Anti-Corruption Compliance for Indonesian Mid-Sized Companies

As highlighted in a previous Corporate Compliance Trends post about the importance of anti-corruption efforts in Indonesia, corruption is a major problem in the country. According to a Gallup poll, more than 8 in 10 Indonesians say that corruption is widespread throughout the nation’s government and businesses. Instances like the current corruption allegation involving the House of Representatives’ Speaker Setya Novanto (accused of having a backchannel deal with mining giant PT Freeport Indonesia) is just one example of why Indonesians’ perception of rampant corruption is so strong.

Addressing this reality is a challenge. Even though the government is taking strides to improve the situation (for example in 2003, the Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK, was formed to combat political corruption), reducing corrupt practices remains difficult. This is especially true for mid-sized companies with limited resources. Such firms often face the dilemma of following cumbersome bureaucratic procedures or paying bribes to expedite processes.

That’s why CIPE is releasing the Bahasa version of Anti-Corruption Compliance: A Guide for Mid-Sized Companies in Emerging Markets. This version of the Guide is meant to help local companies in Indonesia think about anti-corruption compliance as a strategic investment and take concrete steps to introduce or strengthen their internal compliance programs.

The Guide covers all the elements of a successful anti-corruption compliance program step-by-step, with a focus on the needs and constraints of mid-sized companies operating in emerging markets like Indonesia. The Guide is essential reading not only for managers of mid-sized firms, but also for compliance professionals at any company that might do business with suppliers, agents, subsidiaries, or other third parties in emerging market environments.

In the Indonesia context, the Guide also serves as a compelling argument for the power of the private sector to contribute to an overall improvement in the corruption environment. This is especially important in Indonesia, where, according to a recent CIPE-supported survey of Indonesian businesses, less than half of respondents believe that business has a role to play in reducing corruption.

You can download the Bahasa version here.

The English version of the guide is also available here.