Anti-corruption
PwC's 2019 global economic crime survey revealed that 26% of the companies taking part in the survey said they had been victims of bribery or corruption. A good reputation takes years to build up, but can be lost at terrifying speed. No matter how hard you strive to maintain a culture of integrity and compliance; bribes and risks of corruption by third parties are permanent dangers.
Enforcement actions based on, for example, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and a growing list of similar (foreign) laws and regulations are intensifying - and anti-corruption authorities are increasingly working together across borders.
Remarkable is the extra-territorial jurisdiction that is exercised by the American judiciary in particular. We see more often that the Dutch Public Prosecution Service acts together with the United States Department of Justice. The consequences of corruption can be huge, such as sky-high fines or being included on a so-called "black list", which hinders further business. In recent years, various companies based in the Netherlands were charged with substantial fines from both Dutch and American authorities.
In this context, it makes sense to draft and set up a compliance program that on the one hand takes the playing field in which your organization operates into account, but also takes sufficient account of the identity of your organization, the industry in which you operate and the external parties with whom you do business. The program must be arranged in such a way that the risks that your organization takes, the resources that you deploy and the benefits that you receive from them are in balance.
Our teams have first-hand knowledge of the business, cultural, regulatory, and threat effects on global markets, and have advanced forensic techniques, resources and data analysis capabilities to perform this task. We can help you identify 'gaps' in your compliance program, conduct investigations in public sources to third parties, conduct (corruption) investigations and align your compliance program with leading anti-corruption practices.
And if you are confronted with a problem or an accusation, we are there for you as a reliable adviser. We invest in the success and in the continued health of your business - so that you can focus on protecting its reputation and finances.
PwC has extensive experience in investigating corruption and can assist your organization with:
- Conducting anti-bribery and corruption assessments and reviews;
- The preparation, assessment and implementation of anti-corruption policies and anti-corruption compliance programs;
- Conducting background research on domestic and foreign partners;
- Conducting forensic (international) anti-corruption investigations;
- Providing anti-corruption training.
