This sounds like a great model which could be replicated by any nation who cares. Can you tell us whether any other countries is doing something similar? If not, would you and transparency Intl encourage people in another country to replicate your model? Roughly what does it take so far in person days and resources to do a parallel "you" out of another country of similar scope in terms of its international trading relationships?
Technically, a parallel replication would be possible, but resources would probably by more wisely spent by expanding the scope of the Portal. We are currently working with a plan to expand the portal with additional donor agencies and thus add more countries as well as information on the anti-corruption policies and initiatives of the new donor countries. There is no practical limit for this type of expansion and as long as the information is kept open and delivered online, replication would decrease the efficiency by requiring parallel updates. The Portal already has users from more than 100 countries today and an increased scope of the Portal would improve its relevance and user base. We do of course encourage other countries to joint the Business Anti-Corruption Portal in order to increase the coverage and expand the network of organisations working for transparent and corruption-free private sector components in development strategies. Furthermore, we attempt to cooperate with related initiatives and link to their tools and information, thus giving users the possibility of going deeper into specific sectors or aspects.
I read with great interest your entry and your work with small businesses in the OECD countries. How do expand your network and the number of users? Do you provide direct "customized" services to small businesses as well?
I was really impressed with your "Key Operational Partners".
Roberto Wohlgemuth Changemakers: an Ashoka Initiative
We are very interested in feedback on the issue of outreach and network building and are open to any suggestions. The following outreach strategies are currently used in order to increase for the networks and user base of the Business Anti-Corruption Portal:
- Activities of partners: the partners use the Portal in their own programmes and recommend the Portal to their networks and partners.
- Events: Global Advice Network conducts a series of presentations of the Portal for businesses and business associations, NGOs and government agencies in several countries.
- News media: the Portal has attracted media attention in Denmark which has increased the usage (for links to the articles, please see www.globaladvice.dk).
- Permanent links: the Portal is linked to by Transparency International, UN Global Compact, U4, NGOs, development agencies, embassies, business and trade union associations etc.
- Expansion of partners: the increased number of partners means that the Portal is part of larger networks and integrated into the outreach strategies of these partner organisations.
- Expansion of content: the expansion of the number of countries covered (from the current 17 to a planned 50 within 6 months) increases the relevance of the Portal and thus the potential user base.
- Search engines: the increased content and country coverage will make the Portal more visible in search engine results. Many users are already entering the Portal through search engines. As the information is publicly available, search engines can index sub-categories.
- Local business associations: the Portal has been launched through business associations in several countries and recommended to the members of these. This has taken place through events that has attracted much interest. Presentations in Lithuania and France, for example, attracted more than 100 participants from the business sector.
- It is our intention to start working more closely with local partners order to extend the outreach of the training modules related to the Portal.
Specialised Services
We currently provide specialised services such as courses and training programmes regarding anti-corruption legislation, due diligence tools, use of multi stakeholder networks and the implementation of integrity systems. These are all themes that are related to the Business Anti-Corruption Portal.
We are currently reviewing the possibilities of providing "customized" services to businesses, donor agencies and other users using the web-platform. This could be different versions of the portal with different layout, domain names and content specially tailored to a certain user group. We are therefore open to suggestions regarding the technical possibilities of different platforms and management systems.
With the planned expansion of the number of donor agencies involved in the project, the special sections on the anti-corruption initiatives of the partners will be included. Furthermore, we use the Portal to deliver an anti-corruption programme that we have developed for the Trade Council of Denmark (this section requires a login). These are some of the possibilities that we have within the current content management system used.
Best Regards,
Malthe Mulvad
MSc. Political Science
Project Manager
Global Advice Network
Borgergade 111
DK-1300 København K
Denmark
This seems to be a promising initiative, and a distinctive one in that it addresses corruption-related constraints to international investments by small and medium enterprises. It stands to reason that SMEs would be strongly affected by corruption and would be in a relatively weak position to avoid, combat, or redress it.
The issue is just how innovative and effective in terms of impact a web portal will be. Websites are increasingly popular focal points for these proposals – how is this one different? It would be helpful in this regard to suggest some other indicia of impact besides the numbers of visitors. Could the visitors provide comments? Could there be follow-up regarding the effects of having visited the site? What is the local input and impact of the web portal?
