pp/publications/publications

Policy Positions

Policy Position No.06/2009 Controlling Corporate Lobbying and Financing of Political Activities

Corporate lobbying and financing of political activities are carried out by most large corporations.Both sets of activities, when undertaken with integrity and transparency by a company, can be a legitimate and positive force. Yet, the extensive funds at the disposal of businesses and the close relationship that exists between many companies and lawmakers can lead to undue, unfair influence in a country’s policies and politics.

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Policy Position No.04/2009 Building Corporate Integrity Systems to Address Corruption Risks

Corporate integrity is often perceived to be the product of ethical leadership, strong compliance and effective regulations that prevent and sanction wrong-doing. While these elements are essential, each on their own is not sufficient to comprehensively and sustainably tackle the
broad range of interrelated corruption risks that face companies.

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Policy Position No.09/2009 Making Anti-Corruption Regulation Effective for the Private Sector

A comprehensive regulatory framework for the private sector is a prerequisite for a transparent, honest and just society: where regulation is weak, corruption risks grow strong. As the primary rule makers and enforcers, governments have a responsibility to ensure the effective regulation of markets, protection of citizens and enforcement of laws.

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Policy Position No. 07/2009 Countering Cartels to End Corruption and Protect the Consumer

Cartels are illegal and costly. They inflate prices for consumers, exact an economic toll on countries and undermine the integrity of companies. Cartels can form in any sector, ranging from health care and transport, to construction and telecommunications.

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Policy Position No. 03/2009 Strengthening Corporate Governance to Combat Corruption

There is a growing sentiment that poor corporate governance is one of the forces to blame for the collapse of the financial markets since it failed to ensure the transparency, accountability and integrity of companies, particularly on matters of corruption.

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Policy Position No. 02/2009 (02/2005) Political Finance Regulations: Bridging the Enforcement Gap

Political finance regulations have been introduced in a majority of democracies to promote fair political competition, but all too often political party and campaign finance laws are breached with impunity. This situation needs remedying because people's trust in democracy is eroded when democratically elected leaders fail to comply with laws they themselves design.

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Policy Position No. 05/2008 Enhancing Revenue Transparency in Oil & Gas Company Reporting

Companies and governments need to provide better quality information on extractive industries revenues if funds are to benefit all citizens and a country's development.

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Policy Position No. 04/2008 Mitigating the Costs of Corruption in Water for the Poor

The water crisis, exacerbated by corruption, is exacting a high human toll on the lives of the poor and vulnerable. Corruption makes water undrinkable, inaccessible and unaffordable. In developing countries, about 80 percent of health problems can be linked to substandard water and sanitation services, claiming the lives of nearly 1.8 million children every year.

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Policy Position No. 03/2008 Building Integrity to Ensure Effective Water Governance

As with any governance framework, participation, transparency and accountability form the guiding principles needed for ensuring policies and decisions on water are responsive to citizens. When these features are missing, the sector’s integrity is eroded and corruption is given a fertile ground on which to flourish.In the case of water, corruption has become a driver of the sector’s crisis. Overuse and contamination, abetted by corruption, have caused water supplies to dwindle, user demands to surge and competition to increase for this indispensable resource.

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Policy Position No. 02/2008 Linking the Corruption, Water and Environmental Agendas to Combat Climate Change

Corruption in the water sector compromises the environmental agenda. It contributes to water scarcity, largescale pollution and the destruction of natural habitats - all factors which make our response to climate change more difficult. If present patterns continue, climate change is expected to fundamentally alter rainfall and river flows, drive up sea levels and put water supplies at risk in many regions.

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Policy Position No. 01/2008 Effectively Monitoring the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC)

The UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) provides a comprehensive global framework for combating corruption. While the convention’s adoption marks a watershed, its ratification does not guarantee compliance.

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Policy Position No.3/2007 Promoting Fairness in Judicial Appointments

Where political power plays a significant role in the appointment, promotion and conditions of service of judges there is a risk that judicial candidates, as well as sitting judges, will feel compelled to respond positively to the demands of the powerful. In some countries, judges who abide by the wishes of senior public officials may be rewarded with modern office equipment, higher quality housing or newer cars. Appointment procedures must therefore be transparent, fair and robust enough to ensure that only those candidates with the highest professional qualifications and standards of personal integrity are allowed to sit on the bench.

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Policy Position No.4/2007 Promoting Decent Judicial Terms and Conditions

The terms and conditions under which judges and court officials work are important in determining their likelihood to engage in corrupt practice. Judiciaries faced with low salaries, poor training and benefits, uncertain security of tenure, or sub-standard administration are unlikely to attract and retain high-quality candidates. Even where able judges and court staff are in place, poor terms and conditions can provide both an incentive and opportunities for resorting to corruption. Security of tenure of judges is an essential means of securing judicial independence, but, more broadly, conditions of service should provide a professional environment in which judicial officers have a transparent, motivating and safe environment in which to work. Developing decent working environments is therefore a key means of preventing judicial corruption.

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Policy Position No.1/2007 Enhancing Judicial Transparency

Transparency relating to the judiciary serves to increase public knowledge about the judicial system, provides recourse for redress when problems occur, and decreases the opportunities for corrupt practices. It is vital that appointments, complaints and disciplinary processes are transparent and objective, and that the public has a means of challenging decisions where they are unreasonable or improper. Transparency also bolsters judicial independence. A diligent judge, for example, can demonstrate that they are acting in accordance with the law. In addition, information on judicial conduct and discipline enables the public and civil society to act as a check against arbitrary executive interference.

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Policy Position No.2/2007 Judicial Accountability and Discipline

The judiciary needs to be independent of outside influence, particularly of political and economic entities such as government agencies or industry associations. But judicial independence does not mean that judges and court officials should have free rein to behave as they please. Indeed, judicial independence is founded on public trust and, to maintain it, judges must uphold the highest standards of integrity and be held accountable to them.Where judges or court personnel are suspected of breaching the public’s trust, fair measures must be in place to detect, investigate and sanction corrupt practices.

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Policy Paper No. 1/2007 Poverty, Aid and Corruption

The paper offers recommendations on how to make the most efficient use of development resources in anti-poverty programmes and tackling the supply-side of corruption. It shows how cooperation in multi-stakeholder environments and the decentralisation of aid delivery can help avoid corruption-prone settings. The paper is the result of a series of consultations within the TI movement and reflects current discussion within the movement and debates in the wider development community.

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Recommendations for the development and implementation of an effective debarment system in the EU

In collaboration with OLAF, the European Anti-Fraud Office, TI organised a Round Table in January 2006 to discuss the further implementation of the European Commission’s debarment system with key stakeholders. As a result of this Roundtable, TI has put together a series of recommendations for the EU debarment system.

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Policy Position No. 03/2005 Standards for Public Contracting

Transparency International's Minimum Standards for Public Contracting provides a framework for preventing and reducing corruption based on clear rules, transparency and effective control and auditing procedures throughout the contracting process.

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Policy Position No. 01/2005 Standards on Political Funding and Favours

Corruption in political party and campaign finance damages democracy because it undermines elections and distorts political competition. But the damage is not confined to the electoral process. The quality of government is marred when subsequent decisions.

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