OECD Business Integrity Group Meeting: The Government’s Role in Promoting and Ensuring Business Integrity

Opening by ACN.

Moderator: Olga Savran, Head of Anti-Corruption Network for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, OECD

Mr. Carmine Di Noia, Director of the Directorate for Financial and Enterprise Affairs, OECD

Ms. Julia Fromholz, Head of the Anti-Corruption Division, OECD

Mr. Hubert Duhot, Deputy Head of the Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus & Eastern Partnership Coordination Unit, DG NEAR, European Commission

This session will focus on the critical role specialised institutions play in spearheading efforts to enhance business integrity through diagnostics, risk assessment, and capacity building. This session will offer valuable insights into the methods and tools that specialised institutions use to champion integrity, promote transparency, and support ethical business. 

Moderator: Ms. Tanya Khavanska, Head of ACN Business Integrity Programme, OECD

Mr. Yurii Sverba, Deputy Head, State Agency for Reconstruction and Development of Infrastructure, Ukraine

Ms. Tigranuhi Khalafyan, Corruption Prevention Commission, Armenia

Mr. Dilmurod Kasimov, Business Ombudsman of Uzbekistan

Mr. Iaroslav Liubchenko, National Agency of Corruption Prevention, Ukraine

Mr. Midin Turmanov, General Prosecutor’s Office, Kyrgyz Republic

Coffee break

In this interactive session, participants will engage in a "speed dating" networking format designed to maximize engagement and foster new connections. Participants will have the opportunity to meet with multiple stakeholders from various sectors (public, private, and civil society) in short, timed discussions. This exercise is meant to break the ice and build valuable networks.

Lunch break

This session will discuss how enforcement of corporate liability drives corporate compliance, including giving consideration to mitigating factors, such as voluntary disclosures by companies, cooperation with law enforcement, acceptance of responsibility and remediation including through effective ethics and compliance programmes. It will present the business perspective of how to conduct due diligence, internal investigations and ensure that internal controls are robust and safeguard the company from sanctions. It will also explore various forms of resolutions of cases involving legal persons including non-trial resolutions and how to ensure their due process, transparency and accountability. 

Moderator: Ms. Olga Savran, Manager of Anti-Corruption Network for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, OECD

Ms. Elisabeth Danon, Anti-Corruption Analyst, OECD.

Ms. Jitka Logesova, Head of the Investigations, Crisis Response & Compliance Practice Group, Managing Partner Czech Republic, Wolf Theiss.

Mr. Sam Eastwood, Partner, Mayer Brown International LLP, UK.

Mr. Christian Hauser, Professor, PRME Business Integrity Action Center at University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons, Switzerland.

Coffee break

This session will focus on fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors to enhance business integrity initiatives. By examining effective strategies and sharing experiences, this session aims to equip participants with the tools needed to strengthen partnerships between government entities and businesses, ultimately leading to a more robust framework for supporting business integrity initiatives across various sectors. 

Moderator: Ms. Oleksandra Onysko, Anti-Corruption Analyst, OECD

Mr. Nicola Allocca, Chair, Anti-Corruption Committee, Business at the OECD (BIAC)

Ms Ardita Seknaj, International Chamber of Commerce, Albania

Ms. Ieva Lapeikiene, Clearwave, Lithuania

Ms Narine Melikyan, Corporate Governance Centre, Armenia

Mr. Vagif Ahmadov, bp p.l.c., Azerbaijan

Mr Max Nefyodov, Project Head of BIG Recovery Portal, Ukraine

Closing of the first day.

Ms. Olga Savran, Head of the Anti-Corruption Network for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, OECD

Welcoming coffee

This session will discuss the use of incentives and disincentives to prompt companies to adhere to high integrity standards in their operations. It will look at the decisions to grant public advantages, including subsidies, licences, public procurement contracts, contracts funded by official development assistance, and officially supported export credits and the role of companies’ internal controls and anti-corruption compliance mechanisms in the awards. It will also look at issues of debarment, remedial actions, and reversal. The discussants will share experiences on verification of compliance programmes and discuss other ways to incentivise integrity of business operations.

Moderator: Mr. Erekle Urushadze, Anti-Corruption Analyst, OECD

Ms. Anais Michel, Anti-Corruption Analyst, OECD

Ms. Stana Maric, Associate Director, Procurement Policy Adviser, Legal Procurement Policy and Advisory Department, EBRD

Mr. Razvan Bostinaru, Ministry of Justice, Romania

Ms. Tetiana Korotka, Deputy Business Ombudsman, Business Ombudsman Council of Ukraine

Ms. Cristina Chistol, National Anti-Corruption Centre, Moldova

In this networking session, participants will have the opportunity to showcase their initiatives and share valuable resources with peers, including materials, brochures, reports, and other informative content. This collaborative environment is designed to facilitate meaningful connections, allowing attendees to exchange ideas, discuss best practices, and highlight innovative approaches to promoting business integrity. Whether it's a successful project, a new program, or research findings, participants are encouraged to present their work and engage in discussions that can inspire and inform others in the community.

Facilitators: ACN Secretariat

Lunch break

In the breakout sessions, participants will gather in smaller groups to delve deeper into selected topics, fostering an environment for more focused discussions and collaborative learning. These sessions are designed to encourage interactive exchanges, allowing attendees to engage in practical exercises and share insights related to their experiences. Participants will have the opportunity to explore specific challenges, brainstorm solutions, and apply concepts in real-world scenarios, enhancing their understanding and skills.

Facilitators: ACN Secretariat and partners

Coffee break

Participants will reconvene to share insights and key learnings from their smaller group discussions. This reflective gathering will highlight the diverse perspectives and experiences encountered during the breakout sessions by synthesising the collective knowledge gained. Attendees will have the opportunity to present their group's findings, emphasising actionable strategies, innovative solutions, and best practices that emerged. 

Moderator: Ms. Oleksandra Onysko, Anti-Corruption Analyst, OECD

In this session, the focus will be on conceptualizing and exploring innovative strategies before implementing them. We aim to gather insights and feedback from attendees to shape these initiatives collaboratively. We will also discuss various ideas on how BIG can better serve its stakeholders. This includes potential initiatives and partnerships that could provide support and guidance to the members of the Business Integrity Group.

Moderators:

Ms. Tanya Khavanska, Head of ACN Business Integrity Programme, OECD

Ms. Mary Crane-Charef, Strategic Anti-Corruption Advisor, Anti-Corruption Division, OECD

Closing by ACN.

Moderator: Ms. Oleksandra Onysko, Anti-Corruption Analyst, OECD