Anti-Corruption
Principle 10:
Businesses should work against all forms of corruption, including extortion and bribery
"Corruption has no respect for national boundaries. In an increasingly globalised world, corruption seriously distorts economic activity and denies people at large the benefits of their efforts. The scourge of corruption has to be confronted through increased cross-border co-operation. Focusing on countering bribery in the private sector is an important contribution to this endeavour."
Peter Eigen, Founder, Transparency International
On 24 June 2004, during the Global Compact Leaders Summit, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced that “at your urging, and after extensive consultations with all participants that yielded overwhelming expressions of support, the Global Compact henceforth will include a tenth principle, against corruption, reflecting the recently adopted United Nations convention on that subject.”
The adoption of the 10th principle commits Global Compact participants, not only to avoid bribery, extortion and other forms of corruption, but also to develop policies and concrete programs to address corruption. Companies are challenged to join governments, UN agencies and civil society to create a more transparent and corruption-free global economy.
Click here for a PDF version of a brief Powerpoint presentation outlining the Anti-Corruption Principle.