisation’s behalf or for its benefit
• Of the organisation
• Of the organisation’s personnel in relation to the organisation’s activities
• Of the organisation’s business associates in relation to the organisation’s activities
• Direct and indirect bribery (e.g. a bribe offered or accepted through or by a third party) (Source: ISO 37001 ABMS Standard)

> Enhance your organisation’s anti-corruption culture! Read our FREE “Whitepaper: Countering bribery & corruption in the public & private sectors – Anti-corruption culture, risk assessment, auditing & compliance”

Expert training from an accredited body

CRI Group’s ABAC® Certification services are accredited by the Emirates International Accreditation Center (EIAC) for administering the ISO 37001:2016 anti-bribery standard, and has leading experts administering the 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems certification program. ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System Certification reflects international best practices and can be used in all jurisdictions. It is applicable to small, medium and large organizations in all sectors, including public, private and not-for-profit sectors. reduce the risk of bribery and corruption by establishing, implementing, maintaining and improving your management system. When everyone is on the same page and playing as a team, the organisation is stronger because employees trust one another to do the right thing. Those “gray areas” of rule-bending and non-compliance are no longer gray. The organisation culture dictates that only ethical behaviour and compliance with anti-bribery and anti-fraud standards will be acceptable.

When an organisation undertakes ISO 37001:2016 training, employees understand that ethical behaviour is the norm, and anything outside of those bounds will be punished – especially criminal acts like bribery and corruption – perhaps with the loss of their job, or even prosecution. ABAC® Certification provides three levels of training ensure that employees get the instruction they need: Introductory Training, Internal Auditor Training, and Lead Auditor Training. ABAC® conducts ISO 37001:2016 training in a classroom setting, providing face-to-face interaction with expert instructors. The training helps establish an ethical culture by educating your employees on the following:

• What constitutes fraud, corruption, and bribery, and why these are so damaging to business
• How to identify red flags of fraud, corruption and bribery
• The process for reporting fraudulent and unethical acts
• The organisation’s zero-tolerance attitude toward unethical behaviour and willingness to terminate employees for breaches, and prosecute unethical acts
• The serious ramifications for committing fraud or bribery, the legal consequences, and the negative impact on one’s career

The time is now to take action against bribery and corruption – the world is watching, and organisations that make anti-bribery and anti-corruption and compliance a priority are poised to be successful. ISO 37001:2016 provides the layer of security, and as it is stated in the standard itself, “Conformity with this document cannot provide assurance that no bribery has occurred or will occur in relation to the organisation, as it is not possible to completely eliminate the risk of bribery. However, this document can help the organisation implement reasonable and proportionate measures designed to prevent, detect and respond to bribery”. The benefits are long-lasting and far reaching. Most importantly, when you engage ABAC® ’s training and certification program, you are assured that an accredited team of experts is working with your organisation to implement a top-of-the-line program that is tailored to your needs and accomplishes your goals.

> Need a reason for ISO 37001 certification? How about 25 of them? Check out our ABAC® “25 Benefits of ISO 37001 ABMS Certification” article now!

Whether your organisation is a corporation, nonprofit, or government agency, you can start enjoying the benefits of ABAC® Certification’s ISO 37001:2016 training and certification immediately. Learn more about ABAC®  Certification and ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System today. 

Who is CRI Group?

Based in London, CRI Group works with companies across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific as a one-stop international Risk Management, Employee Background Screening, Business Intelligence, Due Diligence, Compliance Solutions and other professional Investigative Research solutions provider. We have the largest proprietary network of background-screening analysts and investigators across the Middle East and Asia. Our global presence ensures that no matter how international your operations are we have the network needed to provide you with all you need, wherever you happen to be. CRI Group also holds BS 102000:2013 and BS 7858:2012 Certifications, is an HRO certified provider and partner with Oracle.

In 2016, CRI Group launched Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC®) Center of Excellence – an independent certification body established for ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems, ISO 37301 Compliance Management Systems and ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management, providing training and certification. ABAC® operates through its global network of certified ethics and compliance professionals, qualified auditors and other certified professionals. As a result, CRI Group’s global team of certified fraud examiners work as a discreet white-labelled supplier to some of the world’s largest organisations. Contact ABAC® for more on ISO Certification and training.

