Library | ESG issues
Bribery, Fraud & Corruption
Bribery, fraud, and corruption involve the misuse of power for personal gain. These practices pose investment risks and undermine corporate governance. Addressing these risks maintains financial integrity, investor confidence, and regulatory compliance, while also enhancing corporate transparency, risk management and trust.
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Guidance on environmental crime
This TNFD guidance framework enables organisations to incorporate environmental crime into nature-related assessments. It identifies risks from illegal activities, such as deforestation and mining, while providing practical steps for the LEAP approach. The report highlights how managing these risks improves supply chain transparency, regulatory compliance, and overall resilience.
The cost of secrecy: The role played by companies registered in the UK’s Overseas Territories in money laundering and corruption
This research highlights the impact of corporate secrecy in the UK’s Overseas Territories on global corruption and money laundering. Analysing 237 cases involving 1,201 companies, it identifies over £250 billion in diverted funds and calls for public registers of beneficial ownership to increase transparency and combat financial crime.
Enabler accountability: Assessing measures taken against professionals implicated in cases of illicit financial flows from Africa
This research examines the accountability of professional enablers involved in illicit financial flows from Africa. Findings reveal a substantial accountability gap, with successful criminal outcomes in only 2% of observations. The report highlights regulatory loopholes and recommends systemic prioritisation of enabler investigations by enforcement agencies and supervisors.
Governing digital assets and crypto-enabled financial crime
This report examines the growth of crypto-enabled financial crime and the resulting governance gap. It proposes a four-layer multilateral framework to harmonise international standards between bodies like the FATF and INTERPOL. The strategy aims to protect financial integrity through technical integration and cross-border cooperation without suppressing permissionless innovation.
War and corruption: Corruption’s role in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine
This report examines how corruption enabled Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and explores its escalation during the conflict. It details growth in criminal convictions, systemic theft within the military, and the erosion of procurement transparency. It further analyses the impact of sanctions on Russian oligarchs and the emergence of war beneficiaries.
Corporate governance scandals in India’s banking and financial services sector
This research examines corporate governance failures in India’s financial sector, focusing on scandals at YES Bank, IndusInd Bank, and IL&FS. It analyses the impact of 'star' promoters, gatekeeper failures, and regulatory fragmentation, advocating for enhanced standards of care for directors and a wholesale reconsideration of sector-specific governance frameworks.
Research primer: Corporate political activity
This research primer examines the risks and motivations behind corporate political activity. It highlights how indirect donations through third-party groups can lead to reputational misalignment and potential corruption. The report advocates for robust board oversight and transparency, recommending the CPA-Zicklin Framework to align political spending with core values.
Corruption perceptions index series
The Corruption Perceptions Index is a global benchmark series assessing perceived public sector corruption levels across 182 countries and territories. Produced by Transparency International, the index draws on independent data to provide comparative scores, assisting stakeholders in identifying governance risks and evaluating the effectiveness of anti-corruption reforms and institutional integrity.
Realities of artisanal and small-scale copper and cobalt mining in Lualaba province, DRC
IPIS and IBGDH mapped 51 artisanal copper and cobalt mines in Lualaba, DRC, employing an estimated 109,000 miners. The study finds few viable designated zones, cooperative elite capture, tension with industrial concessions, unsafe conditions, child labour and extortion by state agents, and recommends creating legal spaces for artisanal miners.
Solutions to protect consumers from fraud in digital finance
Curating 56 successful fraud protection solutions, this report details strategies across intelligence sharing, telecom security, and biometrics. It highlights how AI-driven oversight and multi-sector collaboration, such as Malaysia's NSRC and UK's reimbursement rules, can reduce losses and restore consumer trust in digital financial ecosystems.
Environmental crime: From blind spot to business risk
This report identifies environmental crime as an illicit economy worth USD 300 billion, posing significant financial risks to global businesses. It examines how illegal goods permeate supply chains and details tightening regulations. The research provides strategic actions for organisations to improve traceability and manage exposure effectively.
Financial secrets of the forests: How secrecy fuels deforestation in Brazil and Cameroon
This report examines illicit financial flows linked to deforestation in Brazil and Cameroon, estimating trade mispricing losses at US$289 million per year in Cameroon and US$214 million in Brazil. It finds that financial and land ownership secrecy enables illicit deforestation and recommends public beneficial ownership registries and supply chain transparency measures.
Getting political finance right: Preventing corruption with UNCAC CoSP resolution 11/7
This report analyses the implications of UNCAC Resolution 11/7 on political finance, detailing key transparency measures, safeguards against illicit funding, and strategies to ensure state neutrality. It provides practical guidance for legislators and watchdogs to effectively implement oversight mechanisms and prevent corruption globally.
Standards for integrity in political finance: A global policy position
This report outlines global standards for integrity in political finance. It advocates for comprehensive reforms spanning transparency, limits on donations and expenditure, gender equality in funding, state neutrality, and robust accountability to prevent corruption and level the electoral playing field worldwide.
Pipe dreams: How oil and gas fail to deliver economic development in Africa
This 2026 report analyses the economic impact of oil and gas extraction across 13 African nations. Finding that fossil fuels exacerbate poverty, vulnerability, and corruption rather than delivering sustained growth, it advocates for a rapid, just transition to decentralised renewable energy to ensure future economic stability and development.
The business case for “speaking up”: How internal reporting mechanisms strengthen private-sector organisations
Explains how internal whistleblowing systems help organisations detect misconduct early, reduce legal and financial risks, and strengthen compliance, culture and reputation. It outlines key features of effective mechanisms and demonstrates their role in improving risk management, preventing losses and supporting long-term value creation.