We were thrilled to host, in partnership with the Anti-Corruption Initiative for Asia and the Pacific (ACI), a joint initiative of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the first ever Asia-Pacific Anti-Corruption Collective Action Forum at the Fairmont Makati in Manila, Philippines on 25 September 2023.

The aim of the Forum was to help build a regional community of practice to strengthen business integrity and the fight against corruption through Collective Action.

The agenda combined panel discussions with interactive breakout sessions to facilitate exchange amongst thought leaders on cross-cutting Collective Action themes featuring tried and tested regional initiatives as well as new and innovative approaches.

Participants also had a chance to test out and exchange on regional anti-corruption tools and opportunities that were presented during the interactive breakout sessions. There were also plenty of networking breaks to get to know the speakers and other participants throughout the day. The event brought together participants from the private sector, public sector, civil society and academia.

Key takeaways

The Forum also included the Collective Action Outstanding Achievement Award ceremony. This award acknowledged and celebrated regional organisations and initiatives that demonstrated exceptional outcomes, emerging best practices and innovative strategies to tackle corruption and improve business integrity.

This regional gathering of anti-corruption leaders builds on the success of the International Collective Action Conference series hosted by the Basel Institute on Governance in Switzerland between 2014–2022.

Agenda Award

About the organisers

Basel Institute on Governance

The Basel Institute on Governance is an independent not-for-profit competence centre working around the world to strengthen governance and counter corruption. We have promoted Collective Action bringing together private and public sectors and civil society as an effective tool to address corruption risks and promote a fair and sustainable business environment since our foundation in 2003.

Following a mandate from the B20 group of business leaders, the Basel Institute has been home to the B20 Collective Action Hub since 2013. The hub serves as a global resource centre offering a range of publications and tools aimed at practitioners from the private and public sectors and civil society. The Basel Institute supports companies, governments and civil society organisations worldwide with practical, independent and tailored guidance on how to use Collective Action to promote fair competition and strengthen business integrity in a variety of sectors.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

The OECD has been a driving force in the global anti-corruption movement for more than four decades. The overarching objectives of the organisation's anti-corruption and integrity work is to support trustworthy institutions and open, efficient and inclusive markets.

The OECD works toward these objectives by setting global standards and providing the tools for their implementation. In addition to providing data and analysis, the OECD convenes and works with the international community to share practices and experiences in line with the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention and the 2021 Anti-Bribery Recommendation.

In 1999, several governments in Asia-Pacific launched the Anti-Corruption Initiative for Asia and the Pacific (ACI), a regional forum for supporting national and multilateral efforts to reduce corruption in Asia and the Pacific. Member governments formulate the ACI’s strategies and implement programmes and activities with the help of its Secretariat, which is jointly managed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and OECD.

In the framework of ACI, 31 countries of the region have committed to action against corruption: they have jointly developed the Anti-Corruption Action Plan for Asia and the Pacific and work together towards its implementation.

The initiative is mandated to support the member governments’ efforts through:

1. Policy dialogue and sharing anti-corruption best practices at regional meetings and conferences,
2. Policy analysis, including thematic reviews and stocktaking, and
3. Corruption prevention and law enforcement capacity development activities.
   The ACI’s three workstreams include the Public Integrity Network, the Law Enforcement Network, and the Business Integrity Group.