Overseas Agents: Make Them Take the Integrity Pledge
Corruption flourishes in the world of construction and international development, but there also are prolific efforts to stamp it out. This past year, the International Federation of Consulting Engineers, or FIDIC, updated its anti-corruption measures for companies. In light of the problems involving overseas agents at engineer SNC-Lavalin, these measures are worth reviewing. Double-checking a firm's anti-corruption practices is a good idea any time, especially when it comes to agents who represent your company overseas.
The corruption solution that FIDIC has championed since the 1990s involves an integrity management system that has components on leadership, involvement of staff, adoption of a systems approach, documentation and training. According to FIDIC, such a system should involve a code of conduct, an integrity policy, appointment of an integrity management representative, an analysis of current practices, documentation and monitoring.