Linking integrity, business conduct and public procurement

Business integrity is an integral component of sustainable business, including in public procurement. Adverse impacts of business operations activity along supply chains are often enabled by corruption, as highlighted by the 2023 OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct. With large amounts of public spending involved, public procurement can make a difference in global supply chains. However, to date, there has been limited attention paid to the intersection between integrity, responsible business conduct and public procurement. This paper captures the insights gained from informal expert group meetings under the Global Initiative to Galvanize the Private Sector as Partners in Combatting Corruption, with a view to establishing the foundations of a working framework that can help public and private sector actors take practical steps to increase integrity in supply chains behind government contracts.