The Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Attorney-General’s Department have joined with some of the nation’s biggest companies to help businesses prevent, detect and address bribery and corruption.
The new Bribery Prevention Network is a local network of the United Nations’ Global Compact Network Australia (GCNA) and brings together Government, business, civil society and academic institutions.
The Network has a free online portal of accessible, relevant and reliable resources for Australian companies to help them manage bribery and corruption risks in domestic and international markets.
Superintendent, Crime Strategy at the AFP, Greg Hinds said Australia worked on a number of fronts to fight bribery and corruption both within the country and overseas.
“Both remain significant threats to the global community, hindering the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS), undermining the rule of law and eroding trust between Governments and citizens,” Superintendent Hinds said.
“The Bribery Prevention Network is committed to providing a central repository of trusted resources to mitigate bribery and corruption risks within businesses and their supply chains so that they operate successfully, legally and responsibly.”
He said that the Bribery Prevention Network also offered big business the opportunity to help small business, building fair and competitive markets here and overseas for Australian providers.
Executive Director of the GCNA, Kylie Porter said that knowing how to address bribery and corruption risks while succeeding in business could be challenging, particularly for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
“Specifically, when entering international markets, Australian companies are faced with a myriad of bribery and corruption laws that can sit in contrast to local customs, expectations, and competitive pressure to bribe,” Ms Porter said.
“We know that corruption is a significant obstacle to economic and social development globally, and disproportionately affects poor communities.”
She said businesses must act responsibly and set a positive example in society.
