Mission

Raise the level of corporate governance in public-private relations and along the entire supply chain of the agribusiness sector in Brazil

Goals

The food and agriculture industry is one of Brazil’s most important economic sectors, generating a significant portion of the country's GDP. Following corruption scandals in 2017, the Global Compact Network Brazil initiated the Agribusiness Anti-Corruption Collective Action in Brazil with the aim to mobilize the country's agribusiness sector.

The Agribusiness Anti-Corruption Collective Action establishes a set of voluntary, collaborative and self-governing rules and commitments that apply equally to all participating organisations, in addition to the current legal and regulatory framework. It consolidates the collective efforts to develop an ethical and inspirational business approach in the industry with integrity as a baseline.

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 all 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.

Stakeholders

As of 2024, the initiative's membership has grown to 19 companies from the food and beverage, chemicals, and sugar and ethanol sectors, and ten business associations. Following seed funding from the Siemens Integrity Initiative, the Collective Action evolved into a self-funded initiative with the contributions of its committed members.

The initiative also entered into an partnership with the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA). In 2022, for example, the Ministry incentivised engagement in the Collective Action initiative by making membership a prerequisite to applying for its annual agribusiness integrity award, the Selo Mais Integridade.

The Global Compact Network Brazil acts as the initiative's secretariat.

Activities

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

• A Best Practice Guide on Anti-Corruption in Agribusiness (2022) (available in English, Portuguese and Spanish);
• A Guidance and Good Practice on Election Year (2022);
• A national awareness raising campaign called “Deep down you already know it!”, comprised of animated videos laying out best practice responses to everyday agribusiness dilemmas;
• An online training for suppliers and third parties with the objective to reinforce ethical business conduct throughout the value chain.

In 2024, the initiative received the Basel Institute on Governance’s Gretta Fenner Outstanding Achievement Award recognising its significant contributions to fairer market conditions and the prevention of corruption.