UN launches Business Integrity Portal to bolster anti-corruption efforts

New Business Integrity Portal launched to bolster anti-corruption efforts in the private sector

16 countries included in the portal thus far.

Vienna (Austria), 30 June 2022 —Tackling corruption requires all parts of society to play their part. One sector, though, has a particularly critical role as the world’s key economic driver: the private sector.

The private sector has a vested interest in curbing corruption. Corruption impedes the economic and financial growth of businesses by distorting markets and increasing costs. The private sector can therefore be a powerful agent for change by contributing to a culture of integrity and transparency and by strengthening the rule of law. It is not only possible but also beneficial for the business community to create stronger economies and more prosperous societies.

For over a decade, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has been fostering dialogue between businesses and governments to find common solutions to a common problem and enhance the capacity of both sectors to prevent and counter corruption. By improving accountability and transparency in industries and supply chains, and by educating and empowering employees to speak up and report corrupt practices, UNODC promotes a culture of integrity in business. Educating youth on fairness and ethics today is key to building generations of integrity business leaders tomorrow.

To ensure forward momentum on business integrity, UNODC has launched its brand-new Business Integrity Portal. Serving as an online one-stop shop, the Portal houses a wealth of resources, tools, and good practices, emerging from a range of anti-corruption projects for the private sector implemented by UNODC and funded by the Siemens Integrity Initiative. The projects, delivered in 16 countries across the globe, are designed to reduce corruption by strengthening legal frameworks, public-private dialogue and private sector capacity in line with the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), the only legally binding universal anti-corruption instrument. Collective action increases the impact and credibility of individual action.

“Addressing corruption in the private sector demands collective action, which can be effective only when we cooperate and coordinate with one another,” commented UNODC’s Brigitte Strobel-Shaw on the launch of the Portal. “The Business Integrity Portal is another crucial step in the right direction. It showcases preventive action in the private and public sectors, a key driver for change and for the establishment of a culture of integrity.”

The Portal provides users with an overview of how governments and other stakeholders such as civil society and academia have joined forces with the corporate world to develop practical solutions to prevent and counter corruption in specific countries and sectors.

In addition to providing users with an in-depth look at UNODC activities in the area of business integrity, the Portal also offers opportunities to connect with the Office and participate in events. More details can be found here.

Further information

Business Integrity Portal

To support States parties’ efforts to fully implement the United Nations Convention against Corruption, UNODC delivers technical assistance in various corruption-related thematic areas, including prevention, education, asset recovery, and integrity in the criminal justice system, among others. Learn more here.

Join the World Drug Day campaign, #ShareFactsOnDrugs and #SaveLives

2021 THEME

“Share Facts On Drugs, Save Lives”

The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, or World Drug Day, is marked on 26 June every year, to strengthen action and cooperation in achieving the goal of a world free of drug abuse.

And each year, individuals like yourself, entire communities, and various organizations all over the world join in on this global observance, to raise awareness of the major problem that illicit drugs represent for society.

Together, we can tackle the world drug problem!

What Can You Do?

All you have to do is #ShareFactsOnDrugs to help #SaveLives.

Do your part and combat misinformation by sharing the real facts on drugs — from health risks and solutions to tackle the world drug problem, to evidence-based prevention, treatment, and care.

1)    Know the facts

2)    Only share information from verified sources, like UNODC

And you can start now. Get engaged by sharing the right facts on drugs right from our Twitter and Facebook channels.

You can also access and share our social media resources and support us in promoting the facts on drugs.

What UNODC Does

Every year, UNODC issues the World Drug Report, full of key statistics and factual data obtained through official sources, a science-based approach and research.

UNODC continues to provide facts and practical solutions to address the current world drug problem, and remains committed to attaining a vision of health for all based on science.

COVID-19 has brought unprecedented public awareness on health, protective measures for staying healthy, and most importantly, and on  protecting each other. A growing sense of global community and solidarity continues to emerge, as does the need to ensure health care for all.

World Drug Day is a day to share research findings, evidence-based data and life-saving facts, and to continue tapping into a shared spirit of solidarity.

