If you are running a business then it becomes necessary for you to implement an anti-corruption program but you should also know that developing and implementing a corporate anti-corruption program can be a complicated process. Implementing such a program becomes trickier if you have business at multiple locations, numerous employees and a large number of partners. The anti-corruption program varies from industry to industry, yet there is a logical way to implement such a program to ensure it is embedded in the regular organization processes.
So, let’s look at how you can implement a corporate anti-corruption program and get expected results from it.
Assess your risk
In order to start with your anti-corruption program, you should first assess your risk. These risks will be unique and they will be based on your industry, geography, business relationships and therefore, a thorough assessment of these risks will allow you to kick start your anti-corruption program. You will need to study all the laws related to the anti-corruption program that will be applicable to your business. After identifying the potential risk and determining their impact, you should analyze all the process which your company is currently using in order to manage these risks. It will allow you to know the loopholes in your current business solutions.
Make a cross-functional team
Along with analyzing the risk, it is also important for you to assign the important task of making an anti-corruption program to senior members of the organization. You should always make sure that the person or the group of person you are choosing for your anti-corruption program should have the authority, resources, and freedom to develop, enhance and build your anti-corruption program. Later, they can be assigned to the title of anti-corruption members. Along with this, if you will assign the job of building and maintaining an anti-corruption program to your senior members then it will send a direct message to the other employees of the company that the organization is taking anti-corruption very seriously.
Write down everything
After that, you will need to write down your policy, procedures, and controls. You should make sure that the policy which you are designing applies to all the levels of your organization and also to the associated partners. There are many companies who draft this program separately for their suppliers and vendors. You should first get an approval of your draft from the senior members and then strategically send the message throughout the organization and supply chain making sure that it has been acknowledged by all.
Give proper training
After making sure that your anti-corruption program has been accepted by senior members and approved by the same, you can start implementing your program across the organization. You should begin with training your employees and business partners in a systematic and precise manner in order to make sure that they understand how to follow your rules. For those employees that work in a high-risk market, you should plan a special training program but don’t overdose your employees with the information, rather start in a systematic manner so that instead of getting confused, they get a better understanding of what you are trying to achieve through the anti-corruption program.
Monitor the program
In order to make sure that your anti-corruption program is successful, you need to monitor it on a regular basis and it is also important because of the dynamic risk associated with such a program. You should carefully examine your program for effectiveness, implementation, and results.
