Corruption is one of the most serious obstacles to economic and social development all over the world. In contrast, good governance is the key to sustainable development and responsible enterprise. The global Call to Action on graft urges governments worldwide to work to promote and actively support anticorruption measures, policies and systems of good governance.
On the 10th anniversary of
Principle 10 of the UN Global Compact (fighting corruption), the highest platform of social responsibility worldwide, sponsored by the United Nations, a call to governments was issued to step up their efforts in fighting graft and implement the principles of good governance, which would encourage global development.
“Just like ten years ago it is known today that corruption is a very serious threat to the wellbeing of economics, enterprise and good administration of public affairs,” said
Georg Kell, head of the
UN Global Compact. “In spite of many achievements in the field of responsible enterprise, it is evident that corruption remains a big challenge to us. The achievement of inclusive sustained economic development requires cultural integrity, transparency and good administration of public affairs.”
“
This country still occupies the upper rungs of the corruption ladder. It is good that everyone shields himself with, or rather swears upon the struggle against corruption, but it is necessary to trade words for deeds. We sorely need the five measures proposed by this appeal,”
Anticorruption Endowment director
Petr Soukenka declares in the wake of Georg Kell’s pronouncements.
Adds
Lucie Mádlová, head of the
Association for Corporate Responsibility:
“This is not an ideal state and it won’t be for a long time yet. But it is necessary that corporate responsibility, not only in fighting corruption, becomes a social responsibility and not just a marketing ploy.”
This appeal has the support of many organizations and initiative groups, including the UN Global Compact, United
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, numerous anti‐graft organizations, and the World Bank Group. The companies
which have signed the Call to Action are sending strong signals in favour of eliminating this dangerous phenomenon to governments and private entities all around the globe.
Five specific measures required by Call to Action:
- Full implementation of and adherence to the principles of the UN Convention against Corruption (upholding anticorruption measures, justice and enforcement mechanisms)
- Commitment to reduce risks in the field of corrupt practices in awarding public contracts and big projects
- Transparency of public tenders and public procurement processes; proper publication of public tenders
- Strengthen fiscal transparency
- Support action and efforts to implement anticorruption activities and measures in private public partnership
We invite all the main Czech companies and organizations to join the Call to Action. See here for details about your involvement.
UN Global Compact is a network of over 12,000 organizations from 145 countries that voted to conform their mission and daily activities to ten generally accepted principles of corporate responsibility in the area of human rights, working conditions, the environment, and corruption.
Contact: Lucie Mádlová, Head, Association for Corporate Responsibility, tel.: 604 948 496, e‐mail:
madlova@a‐csr.cz, Petr Soukenka, Head, NFPK, tel.: 734 315 352, e‐mail:
petr.soukenka@nfpk.cz
