The food and agriculture industry is one of Brazil’s most important economic sectors, generating a significant portion of the country's GDP. Companies play a central role in generating revenue and jobs at the local level in particular, making them privileged interlocutors with local authorities with significant potential for transforming local realities. The Brazilian food and agriculture industry also plays a significant role in achieving food security internationally.

The Global Compact Network Brazil launched a principles-based anti-corruption Collective Action initiative in February 2021, with funding from the Siemens Integrity Initiative Third Funding Round. It comprised, at its launch, a dozen companies in three sectors: food and beverage; chemicals; sugar and ethanol.

The Collective Action establishes a set of voluntary, collaborative, and self-governing rules and commitments that apply equally to all participating organisations. It intends to raise the level of corporate governance (transparency, fairness, accountability and corporate responsibility) in public- private relations and along the entire supply chain of the agribusiness sector in Brazil.

The initiative's main objectives are to:

• Strengthen the culture of integrity and improving the reputation of the sector nationally and internationally;
• Promote a more ethical and transparent business environment for stakeholders;
• Encourage the adoption of increasingly integral and transparent practices in public-private relations;
• Protect Brazilian agribusiness, companies and other interested parties against cases of corruption, money laundering and bribery; and
• Raise awareness among other companies and sectors of the importance of the private sector playing a leading role in anti-corruption actions.

As of 2024, the initiative's membership has grown to 28 companies and 9 business associations that participate in regular monthly meetings and promote continuous engagement. Following the seed funding from the Siemens Integrity Initiative, the Collective Action evolved into a self-funded initiative with the contributions of its committed members.

The Collective Action has developed different activities and publications to share good practices with the agribusiness sector, including:

• Best Practice Guide on Anti-Corruption in Agribusiness (2022) (available in English, Portuguese and Spanish);
• Guidance on Good Practices during Election Year (2022);
• National campaign called “Deep down you already know it!”, comprised of 8 animated videos containing everyday agribusiness dilemmas for employees and third parties and the best practices to deal with them (available in English and Portuguese); and
• Online training for suppliers and third parties, with the objective to reinforce throughout agribusiness’ value chain, the correct business conducts, with transparency, integrity and ethics.

The Collective Action has the support of the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. In 2022, the initiative became a criteria for the national award of the Ministry, the “Selo Mais Integridade”. It was created with the aim of promoting and rewarding the integrity practices of companies in the sector in terms of social responsibility, sustainability and ethics, as well as preventing practices of fraud, bribery and corruption.