Trust generates an expectation of a certain type of behaviour. This expectation of behaviour is the basis of all private, professional and business relationships. If the trust is abused, misled about ones true intentions and fooled, the trust is “BROKEN”.
For organizations and their processes, a breach of trust by the people involved means the destruction of process security, the loss of quality control and manageability. This destructive process has a name: Corruption. (Corruptio (lat.): Corruption, corruption, decay of morals)
General definition of corruption ISO 37001:
Offer, promise, grant, accept or demand an undue advantage of any value (which may be financial or non-financial), directly or indirectly and regardless of the location(s), in violation of applicable law, as an incentive or reward for any person in connection with the performance (3.16) of, or failure to perform, that person’s duties.
Corruption is first and foremost an ethical activity category. The trusted party breaks his promise to the person trusting them. The trusted party decides not to meet the associated behavioral expectation, to deceive and to abuse and use the resources provided by the organization, to its detriment.
Betrayal of secrets, breach of trust, falsification of documents, embezzlement, internal disinformation, dissemination of false information to the outside world, manipulation of negotiations, provision of access, neoptism, etc. are often only a visible part of a concealed corrupt chain of action that previously existed beyond the identified misconduct and may still persist. These strands of action are often controlled by external forces, which thus advance their interests.
Managing this risk is an important part of a company’s resilience strategy. The integrity of its processes is an essential basis for the activities of any organisation.
ISO 37001 formulates the requirements for “management systems to combat corruption”. The introduction of an ISO 37001 compliant anti-corruption management system protects every organisation from this existential threat and strengthens its own trustworthiness.
IUGITAS can support you with certification according to ISO 37001 and the integration of anti-corruption mechanisms into the risk and emergency management of your organization.
