Here are some tips on how to implement anti-bribery actions in your company

Nowadays, many managers focus their efforts on fighting corruption and anti-bribery policies in their companies. 

Actions are fundamental, as they allow companies to build objective policies that help them deal with certain situations on a daily basis.

As a result, companies have the opportunity to increase trust, boosting their reputation and image in the market. 

Not least because corruption and bribery are problems that have always existed in society, but which are becoming increasingly public.

Do you want to understand the benefits of adopting anti-bribery actions in your company? Then read on!

Understand what characterizes a bribe

O bribery is a type of crime that consists of leading a person or a certain group to carry out certain actions for the benefit of their own interests. 

It can happen in different ways and in different places, and usually goes against the applicable laws.

The practice is far removed from ethical principle of many companies, affecting processes and relationships in the corporate environment as a whole. To avoid the problem and minimize unpleasant situations, many managers invest in anti-bribery actions. 

What is an anti-bribery policy?

An anti-bribery policy ensures that employees and other business partners act in accordance with the rules and procedures for directly combating corruption. 

In other words, it is a way of ensuring that, when carrying out activities, standards of care are adopted. integritylegality, ethics and transparency in the company.

It is an efficient tool for guiding employees and promoting continuous improvement. 

One of the main documents required in anti-bribery policies is the ABNT ISO 37001which deals with the anti-bribery management system in organizations.

The policy must be available and documented, guaranteeing proper access for all the company's professionals. The main objective is to establish a compliance culture and prevention, focusing on the risk mentality.

Why is it important for companies to invest in anti-bribery policies?

Once organizations adopt a control and risk analysis process, the chances of bribery occurring are much lower. 

With ISO 37001, the company is also demonstrating its concern to respect legislation and regulations, affirming its commitment to fighting corruption.

Anticipating possible cases of bribery is fundamental. Policies help directly in this regard and also help to involve the employeesThey need to be aware of their responsibilities and obligations.

Benefits of anti-bribery actions in companies

There are a number of benefits to implementing an anti-bribery policy in your company. 

We've listed some benefits for you to get up to speed and implement these actions:

• It promotes a positive and trustworthy image of the business in society and the market;
• Reduces the cost of paying fines and penalties;
• Improves the efficiency and quality of services and products;
• It helps to avoid ethical and fraud;
• It contributes to more sustainable management;
• It consolidates an ethical organizational culture;
• It generates credibility and transparency among suppliers, investors and business partners;
• Gaining a competitive advantage by adopting good compliance practices;
• Reduces the risk of bribery, corruption, etc.

What is the relationship between compliance practices and anti-bribery actions?

The practices of compliance advocate adherence to procedures and rules to keep companies in compliance with certain laws, such as federal or corporate ones. 

On a day-to-day basis, compliance helps to ensure that fraud and other irregularities are identified and prevented, for example.

Therefore, compliance actions are directly related to the anti-bribery law, as it is a way for companies to act more ethically and transparently at all hierarchical levels.

Corporate ethics and anti-bribery: how do the two concepts relate?

Companies are increasingly investing in tools and methodologies that offer stricter control over anti-corruption and anti-bribery actions. This is because it is the main way of guaranteeing the achievement of corporate ethics in all sectors and departments. 

By implementing certain anti-bribery practices, for example, business management can be improved to a level of excellence. 

It's more important for managers to be able to prove corporate ethics than to appear to, and this can be done precisely by prioritizing such strategies. 

Anti-corruption and anti-bribery policies: understand the differences

Both anti-corruption and anti-bribery policies aim to establish rules and regulations to directly combat illegal situations in companies. 

The main difference between the two concepts is that every bribe represents a corrupt practice in some way, but not every corrupt act is considered a kind of bribe.

It is essential that managers invest in actions and find ways to combat both practices, as they can be extremely harmful to the organization and also to society as a whole.

8 anti-bribery practices to apply in your company

As we have seen, implementing anti-bribery actions is the main alternative for preventing and overcoming the problem in companies. 

There are some practices that can help in this process, such as:

1. Have a specialized team to create an anti-bribery policy;
2. Invest in anti-bribery and anti-corruption management;
3. Invest in compliance;
4. Implement ISO 37001;
5. Monitor current legislation;
6. Use systems and tools that help you have more control over internal procedures;
7. Implement anonymous reporting channels for cases involving the company;
8. Have professionals specialized in the legal sector to provide assistance and answer questions.

In addition to these tips, another recommendation is to invest in a integrity test so that ethical dilemmas can be prevented. 

The PIR (Resilient Integrity Potential), for example, is the only scientifically valid test on the market and is present all over the world.

In this sense, the PIR identifies the level of resilience, i.e. the ability to resist ethical dilemmas that may arise in the work routine. 

It's an efficient way of avoiding bribery and corruption, bullying, verbal e sexual, among other unpleasant situations that put the business's image at risk.

Undoubtedly, having an anti-bribery policy is the first step towards ensuring compliance and maintaining the company's positive reputation among employees, suppliers, partners and investors. 

For this to happen, management needs to invest in effective actions that really bring lasting and permanent results.

Enjoy your visit and check out more details about the PIR, a test that can help your business fight bribery!