ISO 37001

Fighting corruption is high on the agenda of many governments and legislation is getting tougher.

However, as organisations trade globally across cultural divides and in increasingly competitive markets it can be difficult to navigate through corporate entertainment and gifts.

ISO 37001 is the International standard for an Anti-Bribery Management System (replacing BS 10500) which can help manage the risk of bribery and corruption within your organisation, demonstrate compliance with the law and show your social & ethical values.

Anti-Bribery Legislation in the UK

In the UK, the Bribery Act 2010 was enacted to provide general legislation around bribery including:

“giving someone a financial or other advantage to encourage that person to perform their functions or activities improperly or to reward that person for having already done so.”

Following the act, many companies moved to clarify their policies on corporate entertainment and receiving gifts.

Penalties

For individuals falling foul of the Bribery Act the penalties can be severe, with up to 10 years in prison and unlimited fines.

Whereas a commercial organisation failing to prevent bribery can also receive unlimited fines.

In addition, under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, a confiscation order can also be made.

Annex SL and Integrated Systems

ISO 37001 is a management system standard that follows the Annex SL common clause structure.  This means that it aligns well with other popular standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 27001.

Integrating Anti-Bribery measures in to your existing corporate governance and certification approach makes perfect sense.

Anti-Bribery Policy

ISO 37001 will help you to develop and communicate policies that make it clear to all interested parties that bribery will not be tolerated.

An over-all anti-bribery policy is a good place to start, while ISO 37001 will support this through training, awareness and auditing.

ISO 37001 Consultants – Advantages

• Reduce Bribery Risks.
• Comply with Legislation.
• Including the Bribery Act 2010.
• Communicate expectation through Supply Chain.
• Social Responsibility & Ethics.
• Achieve Certification.