The Banknote Ethics Initiative (BnEI) is an initiative established to provide ethical business practice, with a focus on the prevention of corruption and on compliance with anti-trust law within the banknote industry. Working together, and through BnEI, the industry can help ensure that all the companies operating in the industry are performing to the highest ethical standards.

Members must be a signatory to and adhere to a strict Code of Ethical Business Practices. All organisations that have signed the Code must become accredited after passing an audit carried out by a third-party auditor (GoodCorporation or KPMG). The audit follows the BnEI Framework, supported by the BnEI Guidance Manual BnEI Framework. The accreditation process is clearly established by the BnEI Accreditation Process Flow.

As of April 2020, 14 accredited member companies have passed rigorous audits ensuring their internal compliance with the BnEI standards and 40 central banks from all continents have expressed their support for the overall objectives of the BnEI.

The BnEI and Basel Institute are partnering to promote the use of Integrity Pacts in banknote-related procurement to further promote the highest standards of integrity and fair competition in the industry.