ISO 37001: Testing The Ability To Implement A Global Anti-Bribery Standard

A year after a global anti-bribery standard was implemented by the International Standards Organization ("ISO"), a slow trend is emerging among major corporations, such as Microsoft and Wal-Mart, announcing they will seek certification under the standard. This presents an opportunity for companies to obtain a best practices certification concerning its anti-corruption controls, which could serve as a favorable factor for lenience for the corporation from criminal or civil enforcement authorities, should a problem arise.

The ISO is an independent, non-governmental international organization that aims to create international standards for various industries including technology, food safety, agriculture and healthcare. On October 14, 2016, the ISO adopted ISO 37001, a global standard aimed at implementing an anti-bribery management system designed to help prevent, detect and mitigate bribery. This is a significant step towards solidifying a global anti-bribery standard