The Private Sector Role in the Fight Against Corruption

Abstract

The chapter analyzes the role of the private sector in the fight against corruption, focusing on three aspects in particular. First, it offers a general overview of internal anti-bribery compliance programs, making a comparison between the legislative framework adopted in Italy and the ones conceived in the UK and in the USA. In this regard, the chapter highlights the growth of best practice in defining such programs. Secondly, it illustrates the role of collective action in reducing the space for corruption in the global market, emphasizing the increasing interest among corporations in becoming involved in this kind of initiative. Thirdly, it investigates the issues related to self-reporting and cooperation with authorities, underlining the obstacles that companies currently may face where they seek to self-report corrupt behaviors on the part of their employees.