Step 3 of 4•8 minutes read
How to Prevent and Report Bribery and Corruption
Internationally there are many organisations and companies whose sole purpose is to prevent bribery. However, if you encounter bribery, fraud or any kind of corruption it helps to establish a way to mitigate the risks:
Proportionality
The actions you may have to take will depend on the risks you face compared to the size of the business you operate or work in. If you are working in an overseas market where bribery is commonplace you may have to do more, compared to what you may have to do if your organisation is small or operating in markets where bribery is not prevalent.
Top-Level Commitment
Those at the top of the food chain are situated in a much better position to conduct business without bribery. You may also want to get personally involved in taking the necessary proportionate action to address any bribery risks.
Risk Assessment
Think about the bribery risks you may encounter. For example, it may be helpful to research the markets you will be working in and the people you could be dealing with. This is especially useful if you are entering into new business areas.
Due Diligence
Knowing exactly who you are dealing with can help to protect the business from taking on people who are not trustworthy, it may be beneficial therefore to ask a few questions and run a few checks before engaging with others who may try to represent you in business dealings.
Money is not the only item that can be utilised as a bribe
Communication
Communicating your policies and procedures to the crew and to others who will perform services for you enhances awareness and helps to deter bribery by making clear the basis on which your company does business. You may, therefore, want to think about whether additional training or awareness-raising would be appropriate or proportionate to the size and type of your business.
Monitoring and Review
The risks you face and the effectiveness of your policies may change over time, making you more vulnerable as time passes. Therefore it is essential to keep an eye on the anti-bribery steps you have taken so that they keep up with the pace of the risks you face when, for example, you start calling at new ports.
Reporting Corruption and Bribery
The MACN
The Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) is a global business network working towards the vision of a maritime industry free of corruption that enables fair trade to the benefit of society at large. Established in 2011 by a small group of committed maritime companies, MACN has grown to include over 165 companies globally and has become one of the pre-eminent examples of collective action to tackle corruption.
MACN and its members work towards the elimination of all forms of maritime corruption by raising awareness of the challenges faced; implementing the MACN Anti-Corruption Principles and co-developing and sharing best practices; collaborating with governments, non-governmental organisations, and civil society to identify and mitigate the root causes of corruption; and creating a culture of integrity within the maritime community.
Anonymous Reporting
An anonymous incident reporting system enables maritime players to submit reports on corrupt demands they have faced during port operations. The outputs of the anonymous incident reporting allow members to learn from each other to avoid similar incidents in their own operations potentially.
Some of the core questions in the report include:
- Date of incident.
- Country of the incident.
- Port of the incident.
- How often do you visit this port?
- Type of vessel.
- Who or what made the demand (staff/organisation)?
- What was demanded (tobacco/alcohol/cash)?
- What were the consequences of not meeting the demand?