The questions posed are very relevant and key to the success of the Portal. We have delt with them one by one below:
Q: Websites are increasingly popular focal points for these proposals – how is this one different?
A: We find that the Business Anti-Corruption Portal is different at least in the following aspects:
1) The target group is primarily SME's, which are crucial as catalysts for anti-corruption policies, as they do usually not have comprehensive integrity systems.
2) No other website that we know of offer free Integrity Systems and Due Diligence Tools that enable integration of anti-corruption policies in the everyday business of companies.
3) The data in the Country Profiles is an aggregation of the various reports made by NGOs, Donors, International Organisations, etc, that are of a very high quality, but rarely presented in a way that are applicable for SMEs.
4) Combined with the Country Profiles, the Due Diligence Tools, Integrity System, Information Networks and Sources for Further Reading give the users a point of departure for entering markets with a high level of corruption.
Q: It would be helpful in this regard to suggest some other indicia of impact besides the numbers of visitors. Could the visitors provide comments?
A: We agree that the number of users says very little of the usage of the Portal, but we choose to post these fact as they are the only quantitative data that we have. Visitors throughout the Portal are encouraged to comment to content and they do so indeed. Whether the users commenting on the content, their usage of the Portal or give suggestions representive for all the other users is difficult to assess, but it gives us a good indication of the types of usage and the information and tools requested by different types of users.
Q: Could there be follow-up regarding the effects of having visited the site?
A: Impact assessments in matters of corruption are inherently difficult. The measurement of corruption is contested and trying to make causal links between an initiative such as the Business Anti-Corruption Portal and the corruption level would be difficult. We do collect feedback from businesses that use the Portal to get some indications of the way in which the tools and information are used to alter behavior. One company, for example, reported using the Portal as a dialogue tool with its subsidiaries in order to be able to ask the right questions about corruption (e.g. what is your system to avoid corruption in the customs in country X?). How this has altered behavior in local communities is difficult to measure, but we hope that this initiative in conjunction with others may help to increase transparency and accountability to the benefit not only of the businesses directly targeted, and that the increased business integrity will but pressure on corrupt practices.
Q: What is the local input and impact of the web portal?
A: The local input currently comes through various reports and data from NGOs and as directs comments to Global Advice Network, that we use in the development of the Portal. Local input is an area that we will try to expand in the future and we welcome any suggestions in this regard. The local impact is discussed above.
Best Regards,
Malthe
Malthe Mulvad
Project Manager
Global Advice Network
Borgergade 111
DK-1300 København K
Denmark
Does creating an enabling environment for small- and medium-sized foreign investors benefit local people in your target countries? In my experience, foreign enterprises in countries such as Benin often profit financially without any economic benefit reaching the local population. How is your initiative benefiting these populations?
Stephanie Savell
Global Venture
Ashoka: Innovators for the Public ssavell@ashoka.org
The idea behind the Portal is that the private sector is a key partner in development policies. As a project initiated by The Danish International Development Agency, the aim of the Portal is to provide the necessary tools and information to companies so that they are able to conduct business in a transparent way. The SME sector is generally very vulnerable to corruption and much indicates that both foreign and local business, as well as civil society, all have a profound interest in avoiding corruption, but lack the knowledge and tools to do this.
As mentioned in the question, it is crucial that investments and foreign business benefit the local population. The Portal is focused on SMEs from OECD countires cooperating with local businesses, and an important component in this cooperation is the creation of local jobs and economic development. The Due Diligence Tools reflect the emphasis on partnership, as they help foreign companies make joint ventures, consultant and agent agreements as well as contracts wth local business. Without practical information and tools, many companies would either have stayed away from partnerships in developing countries or be using bribes. None of these options benefit the local population. The Portal can therefore contribute to local sustainable growth, but it does rest on the concept that local private sector development and foreign investment, if conducted in a transparent and sustainable way, can be a catalyst for poverty reduction and general development.