Prove That Your Business is Ethical for FREE

Complete our FREE Highest Ethical Business Assessment (HEBA) & evaluate your current Corporate Compliance Program. Find out if your organisation’s compliance program is in the line with worldwide Compliance, Business Ethics, Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Frameworks. Let ABAC® experts prepare a complimentary gap analysis of your compliance program to evaluate if it meets “adequate procedures” requirements under UK Bribery Act, DOJ’s Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs Guidance and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

Filed under: Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Solution, Compliance Solution, ISO 37001, Resources by admin
No Comments »

Corruption: a real Threat to Organisations Worldwide

Corruption: a Real Threat to Organisations Worldwide

For ages, systematic bribery was tolerated in various countries and industries as a “necessary part of getting business done or circumventing bureaucratic red tape.” The times are changing, however. Societies and their governments have recognised that bribery and corruption vastly affect economic growth, undermine trust and discourage investment. Studies show that bribery and corruption directly contribute to global poverty, social inequality, and a decrease in public infrastructure development.

To help organisations worldwide increase and measure their efforts against bribery and corruption, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) issued the ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System standard. This new standard mirrors numerous steps contained in the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the U.K. Bribery Act 2010 and other major legislation aimed to curb bribery and corruption and increase punishments resulting from its occurrence.

The standard is a set of controls that any organisation can implement with the right guidance. The first step is an understanding among business leaders, from ownership and directors to management, that a global corruption problem exists – and ignoring it will eventually lead to serious consequences. From lapses in corporate due diligence and devolving government and corporate integrity to poor transparency, lack of accountability, and inadequate corporate integrity systems, business corruption has become rampant and commonplace globally. According to Transparency International, bribery and corruption were among the key components that led to the recent global economic crisis.

ISO 37001:2016 for different types of organisations

When it comes to bribery and corruption, businesses, non-profits, and government organisations all face risks to their financial well-being and reputation. ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System standard plays a vital role for all types of organisations in reducing risk and putting a structure in place that prevents and detects bribery and corruption on all levels.

Corporate/private sector

In the present era of globalisation, anti-corruption compliance plays a vital role for companies with high ethical values trying to expand business across borders and attract potential investors and business partners for the long term. Such companies are expected to ensure the integrity of their operations and the conduct of their suppliers, distributors, and agents wherever they may be.

To meet these needs, the standard ISO 37001:2016 is designed to apply to all organisations (or parts of an organisation) regardless of type, size and nature of the business activity. The program is tailored to the needs and requirements of the organisation.

Public sector organisations

Public sector organisations play critical roles, often interacting directly with the public they serve; they include utility service providers, license-issuing authorities and other regulatory bodies. These are vulnerable areas where authority is concentrated with weak financial positions that must fulfil the needs of both the service provider and its users. Such public sector organisations can benefit from implementing ISO 37001:2016 to control bribery and corruption to enhance their productivity level and play an improved role in the socio-economic development of their country.

Government departments

The government is a major stakeholder in the socio-economic development of a country. Hence it makes laws, regulations and establishes departments to check and control bribery and corruption. In many developing countries, however, anti-corruption laws and regulations are either weak or implemented unevenly, providing poor results. Government-led steps or campaigns to fight corruption often are ineffective, while bribes continue to be accepted as part of doing business. However, the threat of bribery and corruption can be mitigated through the implementation of ISO 37001:2016 standard, which provides safeguards within a management system, rather than temporary measures or mere slogans.

Training is the key to prevention

According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners’ “Report to the Nations on Occupational Fraud and Abuse,” a company’s employees are its best protection against fraud. Statistics show that most fraud is detected by internal tips, even more than audits and other methods. That means that employees recognise fraud, understand that it’s wrong and not acceptable at their workplace, and report it.

This means that the more trained and educated a workforce is about fraud, bribery and corruption, the better that organisation will operate as a team in preventing and detecting those behaviours.

The ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System uses this approach as a focal point in providing the standards for training and knowledge your organisation needs to prevent fraud, bribery and corruption. The proper training program should be tailored to your organisation, based on its size, the way it’s structured, the business you conduct, and your specific risk areas identified in the discovery phase. In this way, ISO 37001:2016 accommodates every level of your organisation to ensure that the entire team gets the training needed to identify, prevent and detect bribery and corruption.

The ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System certification empowers you with the ability to safeguard and maintain the integrity of your company by:

• Guaranteeing that all workers and agents are devoted to the latest anti-bribery practice
• Regularly validating compliance to appropriate legislation like the FCPA and U.K. Bribery Act 2010
• Jointly cooperating with stakeholders to observe and reduce the risks throughout your supply chain
• Externally scrutinising your company, testing the effectiveness of your anti-bribery policies and processes
• Ensuring compliance in action

ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System certification is offered under CRI® Group’s ABAC® Center of Excellence, an independent certification body established for Anti-Bribery Management System, Compliance Management System and Risk Management System certification. ABAC Certification’s experts are skilled at developing and implementing programs to meet clients’ needs and requirements. Learn more about ABAC Certification and ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System today.

Who is CRI Group?

Based in London, CRI Group works with companies across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific as a one-stop international Risk Management, Employee Background Screening, Business Intelligence, Due Diligence, Compliance Solutions and other professional Investigative Research solutions provider. We have the largest proprietary network of background-screening analysts and investigators across the Middle East and Asia. Our global presence ensures that no matter how international your operations are, we have the network needed to provide you with all you need, wherever you happen to be. CRI Group also holds B.S. 102000:2013 and B.S. 7858:2012 Certifications, is an HRO certified provider and partner with Oracle.

In 2016, CRI Group launched the Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC®) Center of Excellence – an independent certification body established for ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems, ISO 37301 Compliance Management Systems and ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management, providing training and certification. ABAC® operates through its global network of certified ethics and compliance professionals, qualified auditors and other certified professionals. As a result, CRI Group’s global team of certified fraud examiners work as a discreet white-labelled supplier to some of the world’s largest organisations. Contact ABAC® for more on ISO Certification and training.

Filed under: Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Solution, Compliance Solution, ISO 37001, Resources by admin
No Comments »

ISO 37001 Certification: a Proclamation of Business Integrity

It’s a well-known World Bank statistic, but one that bears continual repeating: More than US$1.5 trillion – or 2% of world gross domestic product – is paid in bribes each and every year, contributing to the demise of governments, inadequate social services, inferior infrastructure, low-quality goods and services, and a general strain on public and private sector integrity and reputation.

But the past several years have seen marked progress in the global fight against bribery and corruption, particularly with the adoption of ISO 37001 “Anti-Bribery Management Systems,” which provides generally accepted standards for establishing, implementing, maintaining, reviewing and improving an organisation’s anti-bribery management system.

The global adoption of the standard means that organisations worldwide can now publicly demonstrate their intent to battle bribery via review, examination and certification of their systems to the ISO standard. And in doing so, those certified organisations are realising many key benefits that come with certification, and the extended impact certification has on their supply chain and third-party partners.

ISO 37001 Certification: A Conscientious Decision

ISO 37001 certification is not currently mandated by governments around the world, with the exception of Malaysia and a few other countries which are considering certification as a requirement for private sector organisations bidding for government contracts. That said, multi-national organisations are increasingly seeking certification as a conscientious decision to improve their operations for the good of the overall organisation.

In doing so, those organisations are making a strong statement to their stakeholders, customers, authorities, third-parties and the international marketplace that they are taking all necessary measures to review, amend and improve their systems and processes to control and prevent bribery.

Even more important, to verify compliance and achieve such certification, those organisations are willing to expose their operations to outside independent auditors who are specifically trained in identifying risks and weaknesses within the organisation, while making recommendations for improvement.

From an integrity perspective, the result of certification to the ISO 37001 standard can help reduce internal and external corruption risks, manage compliance risks and boost the public perception and reputation of the organisation as a whole.

This can provide the organisation with certain advantages in the tender process and give the organisation a competitive edge in business development.

Take for example the case of Mubadala Investment Company PJSC (Mubadala), a state-owned holding company that can be characterised as a sovereign wealth fund in the United Arab Emirates, a country widely known for its relatively high rankings on the annual Transparency International Corruption Perception Index.

In 2019 Mubadala called on CRI Group’s ABAC Center of Excellence to attain ISO 37001 certification. Upon completion of the extremely thorough and careful certification process, Mubadala Head of Ethics & Compliance noted that achieving such certification has helped his organisation provide full confidence to its partners and shareholders, and has opened avenues of investment for international and national companies because Mubadala enjoys a great rapport with the business community as a competent and truthful entity.

