The Global Corruption Report is one of Transparency International's flagship publications, bringing together experts from all over the world to discuss and analyze corruption in a specific sector. Reports have focused on corruption in climate change, the private sector, water and the judiciary. [1] It began in 2001 simply as a collection of research on global corruption, but since 2003 has grown into a report dedicated to providing information and solutions to corruption in various areas.
Corruption is a global, ethical and legal issue and is defined by Transparency International as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. The aim of the Global Corruption Report is to bring the matter of corruption to the attention of the world and aid in combating it. It is also designed as a tool to help policymakers and the public to change corrupt behaviour by providing guidelines and recommendations within the report. The Global Corruption Report uses various sources of information including experts and activists, as well as up to date research, in order to bring to the fore the recent developments in corruption. The report also addresses international and regional trends, highlights significant cases and uses the Bribe Payers Index and the Corruption Perceptions Index as empirical evidence of corruption. The report provides an assessment of corruption within more than 30 countries, as well as research findings and perspectives, and it is designed to be useful to a broad range of readers. This includes policymakers, journalists, educators, students as well as the general public.
Each year the report focuses on a particular sector and examines the prevalence of corruption within that sector around the world. By focusing on one sector the report further underlines the seriousness of corruption and the need for change to be implemented. It also emphasises how corruption in that sector affects the people and economy of those affected countries. The report helps to expose what may be lacking in the policies of those nations and encourages them to put in place better policies and processes. In reviewing the policies related to one sector, this may further encourage policymakers to review other sectors and implement change throughout.
In previous reports, the 2007 Global Corruption Report focused on judicial corruption and its effect on the justice system as a whole. It also assessed the pressures applied to judges and courts by politicians, society and economic conditions. The report reviewed where and why corruption in the judicial system is occurring. It also gave details on efforts to reduce judicial corruption as well as recommendations for judiciary participants to avoid and eradicate corruption in their own country. The 2007 report stressed the need for judicial systems to remain “clean” and maintain integrity, accountability and transparency. Only by doing so can the judiciary act without undue influence and ensure the basic human right to a fair trial is upheld.
The 2006 Global Corruption Report focused on corruption in the health sector and how public money may be an enticement to corruption. It also discussed corruption in the pharmaceutical chain, as well as in hospital administration, while also highlighting the various forms that corruption takes in the health sector around the world. The report also offered perspectives on the people of countries affected by such corruption and the effect on their health. The 2005 Global Corruption Report focused on how corruption in the construction sector and post-conflict reconstruction undermines economic development. This report included a particular focus on Iraq and the rebuilding that was necessary after the war. The report also reviewed the economic cost and environmental effect of corruption within the construction industry. It covered financing of corruption with a specific look at multilateral development banks and export credit agencies world wide. The 2004 report focused on political corruption and how political and party finances play an influential role on the levels of corruption globally. The report examines the role of disclosure in the prevention of corruption in the political sector as well as discussing corporate contributions, vote buying and legal hurdles encountered by politicians.
The Global Corruption Reports are not designed to merely emphasise the extent of corruption and how it affects processes. They also demonstrate how reforms and activism can help remedy a system tainted by corruption. The reports have a vast array of contributors giving perspectives from various points of view and levels of experience in dealing with corruption. This assists in maintaining objectivity throughout the report and ensures it does not just act as an advertisement for the interests of Transparency International in eradicating corruption. While it is clear throughout the reports that the underlying theme is to help stop corruption occurring in the world wide domain, the Global Corruption Reports are not just propaganda.
All of the Global Corruption Reports from are available via download from the Transparency International website or by ordering from Transparency International. This allows anyone from around the world the ability to access the reports and ensures the latest research, developments and guidelines are available to the world at all times. By making the reports readily available it means that any individual in any part of the world can assess the state of corruption within their own country. This is the first step in bringing about change or encouraging countries to continue to operate in a corruption free environment. Transparency International Global Corruption Report for Education 2013 Archived 2013-10-02 at the Wayback Machine available for pre-order for Oct. 3, 2013 (Archives).
Political corruption is the use of powers by government officials or their network contacts for illegitimate private gain.
Transparency International e.V. (TI) is a German registered association founded in 1993 by former employees of the World Bank. Based in Berlin, its nonprofit and non-governmental purpose is to take action to combat global corruption with civil societal anti-corruption measures and to prevent criminal activities arising from corruption. Its most notable publications include the Global Corruption Barometer and the Corruption Perceptions Index. Transparency International serves as an umbrella organization. From 1993 to today, its membership has grown from a few individuals to more than 100 national chapters, which engage in fighting perceived corruption in their home countries. TI is a member of G20 Think Tanks, UNESCO Consultative Status, United Nations Global Compact, Sustainable Development Solutions Network and shares the goals of peace, justice, strong institutions and partnerships of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG). TI is a social partner of Global Alliance in Management Education. TI confirmed the dis-accreditation of the national chapter of United States of America in 2017.