Best Regards,
Malthe
Malthe Mulvad
Project Manager
Global Advice Network
Borgergade 111
DK-1300 København K
Denmark
My name is Rich Gottbreht from Global Insights and I am one of the entrants in the competition. Our work centers on helping anyone concerned about corruption learn about the subject through my book, our board game and its associated seminars, as well as low cost consulting. To find out more about us please visit our website www.globalinsights.biz. From the home page, you can link to information about us, our products and what people say about our products and services. From the details in the initiative we submitted you should also note that some of the proceeds from our sales will eventually go to a high integrity leadership development foundation. Also, if you are interested, down the road we will be looking for alliances and contacts in every country.
We would like to thank the Jury for nominating us for the final and all our users, friends and partners around the world who voted for the Business Anti-Corruption Portal!
We are honoured to have been selected by both our users and our anti-corruption peers and we are confident that we will be able to use this recognition of the Business Anti-Corruption Portal in the continued development of anti-corruption tools for small and medium sized enterprises.
Global Advice Network is working on expanding and improving the Business Anti-Corruption Portal and your feedback is very important in this process – therefore we encourage all users to submit comments and suggestions on the Portal.
The country coverage of the Portal is expanding rapidly, so check the Portal for new Country Profiles and updates of existing profiles – recent updates include Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania, and Vietnam and the newest additions are Brazil, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, and Ukraine. Country Profiles on Argentina, China, and Russia will soon be available, as will updates of Bangladesh, Benin, and Nicaragua.
Furthermore, the Portal has attracted considerable international attention and public and private agencies from a range of European countries have expressed support for the Portal as a platform for improved cooperation in the field of anti-corruption. The Governments of the UK, Sweden, the Netherlands, Norway, and Germany have committed themselves as part-funding partners in addition to Danida, the Danish International Development Agency, who initiated the Portal in cooperation with Global Advice Network. Other Governments have expressed their interest in joining the Portal as well.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or comments!
Best Regards,
Malthe Mulvad
Project Manager
Global Advice Network
Borgergade 111
DK-1300 København K
Denmark
Comments
This sounds like a great model which could be replicated by any nation who cares. Can you tell us whether any other countries is doing something similar? If not, would you and transparency Intl encourage people in another country to replicate your model? Roughly what does it take so far in person days and resources to do a parallel "you" out of another country of similar scope in terms of its international trading relationships?
Technically, a parallel replication would be possible, but resources would probably by more wisely spent by expanding the scope of the Portal. We are currently working with a plan to expand the portal with additional donor agencies and thus add more countries as well as information on the anti-corruption policies and initiatives of the new donor countries. There is no practical limit for this type of expansion and as long as the information is kept open and delivered online, replication would decrease the efficiency by requiring parallel updates. The Portal already has users from more than 100 countries today and an increased scope of the Portal would improve its relevance and user base. We do of course encourage other countries to joint the Business Anti-Corruption Portal in order to increase the coverage and expand the network of organisations working for transparent and corruption-free private sector components in development strategies. Furthermore, we attempt to cooperate with related initiatives and link to their tools and information, thus giving users the possibility of going deeper into specific sectors or aspects.
I read with great interest your entry and your work with small businesses in the OECD countries. How do expand your network and the number of users? Do you provide direct "customized" services to small businesses as well?
I was really impressed with your "Key Operational Partners".
Roberto Wohlgemuth
Changemakers: an Ashoka Initiative
Expansion of Networks and Users
We are very interested in feedback on the issue of outreach and network building and are open to any suggestions. The following outreach strategies are currently used in order to increase for the networks and user base of the Business Anti-Corruption Portal:
- Activities of partners: the partners use the Portal in their own programmes and recommend the Portal to their networks and partners.
- Events: Global Advice Network conducts a series of presentations of the Portal for businesses and business associations, NGOs and government agencies in several countries.
- News media: the Portal has attracted media attention in Denmark which has increased the usage (for links to the articles, please see www.globaladvice.dk).
- Permanent links: the Portal is linked to by Transparency International, UN Global Compact, U4, NGOs, development agencies, embassies, business and trade union associations etc.
- Expansion of partners: the increased number of partners means that the Portal is part of larger networks and integrated into the outreach strategies of these partner organisations.
- Expansion of content: the expansion of the number of countries covered (from the current 17 to a planned 50 within 6 months) increases the relevance of the Portal and thus the potential user base.
- Search engines: the increased content and country coverage will make the Portal more visible in search engine results. Many users are already entering the Portal through search engines. As the information is publicly available, search engines can index sub-categories.
