2008 Integrity Awards

Nomination and Selection Procedures

Introduced in 2000, the Transparency International Integrity Awards aim to recognise a particular action or initiative undertaken by one or several individuals or organisations in a manner that deserves credit and constitutes a tangible contribution to the promotion of the goals of the TI movement. While recipients of the Awards would be expected to be of exemplary character, the Awards will recognise a particular action or initiative and are not made for reasons of demonstrated good character.

The TI Integrity Awards may be conferred to a person (or an organisation) discharging official duties as well as to an activist (or activists) from all walks of life. The Awards Committee will usually choose up to three award recipients per year. In making these awards, the Committee will take into consideration the need to recognise efforts in diverse fields of civil society, the private sector and government and to recognise the initiatives taking place throughout the world. The Award consists of a trophy.

The deadline for submitting nominations is 31 August 2008.
A short-list of nominees will be announced, followed by a list of final winners, before 30 October, 2008.

Guidelines

The Challenge of the TI Integrity Awards

The TI Integrity Awards may have a profound effect and may translate into social, political and economic developments in the countries to which they relate. Therefore, in selecting Awards recipients, the Awards Committee must set the standards for a clear evaluation process honouring the right of participation and equality of opportunities within the overall requirement of ensuring diversity.

Eligible Nominees

Nominees must meet the following requirements:

1. The nominees must have undertaken an action that is likely to significantly influence, or to have had a significant impact on, existing levels of corruption in his or her respective country or region.
2. The action should be one likely to attract interest and emulation in other parts of the world.
3. The action must be particularly imaginative, innovative or courageous and deserving of wide international recognition.

In considering nominations the Awards Committee also looks for both geographical and occupational balance. Nominations for posthumous awards can be considered by the Committee only in truly exceptional cases. A nomination for a posthumous award requires a nomination consent letter from the next closest living relative.

Ineligible Nominees

The following categories of nominees will not be considered for the TI Integrity Awards:

1. Individuals or organisations of questionable integrity or goals.
2. Members of the TI Board of Directors, the Boards of TI national chapters, the Awards Committee and salaried staff of the TI Secretariat and of national chapters while serving in those capacities.

Nomination Procedure

1. Nominations may be made by any persons or organisations at any time in accordance with the provision of these rules. Self-nominations will not be accepted.
2. Previous candidates can be re-nominated.
3. Individuals and organisations are encouraged where possible to submit proposals to be considered for the Integrity Awards through appropriate national chapters.
4. Where a nomination is received other than from a national chapter, any appropriate national chapter will be invited to assist the Awards Committee by providing its own assessment of the strength of the nomination.
5. It will be open for the Awards Committee itself to make nominations.

Nominations submitted by salaried staff of the TI Secretariat will not be permitted.

Nomination File

To be eligible for consideration, a nomination must include the following:

• personal details of the nominee, including a short curriculum vitae
• a letter putting forward the nomination and making the case for the nomination, including a proposed draft citation setting out in no more than 500 words the reason why the nominee should receive an Award
• written consent from the nominee

Incomplete nomination files cannot be considered by the Awards Committee.
False or deceptive nominations or acts may render a nominee ineligible.

The Secretary will check the nomination files for completeness, acknowledge receipt of the files and forward the Nomination Files to the members of the Awards Committee.

The Awards Committee will then duly evaluate the nomination files. The Awards Committee will seek national chapter input whenever possible. National chapter input will be taken in consideration but cannot be considered binding.

The Awards Committee will forward its recommendations to the TI Board of Directors for confirmation on a no-objection basis. The Board may invite the Awards committee to reconsider a particular nomination giving its reasons. Where the Awards Committee confirms its decision, the decision of the Awards Committee will be final.

Prerogatives of the Awards Committee

The Awards Committee has the right:

1. To decide whether a nominee serves the goals of TI or whether the means used by the nominee meet TI standards.
2. To ask the nominator or an appropriate national chapter for additional information to be attached to the Nomination File and to make such further enquiries as it sees fit and to decline to consider a nomination where the information provided is, in its opinion, insufficient.
3. To organise, in exceptional cases, a visit to the nominee's country to verify the accuracy of information submitted or to obtain necessary additional evidence.
4. To decline to make any awards in the absence of a suitable nominee.
5. To withdraw an award should the winner act in a manner that compromises the integrity or reputation of the TI movement and the Integrity Awards and to give the specific reasons for any such action.

Conflict of Interest

Members of the Awards Committee will refrain from voting on a particular nomination when a conflict of interest may arise.

General Disclosure

All nominations become the property of Transparency International (TI). By submitting a nomination, TI is granted the right to use the name, voice and image of a nominee, without compensation, for the purpose of advertising and publicising all matters related to the Integrity Awards programme and award ceremony in any medium, worldwide.

Winner(s) is/are responsible for obtaining all proper documentation (visa, passport etc.) in order to travel to the award ceremony.

Privacy Policy

The Integrity Awards nomination process is carried out in compliance with applicable laws on data privacy protection and data security. Transparency International will not collect, store or use any personal data without the nominee’s knowledge and consent. The nominee(s) may revoke this consent at any time by writing integrityawards@transparency.org. Personal data is collected only for the purpose of the nomination and will be disclosed only to the members of the Integrity Awards Committee.

Announcement of results

The results of the Integrity Awards will be announced in October 2008.