The Siemens Integrity Initiative is boosting the Basel Institute’s capacity to promote anti-corruption Collective Action with an additional USD 3.5 million in funding under its “Golden Stretch” round.

This funding complements an existing USD 2.86 million project of our Collective Action team under the Siemens Integrity Initiative, with both projects due to end in 2024. We are delighted to be one of eight organisations to receive the additional funding, which will help us expand our support to more practitioners, governments and companies worldwide.

Why the Golden Stretch?

Collective Action has emerged as a powerful way to bring together diverse stakeholders from the public and private sectors and civil society to ensure clean business and fair competition. As a recent study by our Collective Action team shows, the concept is now endorsed by numerous governments, international organisations and standard-setters, as well as practised by businesses and civil society representatives worldwide who recognise the benefits of this collaborative approach to fighting corruption.

The successful expansion of Collective Action is in no small part down to the work of the Siemens Integrity Initiative, which has supported 85 Collective Action projects across more than 50 countries with three funding rounds and the Golden Stretch Round since 2009. The total funding commitment has increased from $100 million to nearly $120 million.

The Golden Stretch will help to ensure that the achievements are sustained and the concept of Collective Action continues to grow and spread.

A growing community

The Basel Institute, which was founded in 2003 partly with the aim of promoting Collective Action against corruption, has been part of the Siemens Integrity Initiative community since the first funding round.

Among many other achievements, the funding has enabled us to develop the B20 Collective Action Hub, a global go-to centre for resources and guidance on anti-corruption Collective Action, as well as build a strong community of practitioners through a series of international conferences and workshops.

The adoption by several governments of the High Level Reporting Mechanism, a novel clean procurement mechanism developed and jointly promoted by the Basel Institute and the OECD with Siemens Integrity Initiative support, is another key achievement under our collaboration so far.

A current series of roundtables exploring synergies in human rights and anti-corruption compliance is seeing widespread resonance in the private sector, demonstrating the power of Collective Action to drive responsible and sustainable business beyond anti-corruption.

What to look out for at the Basel Institute

The new project will leverage our broad experience to mentor and support current and upcoming Collective Action leaders, as well as showcase the wide applicability of Collective Action to anti-corruption and related sustainable development goals. The B20 Collective Action Hub will be enhanced with online courses and a virtual help desk.

We will also multiply our strategic efforts to mainstream Collective Action, helping to embed the practice as a global compliance norm. We have already made significant inroads in this strategy under the current Siemens Integrity Initiative project, with strong endorsements of Collective Action issued by the B20 Saudi Arabia in 2020 and in the Political Declaration of the Special Session of the UN General Assembly against Corruption (UNGASS 2021).

Look out for announcements of our forthcoming conference in 2022 – and more – by following our Collective Action team on Twitter (@FightBribery) and LinkedIn.

Learn more

• See the official press release issued by Siemens AG on 7 July 2021.
• Browse the B20 Collective Action Hub for inspiration and evidence on anti-corruption Collective Action.