- Local business associations: the Portal has been launched through business associations in several countries and recommended to the members of these. This has taken place through events that has attracted much interest. Presentations in Lithuania and France, for example, attracted more than 100 participants from the business sector.
- It is our intention to start working more closely with local partners order to extend the outreach of the training modules related to the Portal.
Specialised Services
We currently provide specialised services such as courses and training programmes regarding anti-corruption legislation, due diligence tools, use of multi stakeholder networks and the implementation of integrity systems. These are all themes that are related to the Business Anti-Corruption Portal.
We are currently reviewing the possibilities of providing "customized" services to businesses, donor agencies and other users using the web-platform. This could be different versions of the portal with different layout, domain names and content specially tailored to a certain user group. We are therefore open to suggestions regarding the technical possibilities of different platforms and management systems.
With the planned expansion of the number of donor agencies involved in the project, the special sections on the anti-corruption initiatives of the partners will be included. Furthermore, we use the Portal to deliver an anti-corruption programme that we have developed for the Trade Council of Denmark (this section requires a login). These are some of the possibilities that we have within the current content management system used.
Best Regards,
Malthe Mulvad
MSc. Political Science
Project Manager
Global Advice Network
Borgergade 111
DK-1300 København K
Denmark
Tel. +45 25 10 01 31
E-Mail: mm@globaladvice.dk
Web: www.globaladvice.dk
Skype: globaladvicemalthemulvad
This seems to be a promising initiative, and a distinctive one in that it addresses corruption-related constraints to international investments by small and medium enterprises. It stands to reason that SMEs would be strongly affected by corruption and would be in a relatively weak position to avoid, combat, or redress it.
The issue is just how innovative and effective in terms of impact a web portal will be. Websites are increasingly popular focal points for these proposals – how is this one different? It would be helpful in this regard to suggest some other indicia of impact besides the numbers of visitors. Could the visitors provide comments? Could there be follow-up regarding the effects of having visited the site? What is the local input and impact of the web portal?
The questions posed are very relevant and key to the success of the Portal. We have delt with them one by one below:
Q: Websites are increasingly popular focal points for these proposals – how is this one different?
A: We find that the Business Anti-Corruption Portal is different at least in the following aspects:
1) The target group is primarily SME's, which are crucial as catalysts for anti-corruption policies, as they do usually not have comprehensive integrity systems.
2) No other website that we know of offer free Integrity Systems and Due Diligence Tools that enable integration of anti-corruption policies in the everyday business of companies.
3) The data in the Country Profiles is an aggregation of the various reports made by NGOs, Donors, International Organisations, etc, that are of a very high quality, but rarely presented in a way that are applicable for SMEs.
4) Combined with the Country Profiles, the Due Diligence Tools, Integrity System, Information Networks and Sources for Further Reading give the users a point of departure for entering markets with a high level of corruption.
Q: It would be helpful in this regard to suggest some other indicia of impact besides the numbers of visitors. Could the visitors provide comments?
A: We agree that the number of users says very little of the usage of the Portal, but we choose to post these fact as they are the only quantitative data that we have. Visitors throughout the Portal are encouraged to comment to content and they do so indeed. Whether the users commenting on the content, their usage of the Portal or give suggestions representive for all the other users is difficult to assess, but it gives us a good indication of the types of usage and the information and tools requested by different types of users.
Q: Could there be follow-up regarding the effects of having visited the site?
A: Impact assessments in matters of corruption are inherently difficult. The measurement of corruption is contested and trying to make causal links between an initiative such as the Business Anti-Corruption Portal and the corruption level would be difficult. We do collect feedback from businesses that use the Portal to get some indications of the way in which the tools and information are used to alter behavior. One company, for example, reported using the Portal as a dialogue tool with its subsidiaries in order to be able to ask the right questions about corruption (e.g. what is your system to avoid corruption in the customs in country X?). How this has altered behavior in local communities is difficult to measure, but we hope that this initiative in conjunction with others may help to increase transparency and accountability to the benefit not only of the businesses directly targeted, and that the increased business integrity will but pressure on corrupt practices.
Q: What is the local input and impact of the web portal?
A: The local input currently comes through various reports and data from NGOs and as directs comments to Global Advice Network, that we use in the development of the Portal. Local input is an area that we will try to expand in the future and we welcome any suggestions in this regard. The local impact is discussed above.
