Ethics & Integrity
Our mission is to stop corruption and promote transparency, accountability and integrity at all levels and across all sectors of society.
On an ongoing basis, the Secretariat reviews, updates, and implements changes to its policies, procedures and working practices to safeguard an ethical, safe, respectful and inclusive working environment for everyone who works with us.
How to report corruption
Transparency International encourages people to speak up about individual cases of corruption wherever it is safe to do so. Corruption should be reported to the most relevant national chapter or to one of Transparency International’s local Advocacy and Legal Advice Centres.
Our internal Governance structure
Transparency International is a movement comprised of several elements: a global network of more than 100 National Chapters and Individual Members, the Board of Directors, the International Council, Chair and Vice-Chair, and the Chief Executive Officer.
The Board of Directors has its own Code of Conduct. Directors publish a register of interests, which can be found in their biographies.
Our internal Integrity System
Our Statement of Vision, Values and Guiding Principles provides the basis for all our work, shaping the codes of conduct of our national chapters, the Secretariat and Board of Directors. All of us at Transparency International are guided by a commitment to uphold the organisation’s values and core principles.
Our national Chapters operating independently develop their own codes of conduct, with their board members also publishing registers of interests.
The Secretariat has its own Integrity System to safeguard an ethical, safe, respectful, and inclusive working environment for everyone.
The internal Integrity System of the Secretariat
Our internal integrity system is guided by the following principles: accessibility, confidentiality, data protection, fairness and due process, safety and security, independence, mutual responsibility, clarity, and proportionality.
Between 2018 and 2021 the Secretariat and our Board Ethics Committee undertook reforms to the integrity infrastructure, with the goal of ensuring that our values and guiding principles are embedded at the organisational level as well as in the day-to-day conduct of those who represent Transparency International.
A strategic framework
In addition to establishing the strategic functioning of the system, the Strategic Framework also defines the scope and parameters of the responsibilities, mandates, and powers of those who work within the system.
Code of conduct
The Secretariat’s Code of Conduct, the review of which was completed in 2021, guides the day-to-day work of the staff of the Secretariat, establishing the principles, values and behavioural expectations that those working for the Secretariat must demonstrate in order to uphold the necessary standards of conduct within, and on behalf of, the organisation.
Policies and processes
A range of policies and procedures to help reduce the risk and impact of integrity violations are an integral part of our system. These include but are not restricted to:
A Conflict-of-Interest Policy that establishes standards in situations where the interests or values of the Transparency International movement may conflict with those of individuals entrusted with specific responsibilities for the movement.
A Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH) Policy that is part of our human resources manual, provides guidance on the definitions of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment and on the steps to take when actual or suspected incidents occur.
A Child Protection Policy forms part of our human resources manual and provides guidance to Secretariat staff on the definitions of child abuse and on the steps to take, if encountered.
Internal investigations follow a due process and protocols communicated to staff.
An Anti-Harassment Policy for events and meetings organised by the Secretariat aims to ensure a harassment-free environment for all participants.
Trainings
New joiners receive a dedicated training regarding our Code of Conduct and channels to speak up. Since 2022 we have set up annual workshops focusing on ethics and integrity challenges most relevant for each function.
Channels to speak up safely
Transparency International has long recognised the important role of whistle-blowers in preventing and detecting wrongdoing. The Secretariat has a dedicated policy and channels to ensure that those who report do not suffer any repercussions for their efforts.
The Secretariat’s Integrity Violations Reporting Policy outlines the procedures for reporting a (suspected) integrity violation or related integrity concerns and details the support and protections available for those that raise reports. The procedures are designed in line with the international standards and best practices that Transparency International advocates for.
All can report suspected integrity violations pertaining to the Secretariat through any of these reporting channels:
- The members of the Management team, including the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
- Our Integrity Manager can be contacted in person and by post (Alt-Moabit 96 10559 Berlin Germany), by email [email protected], by phone +49 30 34 38 20 20, or via a web or mobile application (internal only, for details see intranet)
- Our Board Ethics Committee can be contacted by email, please see the Board Committees page for details.
In addition to these channels, for individuals working under any form of contract or agreement with the TI Secretariat, such as full- and part-time employees, interns, contractors, volunteers, consultants, we make available additional channels:
- A People and Culture Partner (in person, by email)
- An External Whistleblowing Reporting Point (web app or mobile app “NotMe”)
- A Works Council (current staff only)
Contact with these channels can be made anonymously or not. Our external reporting point and online platform for associates provide additional safeguards for anonymity.
Inline with international standards and our advocacy recommendations we record concerns reported to us and publish statistics both internally and externally.
Complaints about the Integrity System of the Secretariat may be directed to the Integrity Manager, the CEO or our Board Ethics Committee.
The internal Integrity Systems of our Chapters
Our Chapters operate independently and work with us under the requirement that they establish their own internal Integrity System. Chapters develop their own codes of conduct, with their board members also publishing registers of interests. Where necessary they obtain guidance from the Secretariat and the Board Ethics Committee.
While Chapters are independent, oversight is maintained through our Accreditation policy and process and our Board Ethics Committee deals with concerns related to the Integrity Systems of Chapters.
