Preventing Corruption on Construction Projects

Corruption on construction projects (which includes bribery, extortion and fraud) is damaging:

• It damages the developed and developing world, resulting in projects which are unnecessary, unreliable, dangerous, and over-priced. This can lead to loss of life, poverty, economic damage and underdevelopment.
• It damages companies, resulting in tendering uncertainty, wasted tender expenses, increased project costs, economic damage, reduced project opportunities, extortion and blackmail, criminal prosecutions, fines, blacklisting, and reputational risk.
• It damages individuals, resulting in reduced morale, criminal prosecution, fines and imprisonment.

Transparency International (TI) believes that corruption on construction projects can only be eliminated if all participants in construction projects co-operate in the development and implementation of effective anti-corruption actions which address both the supply and demand sides of corruption. These participants include governments, funders, project owners, contractors, consultants, and suppliers, and the business and professional associations which represent these parties.

TI promotes anti-corruption measures by working in close collaboration with construction participants worldwide.

This part of the web-site contains business tools, reports, actions and information which can help prevent corruption on construction projects. Click on the section title to access further information on that section.

Global Infrastructure Anti-Corruption Centre (GIACC)

The GIACC Resource Centre is a web-resource which provides free access to information, advice and tools designed to help stakeholders understand, prevent and identify corruption in the infrastructure, construction and engineering sectors. The resources include information on corruption; examples of corruption; anti-corruption programmes for governments, funders, project owners and companies; and project, corporate and individual anti-corruption tools.

Project Anti-Corruption System (PACS)

The Project Anti-Corruption System (PACS) is an integrated and comprehensive system published by GIACC and TI (UK) which is designed to assist in the prevention of corruption on construction projects. It uses a variety of measures which impact on all project phases, on all major participants, and at a number of contractual levels. PACS comprises:

- The PACS Standards: These recommend anti-corruption measures which should be used on construction projects.

- The PACS Templates: These provide the tools by which the measures recommended in the PACS Standards may be implemented.

Anti-Corruption Training Manual

Anti-Corruption Training Manual, which is published by GIACC and TI (UK), has been designed specifically for the infrastructure, construction and engineering sectors. The Manual aims to help users achieve a better understanding of corruption and how to avoid it. It can be used by individuals, and by companies as part of their corporate training.

Anti-Corruption Reports and Tools

TI has developed a series of reports and business tools which are intended to assist in the prevention of corruption on construction projects. They explain how corruption takes place and the risks and costs which corruption imposes on the various project participants. They recommend actions to prevent corruption. Separate reports have been issued which provide guidance to project owners, to funders, and to construction and engineering companies and consulting engineering firms.

Anti-Corruption Action Statement

The UK Anti-Corruption Forum is an alliance of UK business associations, professional institutions, organisations and businesses with interests in the infrastructure, construction and engineering sectors. Over 1,000 UK companies and 300,000 professionals are represented on the Forum (http://www.anticorruptionforum.org.uk). TI (UK) is a founding member of the Forum. The Forum has published an “Anti-Corruption Action Statement” which calls on all participants in these sectors to take effective and co-ordinated action to prevent corruption, and specifies the actions which those participants need to take.