Best Regards,
Malthe
Malthe Mulvad
Project Manager
Global Advice Network
Borgergade 111
DK-1300 København K
Denmark
Tel. +45 25 10 01 31
E-Mail: mm@globaladvice.dk
Web: http://www.globaladvice.dk
Skype: globaladvicemalthemulvad
Does creating an enabling environment for small- and medium-sized foreign investors benefit local people in your target countries? In my experience, foreign enterprises in countries such as Benin often profit financially without any economic benefit reaching the local population. How is your initiative benefiting these populations?
Stephanie Savell
Global Venture
Ashoka: Innovators for the Public
ssavell@ashoka.org
The idea behind the Portal is that the private sector is a key partner in development policies. As a project initiated by The Danish International Development Agency, the aim of the Portal is to provide the necessary tools and information to companies so that they are able to conduct business in a transparent way. The SME sector is generally very vulnerable to corruption and much indicates that both foreign and local business, as well as civil society, all have a profound interest in avoiding corruption, but lack the knowledge and tools to do this.
As mentioned in the question, it is crucial that investments and foreign business benefit the local population. The Portal is focused on SMEs from OECD countires cooperating with local businesses, and an important component in this cooperation is the creation of local jobs and economic development. The Due Diligence Tools reflect the emphasis on partnership, as they help foreign companies make joint ventures, consultant and agent agreements as well as contracts wth local business. Without practical information and tools, many companies would either have stayed away from partnerships in developing countries or be using bribes. None of these options benefit the local population. The Portal can therefore contribute to local sustainable growth, but it does rest on the concept that local private sector development and foreign investment, if conducted in a transparent and sustainable way, can be a catalyst for poverty reduction and general development.
Best Regards,
Malthe
Malthe Mulvad
Project Manager
Global Advice Network
Borgergade 111
DK-1300 København K
Denmark
Tel. +45 25 10 01 31
E-Mail: mm@globaladvice.dk
Web: http://www.globaladvice.dk
Skype: globaladvicemalthemulvad
Hello,
My name is Rich Gottbreht from Global Insights and I am one of the entrants in the competition. Our work centers on helping anyone concerned about corruption learn about the subject through my book, our board game and its associated seminars, as well as low cost consulting. To find out more about us please visit our website www.globalinsights.biz. From the home page, you can link to information about us, our products and what people say about our products and services. From the details in the initiative we submitted you should also note that some of the proceeds from our sales will eventually go to a high integrity leadership development foundation. Also, if you are interested, down the road we will be looking for alliances and contacts in every country.
Thanks,
Rich Gottbreht
We would like to thank the Jury for nominating us for the final and all our users, friends and partners around the world who voted for the Business Anti-Corruption Portal!
We are honoured to have been selected by both our users and our anti-corruption peers and we are confident that we will be able to use this recognition of the Business Anti-Corruption Portal in the continued development of anti-corruption tools for small and medium sized enterprises.
Global Advice Network is working on expanding and improving the Business Anti-Corruption Portal and your feedback is very important in this process – therefore we encourage all users to submit comments and suggestions on the Portal.
The country coverage of the Portal is expanding rapidly, so check the Portal for new Country Profiles and updates of existing profiles – recent updates include Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania, and Vietnam and the newest additions are Brazil, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, and Ukraine. Country Profiles on Argentina, China, and Russia will soon be available, as will updates of Bangladesh, Benin, and Nicaragua.
Furthermore, the Portal has attracted considerable international attention and public and private agencies from a range of European countries have expressed support for the Portal as a platform for improved cooperation in the field of anti-corruption. The Governments of the UK, Sweden, the Netherlands, Norway, and Germany have committed themselves as part-funding partners in addition to Danida, the Danish International Development Agency, who initiated the Portal in cooperation with Global Advice Network. Other Governments have expressed their interest in joining the Portal as well.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or comments!
Best Regards,
Malthe Mulvad
Project Manager
Global Advice Network
Borgergade 111
DK-1300 København K
Denmark
Tel. +45 25 10 01 31
E-Mail: mm@globaladvice.dk
Web: http://www.globaladvice.dk
Skype: globaladvicemalthemulvad
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