Clean, ethical business practices build trust, attract investors, and create healthier markets. For the OECD, business integrity is key to leveling the global playing field and enhancing national competitiveness.
Amid global regulatory uncertainty, countries like Indonesia and Thailand are stepping up. Both are taking meaningful steps to strengthen their anti-corruption frameworks as they move towards joining the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention – a critical milestone and prerequisite for future OECD membership.
Their actions reflect a broader shift: governments across Asia increasingly recognise that corruption undermines competitiveness, deters investment and jeopardises sustainable, long-term growth. A 2024 regional study confirms this - Asian countries that improved control of corruption are far more likely to attract foreign direct investment and foster long-term growth.
Regional co-operation and the role of collective action
Recognising that no single actor can tackle corruption alone, public and private sector actors are joining forces at the regional level through the Anti-Corruption Initiative for Asia and the Pacific (ACI), co-led by the OECD and Asian Development Bank.
The ACI launched a business integrity workstream in 2019, initiated by the Government of Viet Nam as host country. Last year, the Government of Bhutan held business integrity seminars, and in 2025, Indonesia is expected to host the Regional ACI Conference.
These collective action efforts are underpinned by the OECD’s Anti-Bribery Recommendation, the first global standard to formally recognise the role of collective action and partnerships between the public and private sectors against foreign bribery.
Spotlight on innovation: Promising business integrity initiatives across the region
From risk mapping to regulatory reform, here are four standout examples of how countries are taking action through public-private initiatives:
- Australia: The Bribery Prevention Network brings together business, civil society, academia and government to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) prevent, detect and address bribery and corruption while promoting a culture of compliance.
- India: The Maritime Anti-Corruption Network, a global initiative, set up a HelpDesk in India serving as a real-time resolution mechanism that bridges the gap between the shipping industry and local authorities. It collects anonymous reports by shipping companies of bribe solicitation in ports and uses this data to map out risk areas and tailor its strategies to engage with local government authorities.
- Hong Kong, China: The Independent Commission Against Corruption is engaged in several sector-specific collective action initiatives, particularly in construction and banking, and collaborates with chambers of commerce and industry associations such as the Construction Industry Council.
- Thailand: In 2024, the Thai government amended its procurement law to recognise certification by the Thai Collective Action Against Corruption (CAC) initiative as proof of a company’s anti-corruption controls. This enables CAC-certified firms to qualify for public contracts above a certain threshold, incentivising private-sector compliance.
These examples illustrate how government authorities are increasingly participating in collective action initiatives to enhance their awareness-raising efforts, gather better evidence and develop tailored solutions that reflect the realities of different sectors and companies, including SMEs. By engaging in such initiatives, government authorities can increase their outreach, lend greater legitimacy to private sector anti-corruption efforts and effectively promote the adoption of business integrity policies.
Building a regional community of practice
To sustain momentum, the OECD and the Basel Institute on Governance launched a regional community of practice.
In 2023, the Asia-Pacific Collective Action Forum was held in Manila, Philippines, bringing together 50+ practitioners from diverse stakeholder groups across the region. The Asia-Pacific Anti-Corruption Collective Action Award recognised the growing number of initiatives in the region and celebrated their achievements. The Thai CAC received the inaugural award.
Encouraged by the forum’s success, participants expressed strong interest in sustaining and deepening exchanges among practitioners. A follow-up collective action workshop was held in 2024 in Bangkok, in collaboration with the Thai CAC. The workshop further strengthened the emerging community of practice and provided a valuable platform for peer learning.
This regional community has created a meaningful space for peer learning and experience-sharing, and contributed to greater alignment with international standards.
Looking ahead: Co-operation as the path forward
These developments show that business integrity reforms are not only possible but already under way.
In 2025, the OECD will release a policy paper examining the link between business integrity frameworks and competitiveness. It underscores how public-private co-operation is not only advancing reform, but making countries more attractive to investment and resilient to shocks.
Although still in their early stages, the emergence of collective action and partnerships between the public and private sectors in Asia offers a promising path towards advancing integrity. Sustained co-operation will be crucial to fully realising the potential of these initiatives.
