Bribery, corruption and facilitation payments continues to be the most significant ethical issue for 80% of the FTSE 350 listed companies that responded to the IBE’s 2013 Corporate Ethics Policies & Programmes: UK & Continental Europe Survey. The Bribery Act did much to focus organisations on the need to communicate, train and support employees in this area but the risk of corruption still tops the list of concerns for companies.
In response, the IBE has developed a specialised toolkit to assist organisations in this area. The IBE Say No Toolkit helps employees make the right decision in situations that could involve bribery and corruption.
What is the IBE SayNo Toolkit?
The Say No Toolkit is a decision-making tool that can be used either as an App or as a website.
It provides employees with immediate practical help in making the right decision across a variety of situations, such as when to accept a gift, when not to offer hospitality, what to say to avoid a facilitation payment and what to do if faced with a conflict of interest.
The SayNo Toolkit will help companies which:
- Need an immediate and effective way to answer employee questions about what they should do
- Operate in countries with a reputation for bribery and corruption
- Are establishing ‘adequate procedures’ to combat bribery and corruption
- Are looking for ways to reinforce messages to employees about doing the right thing.
Using the Say No Toolkit
The website version of the IBE Say No Toolkit is available to use for free now. Simply go to www.saynotoolkit.net. This is a generic version providing important but general advice on how to respond.
From the end of January the IBE App version , also free, can be downloaded on to any smartphone/tablet.
Most importantly the Say No Toolkit can be branded and customised to include specific organisational direction and detailed procedures and contact details.
The Say No App – Helping you do the right thing
IBE’s Director, Philippa Foster Back CBE OBE, says “Any one, at any level, in any organisation, can be offered a bribe. The SayNo Toolkit supports staff by giving them clear and easily accessible guidance about what can or cannot be accepted. Not only will the App provide an adequate procedure to combat bribery, it could also help to minimise the risks of corruption taking place.”
