K4D Helpdesk

Due diligence services provided by selected governments

This report, which was prepared for the Knowledge, Evidence and Learning for Development (K4D) Helpdesk service of the UK Department for International Development (DFID), answers the following questions:

  • What due diligence services do governments in the USA, Netherlands, Switzerland and Germany offer to companies?
  • How do they work?
  • What is the impact on enhancing business integrity?

Overview

This report explores the due diligence services provided to companies by governments in Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the US. Of these countries, only the US government provides due diligence services.

The US Department of Commerce, through its network of export advice centres, provides due diligence services in the form of international company profiles for some countries for a fee. The Netherlands and Germany provide online self-service tools to help businesses undertake due diligence risk assessments. The Swiss government provides general advice to businesses but this assessment was unable to find any evidence of services or online tools to help Swiss firms to undertake due diligence.

All members of the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (including Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the US) signed the OECD Anti-bribery Convention and are obliged to report on the progress that they have made in terms of implementing the OECD guidelines on bribery and corruption (Bühr & Seitz, 2015). The content of these reports indicates that implementation is gauged in terms of the number of prosecutions as well as legislative amendments which facilitate the enforcement of the laws which prohibit bribery.

Although the reports include a description of government efforts to raise awareness of the perils of bribery and corruption among the business sector, it is evident that helping firms undertake due diligence is not a priority for implementation.

Published

04/2018 (6 years ago)

Document

Related publications

Report

Key takeaways from the 2023 Asia-Pacific Anti-Corruption Collective Action Forum

2024 |

Policy brief

Policy Brief 13: Catalysing the private sector for disaster response and resilience – Case study of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation

2024 | Basel Institute on Governance

Bill Luz, Vanessa Hans
natural disaster planningdisaster resilienceCollective Actionbusiness integritydisaster relief

Report

B20 Integrity and Compliance Task Force – Key Reflections and Suggestions from Members

2021 | The B Team; World Economic Forum Partnering Against Corruption Initiative

B20

Report

Key takeaways from the 2023 Southern Africa Anti-Corruption Collective Action Forum

2024 |

Guidelines, Report

Good practices for facilitators of anti-corruption Collective Action

2024 | Basel Institute on Governance

Lucie Binder

Working paper

Working Paper 48: A collaborative approach to improve business integrity in ASEAN: Case studies of anticorruption Collective Action in the region

2023 | Basel Institute on Governance

Lucie Binder, Vanessa Hans, Anna Stransky

Guidelines

Developing Anti-Corruption Programmes in State-Owned Entreprises: Manual for compliance officers in Croatia and Serbia

2023 |

OECD

Guidelines

The Compliance Without Borders Handbook

2023 |

OECD

Report

United Nations Global Compact: Communication on Engagement 2023

2023 |

UN Global Compact

Guidelines

Fostering Integrity in Global Supply Chain

2023 | Alliance for Integrity

Guidelines

Action Collective - Coopérer avec le Secteur Privé: Guide Pratique pour les Agences Nationales de Lutte Contre la Corruption

2023 | Basel Institute on Governance

Working paper

Working Paper 46: Incrementando el impacto de los Pactos de Integridad en la contratación pública: un análisis desde la experiencia en España

2023 | Basel Institute on Governance

Esteban Arriba…
integrity pactspublic procurementclean procurement

Guidelines

OECD Toolkit for raising awareness and preventing corruption in SMEs

2023 | OECD

Annual report

Siemens Integrity Initiative Annual Report 2022

2023 | Siemens AG

Guidelines

Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct

2023 | OECD

Case study

Corruption and Infrastructure: Preliminary Study on Corruption Risks in Infrastructure Sector

2023 | Alliance for Integrity

Lakso Anindito
HLRM

Guidelines

Wolfsberg Anti-Bribery and Corruption Compliance Programme Guidance

2023 | Wolfsberg Group

Guidelines, Report

Engaging the private sector in Collective Action against corruption: A practical guide for anti-corruption agencies in Africa

2023 | Basel Institute on Governance

Scarlet Wannenwetsch, Liza Young

Article

The B20 Integrity and Compliance Recommendations: An International Framework for Action

2023 | California Management Review

Gemma Aiolfi, Scarlet Wannenwetsch

Guidelines

Handbook of good practices in the fight against corruption

2023 | European Commission, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs