Posts by anticorrexp

How to recognize the tone from the top?

By Jean-Pierre Méan Published on Tuesday January 8, 2019 There is a wide consensus amongst all those involved in compliance and anti-bribery that the success of an integrity program requires an unflinching commitment at the highest levels of the organization, aka tone from the top, leadership or walking the talk. But what does this commitment consist of and how does it express itself? The launch of an anti-bribery program is often accompanied by a statement expressing support for the program by the Board and Top Management. This statement, signed by the Chairman and the CEO, is intended to...

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What makes the corrupt tick?

By Jean-Pierre Méan  Published on Tuesday December 11, 2018 One of the often cited causes of corruption is that in some (or more than some) countries, public officials need bribes to complement salaries that are hardly sufficient to cover their basic needs. This may be true to some extent, but it is equally true that, in those countries, public officials enjoy the privilege of having a salary (admittedly not always paid in time and sometime outstanding for extended periods) in an environment where large segments of the population do not. Whether or not complementing one’s salary is...

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How does nepotism relate to bribery?

By Jean-Pierre Méan  Published on Tuesday November 13, 2018   Nepotism (from “nipote”, nephew in Italian) is the practice to favor one’s relatives for appointments to prestigious and coveted positions . It was not infrequent in church circles in the middle ages and until the 16thcentury (especially under the Borgia popes), whereby the term “nephew” may have described a closer relationship than that of uncle to nephew. In modern times, where the practice is by no means limited to nephews, one speaks rather of favoritism or cronyism, which implies giving preference to a friend or relative...

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How to Unmask Phoney Anti-Corruption Measures

By Jean-Pierre Méan  Published on Tuesday October 23, 2018   With anti-corruption management systems such as ISO 37001 being currently en vogue it is not surprising that some actors may want to use them not as tools to prevent corruption but as instruments to pretend to prevent corruption or to cover up continuing poor practices with a veil of respectability. Here are a few ideas on how to unmask such subterfuges. The form and shape of an organization’s anti-corruption policy may give some indication of the seriousness of its anti-corruption efforts. Some organizations, including those...

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Is a tip a bribe?

By Jean-Pierre Méan  Published on Tuesday October 2, 2018   Usage with respect to tipping varies widely from country to country. In certain countries it is not required but expected, in others, it is not expected and rarely practiced and in yet others it is taken for granted and may even be added to the bill of foreigners expected to forget it. The amounts of tips also vary widely and go from rounding up the bill to 10, 15 or even 20%. Some see the origin of tips, at least in North America, in slavery. According to this theory, after the civil war, freed slaves were often hired in...

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