Even
though the International organization has developed it for Standardization,
many are still wondering what to expect from implementing the ISO 37001:2016
Anti-Bribery Management System in their businesses. Questions that usually
arise are related to whether this certification is enough to prevent bribery
and corruption in organizations, whether it is a silver bullet or not.
There is an ongoing debate, however, that this
certification is not a silver bullet for preventing bribery in business. Those
who dismiss certifying on these standards complain that the ISO 37001:2016
Anti-Bribery Management System hasn’t been endorsed by certain major
authorities, such as the US Department of Justice. Although we have to
recognize that they hold a certain amount of truth, these arguments are not
good enough for dismissing the certification.
No law in the world could make a society or a business
bulletproof to corruption. Hence standards are not silver bullets either. It is
no secret that societies and businesses sometimes fail in preventing bribery
and other forms of corruption. Nevertheless, they are responsible for taking
all the possible measures to protect themselves against all these practices.
Among other things they could do is certify themselves
according to ISO 37001:2016 ABMS requirements. As you may know already, not
every organization can be certified. You have to prove that you meet certain
standards to get certified. These standards include:
– Implementing internal anti-bribery controls
– Top management has an active role in implementation
and maintenance of the anti-bribery management system
– Measures to secure that everyone in the organization
understands the system and is prepared to execute his or her responsibilities
concerning bribery prevention
– Adequate assessments of risks posed by
counterparties
– Adequate response to violations related to bribery
and corruption
– There are effective mechanisms for raising concerns
about bribery issues, etc.
Having all these measures in place, you’ve already
done a great job for your organization. It will let you tackle bribery and
corruption as much as possible.
However, no one will know that you’ve put all this procedures and practices in place. You’ll know yourself, but your prospects and partners won’t. This is where a third party certification comes handy. Having someone else from outside confirm that you don’t allow corrupt practices at your organization will boost your reputation. It will send a message to others that you are a reliable business who is here to make a good impact in society, not just for lucrative reasons.
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