The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) is an index that scores and ranks countries by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, as assessed by experts and business executives. The CPI generally defines corruption as an "abuse of entrusted power for private gain". The index is published annually by the non-governmental organisation Transparency International since 1995.
Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense which is undertaken by a person or an organization which is entrusted in a position of authority, in order to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's personal gain. Corruption may involve many activities which include bribery, influence peddling and embezzlement and it may also involve practices which are legal in many countries. Political corruption occurs when an office-holder or other governmental employee acts with an official capacity for personal gain.
Corruption in Pakistan involves fraudulent practices carried out by officials and institutions. This can include a number of corruption practices, from petty bribery to high-profile scandals.
Corruption in Zimbabwe has become endemic within its political, private and civil sectors.
Corruption can take many forms, and can distort how public policy is made or implemented. This article discusses the responsibilities of the various agencies involved in combating corruption in Australia. Australia became a signatory to the United Nations Convention against Corruption in 2005. While Australia is a wealthy democracy, over the decade since 2012, Australia's ranking in the Corruption Perceptions Index from Transparency International has slipped from 7th place in 2012 to 14th in 2023, where the country ranked first is perceived to have the most honest public sector. Additionally, there is a public perception that corruption in Australia is increasing. All states have broad-based anti-corruption agencies, and a national anti-corruption commission has been operational since July 2023.
In general, Belgium has a well-developed legal and institutional framework for fighting against corruption.
Corruption in Poland is below the world average but not insignificant. Within Poland, surveys of Polish citizens reveal that it is perceived to be a major problem.
In 2013, a report by Transparency International revealed that political parties, Parliament, the judiciary and the military are the most corrupt institutions in Portugal. Transparency International's 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index ranks the country in 33rd place out of 180 countries in the Index.
Transparency International's 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index scored Germany at 78 on a scale from 0 to 100. When ranked by score, Germany ranked 9th among the 180 countries in the Index, where the country ranked first is perceived to have the most honest public sector. For comparison with worldwide scores, the best score was 90, the average score was 43, and the worst score was 11. For comparison with regional scores, the highest score among Western European and European Union countries was 90, the average score was 65 and the lowest score was 42.
Corruption in the Netherlands is minimal in all major areas—judiciary, police, business, politics—as the country is considered one of the least corrupt within the European Union.
Corruption in Slovenia is examined on this page.
Corruption in Slovakia is a serious and ongoing problem.
Corruption in Georgia had been an issue in the post-Soviet decades. Before the 2003 Rose Revolution, according to Foreign Policy, Georgia was among the most corrupt nations in Eurasia. The level of corruption abated dramatically, however, after the revolution. In 2010, Transparency International (TI) said that Georgia was "the best corruption-buster in the world." While low-level corruption had earlier been largely eliminated, Transparency International Georgia since 2020 has also documented dozens of cases of high-level corruption that remain to be prosecuted.
Corruption levels are perceived to be high by surveyed residents of Serbia, and public trust in key institutions remains low.
Corruption in Myanmar is among the worst in the world. Owing to failures in regulation and enforcement, corruption flourishes in every sector of government and business. Many foreign businesspeople consider corruption "a serious barrier to investment and trade in Myanmar." A U.N. survey in May 2014 concluded that corruption is the greatest hindrance for business in Myanmar. The ongoing civil war has significantly set back anti-corruption efforts, exacerbating the problem.
Corruption in Azerbaijan is considered high and occurs at all levels of government. Corruption during the Soviet era was rife and persists into the present. As of 2024, Azerbaijan has regularly ranked near the bottom of Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index.
Corruption in Chad is characterized by nepotism and cronyism. Chad received a score of 20 in the 2023 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index on a scale from 0 to 100. When ranked by score, Chad ranked 162nd among the 180 countries in the Index, where the country ranked first is perceived to have the most honest public sector. For comparison with worldwide scores, the best score was 90, the average score was 43, and the worst score was 11. For comparison with regional scores, the average score among sub-Saharan African countries was 33. The highest score in sub-Saharan Africa was 71 and the lowest score was 11.
The Basel Institute on Governance is an independent, international non-profit organisation dedicated to preventing and combating corruption and other financial crimes and to strengthening governance around the world. The organisation was established in Basel, Switzerland in 2003 by Professor Mark Pieth.