Working Group on “Strengthening Integrity in SMEs” gathers for the first time in Sao Paulo

The Working Group on “Strengthening Integrity in SMEs” held its first meeting in the German-Brazilian Industry and Commerce Chamber in Sao Paulo on 26th of July. The agenda focused on the activities of the Alliance for Integrity in Brazil, presenting the schedule of the upcoming sessions of the Training Programme ‘De Empresas Para Empresas’ (DEPE). Further working instruments used by the WG were also presented.

The meeting took place in a highly collaborative atmosphere and lead to a concrete schedule of activities. Based on the concepts of Collective Action, including the participation of key stakeholders, the Working Group stressed on the importance of incentivising the use of already tried-and-tested instruments and formulas of compliance at the domestic and international levels. The Working Group brainstormed the main synergies among its members for setting up a joint strategy towards stimulating integrity policies in SMEs in Brazil. The members agreed upon expanding the stakeholder’s network fighting corruption, including the supply chains of SMEs.

The Working Group discussed details on the agenda for 2016. The upcoming training sessions of DEPE will take place as follows: Sao Paulo (15/08), Curitiba (20/09), Porto Alegre (06/10) and Rio de Janeiro (09/12).

Lino Gaviolli, trainer of the Corruption Prevention Training Programme, ‘De Empresas Para Empresas’, encouraged the participants of the Working Group to continue contributing to the expansion of the collective action proposed by the Alliance for Integrity.

The Working Group set up a schedule of upcoming activities, such as the adaptation to the Brazilian context of the 'No eXcuses Guide', a pocket guide on the ten most used excuses for justifying a corrupt behaviour. Based on further instruments used in the field of compliance, the WG also planned the creation of additional material for online training and platforms, as well as a data bank on clauses for an ethics and behaviour code for SMEs.

Additionally, the Working Group discussed on the frequency of its meetings, which will take place every two months. The next meeting will be held on the 27th of September, 2016. It also agreed on expanding the group based on the recommendation of companies by the Advisory Group. These companies have to be committed to compliance in SMEs in Brazil.

Currently, the group is composed of representatives of organizations and companies in the public and private sector, as well as from civil society: AHK Sao Paulo, Allianz, Banco do Brasil, Administrative Council of Economic Defense (Conselho Administrativo de Defesa Econômica, , in Portuguese), Ministry of Transparency, Inspection and Control, (Ministério da Transparência, Fiscalização e Controle, in Portuguese), Instituto Ethos, Mercedes-Benz Brasil, Natura Cosméticos, Brazilian Network of the Global Compact and Siemens Brasil.