UNODC invites everyone to do their part, by taking a firm stance against misinformation and unreliable sources; while committing to sharing only the real science-backed data on drugs and save lives.

By working together, we can tackle the world drug problem.

UN welcomes creation of GlobE Network to end cross-border corruption

 © UNODC

New York, 3 June 2021 — The first ever UN General Assembly special session against corruption welcomed the launch of a new global network today to “develop a quick, agile and efficient tool for combatting cross-border corruption offences.”

The Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE Network) offers UN Member States and States parties to the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) the ability to connect anti-corruption practitioners with their counterparts in different countries. It provides channels for secure and informal information exchange on specific cases, legislation, intelligence and anti-corruption tools.

“The Network will enable law enforcement authorities to navigate legal processes through informal cooperation across borders, helping to build trust and bring those guilty of corruption to justice,” said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in a special video message. “We expect the Globe Network to empower all countries with practical solutions and tools to track, investigate and prosecute corruption, complementing existing frameworks.”

The GlobE Network was officially launched today at an in-person event at the Vienna International Centre, along with an online option. More than 340 representatives of Member States, anti-corruption authorities and law enforcement networks participated. They discussed the importance of timely cross-border cooperation to end corruption and the unique role of the GlobE Network.

“Conceived during the G20’s first-ever ministerial meeting on anti-corruption in 2020, this network will put into action an important provision of the Convention: the improvement of direct cooperation between law enforcement authorities,” said Ms. Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

“Many countries are still not able to access anti-corruption networks whether due to decentralized processes or lack of capacity and resources,“ said H.E. Mr. Mazin Ibrahim M Al Kahmous, President, Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, Nazaha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “The G20 ‘Riyadh Initiative’ to create the GlobE Network, is meant to address this gap.”

Initial funding for the GlobE Network was provided by the Government of Saudi Arabia during their G20 Presidency and as the chair of the Anti-Corruption Working Group of the G20. The GlobE Network will be headquartered in Vienna under the auspices of the UNODC.

For a list of speakers at today’s launch event, please click here.

A recording of today’s launch will be made available on the GlobE Network website at https://globenetwork.unodc.org

About the GlobE Network

The Global Operational Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE Network) is a platform for secure peer-to-peer information exchange and informal cooperation to better track and prosecute cross-border corruption offences and recover stolen assets. Founded in 2021, the GlobE Network is open to anti-corruption law enforcement authorities in all UN Member States and States parties to the UN Convention against Corruption.

Visit: https://globenetwork.unodc.org

UNGASS 2021 – World leaders gather at first-ever UN General Assembly Special Session against corruption

© UNIS Vienna

Corruption thrives in times of crisis and the ongoing global COVID-19 health crisis has not been an exception . The urgent responses required during the pandemic create significant opportunities for corruption.

It is against this backdrop that for the first time in its history, the UN General Assembly is devoting a special session to corruption. From 2 to 4 June 2021, the world will come together at the UN headquarters in New York to discuss challenges and measures to prevent and combat corruption and strengthen international cooperation.

The programme of UNGASS 2021 is available here.

SIDE EVENTS

Starting on 1 June, around 40 events on the sidelines of UNGASS 2021 will be held online, covering such topics as  corruption in the health sector, gender equality and anti-corruption efforts, stolen-asset recovery, whistleblower protection, and the  launch of the GlobE Network an initiative that promotes  quick and efficient global cross-border cooperation to end corruption.

For the list of side events and the agenda go to: ungass2021.unodc.org

UNGASS YOUTH FORUM

From 24 to 26 May, 850 young people from 122 countries gathered online for the UNGASS Youth Forum against Corruption to discuss the effect of corruption on young people, and how the international community can better empower youth to actively engage in and help lead the design of future anti-corruption efforts.

Discussions at the UNGASS Youth Forum are being summarized in a Statement. This call to action from young people will be presented by a Youth Forum representative to world leaders at UNGASS 2021.

More information about the UNGASS Youth Forum is available at: https://ungass2021.unodc.org/ungass2021/en/youth-forum.html