Agreement to counter bribery and corruption - ÖMK

Prevent bribery and facilitate the work between suppliers and clients in the publicly funded construction, real estate and health sectors in Sweden

The Agreement to Counter Bribery and Corruption (Överenskommelsen för att motverka mutor och korruption - ÖMK) between three large employer-based organisations aims to prevent bribery and facilitate the work between suppliers and clients in the publicly funded construction and real estate sector in Sweden. The agreement is intended as a guide to doing the right.

The agreement was developed between the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, the Association of Private Care Providers in Sweden and the Employers Association ‘Fremia’ with support from the Institute Against Bribery (Institutet Mot Mutor - IMM).

The ÖMK Agreement provides a useful framework to clarify uncertain ethical situations in business where public funds are used, and helps actors navigate away from potential criminal activities. The guidelines of the agreement are cited by both the public and private actors when dilemmas occur and are cited in practice in court cases.

Another direct outcome of the ÖMK is the obligation on public organisations with more than 50 employees to offer a clear whistleblowing channel. Since 2022, all public employers must have a whistleblowing function on their official website accessible to their employees.