What it is not
A preview of ISO 37001 - Anti-Bribery It is important to understand that ISO
Management Systems 37001 is not an anti-bribery silver bullet
or panacea. Adherence to ISO 37001 will
not be a bar to liability, but it can provide
Written by Leslie A. Benton and Worth D. MacMurray some evidence that an organization has
taken reasonable steps to prevent wrong-
doing, and may be taken into consideration
by prosecutors should a bribery-related
A noteworthy new business tool designed to fight event occur. Enforcement authorities reg-
ularly emphasize the importance of hav-
bribery is nearing completion: the ISO 37001 - Anti- ing an effective anti-bribery program. Sev-
eral countries have recently passed laws
bribery management systems standard. Designed by requiring or incentivizing organizations
to adopt effective anti-bribery compliance
businesses and other stakeholders from around the programs as well.
globe, this standard, when it is formally adopted by Similarly, certification under ISO 37001
is not a guarantee that bribery has never
the International Organization for Standardization occurred or will never occur. Humans
are creative and even the strongest stan-
(ISO), has the potential to reduce corporate risk and dards can be circumvented at times, or
gamed. But where competent, credible
costs related to bribery by providing a manageable independent third parties review a com-
panys design and implementation of its
business framework for preventing, detecting and ISO 37001-based anti-corruption man-
agement system, the chances of bribery
addressing bribery. should be reduced. A subcommittee of
30 ETHISPHERE.COM
Among the new and positive aspects of 37001 it embraces the standards operational
emphasis and a commitment to ethical
are its business-oriented management systems practices.
approach, its transparency and its non- The standard has wide application and
applies to public entities and non-profits
legalistic language. as well, as they face many of the same
bribery risks as do businesses.
ETHISPHERE.COM 31