“We are very proud to attain this certification. It demonstrates our strong commitment to the highest standards of ethics and integrity in our activities. This achievement specifically affirms the presence of anti-bribery management systems across Mubadala that support a culture of transparency and compliance in line with the highest global standards.” Mubadala Head of Ethics & Compliance said.

The Ripple Effect of ISO 37001 Certification

While one of the most beneficial advantage of certification is that it formally announces to the global marketplace that the organisation has gone to great lengths to demonstrate a high level of integrity in its compliance program and can be looked upon as a trusted partner when it comes to business affiliations and future business dealings, there is an notable down-stream effect as well.

That’s where the standard requires intense third-party due diligence to verify that the organisation’s supply-chain partners maintain a strong commitment to anti-bribery compliance. This subsequently motivates the organisation’s business partners, suppliers and third-party providers to examine and improve their own practices, knowing that the organisation will not conduct business with outside providers that don’t measure up to its internationally accepted compliance standards.

And managing third-party risks will result in the ongoing supply of high-quality products and services, on-time delivery, reduced legal liability, increased stakeholder protection, higher customer satisfaction and improved reputation, to name just a few of the associated benefits.

ISO 37001 Certification Improves the Organisation

Finally, ISO 37001 certification is structured in a way that not only identifies risks and weaknesses within an organisation’s anti-bribery framework, it also outlines measures designed to improve that framework and, in turn, contribute to strengthening the overall operation. Here are some examples:

Financially, certification can help identify redundancies in the processes used to combat anti-bribery and corruption, potentially reducing the costs associated with duplication. Additionally, through certification, one can assume that demonstrating an adequate procedures defense may in many cases reduce legal costs in bribery cases and investigations, while also reducing or eliminating potential fines levied in such cases.

Operationally, certification can help to streamline internal processes and controls, and – through effective top-down management advocacy – ensure that all staff levels of the organisation stand united in the fight against bribery and corruption.

Ethically, certification shows that the organisation is making a conscientious choice to protect its customers by taking strong stances against the effects of bribery, which include overpriced products or services, defective parts, and under-qualified labor – all of which can produce economic hardship, physical harm or even death.

From a brand perspective, certification demonstrates that the organisation is committed to operating in an ethical environment, taking strong measures to prevent bad actors from succeeding and exposing the organisation to negative media publicity, adverse public reaction and damaged reputation.

And from business development standpoint, certification can effectively enhance the organisation’s ability to secure new business contracts, as public sectors around the world are increasingly requiring such certification as a qualification in the bidding process for large-scale contracts.

It’s no secret why multi-national organisations are increasingly realising the many benefits of ISO 37001 certification, as they enjoy improved internal systems and procedures, greater operational efficiency and top-down confidence throughout the organisation, to reduced corporate risks, stakeholder liability, and a resulting competitive edge in the international marketplace.

ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management System certification is offered under CRI Group’s ABAC® Centre of Excellence, an independent certification body established for Anti-Bribery Management System training and certification, ISO 37301 Compliance Management Systems and Risk Management System certification. The program will be tailored to your organisation’s needs and requirements. For assistance in developing and implementing a fraud prevention strategy, contact ABAC today or get a FREE QUOTE now!

Who is CRI Group?

Based in London, CRI Group works with companies across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia-Pacific as a one-stop international Risk Management, Employee Background Screening, Business Intelligence, Due Diligence, Compliance Solutions and other professional Investigative Research solutions provider. We have the largest proprietary network of background-screening analysts and investigators across the Middle East and Asia. Our global presence ensures that no matter how international your operations are we have the network needed to provide you with all you need, wherever you happen to be. CRI Group also holds BS 102000:2013 and BS 7858:2012 Certifications, is an HRO certified provider and partner with Oracle.

In 2016, CRI Group launched Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption (ABAC®) Center of Excellence – an independent certification body established for ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Management Systems, ISO 37301 Compliance Management Systems and ISO 31000:2018 Risk Management, providing training and certification. ABAC® operates through its global network of certified ethics and compliance professionals, qualified auditors and other certified professionals. As a result, CRI Group’s global team of certified fraud examiners work as a discreet white-labelled supplier to some of the world’s largest organisations. Contact ABAC® for more on ISO Certification and training.

Filed under: Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Solution, Compliance Solution, ISO 37001, Resources, Third-Party Risk Management by admin
No Comments »