Antonio Argandoña, IESE professor. PHOTO: Courtesy

Three out of four countries around the world have serious corruption problems, according to the "Corruption Perceptions Index 2010" recently presented by the well-known NGO Transparency International. The results of report denote that the corruption problem does not seem to stop and that there is still a long way to go.

What can be done? Professor Antonio Argandoña, head of the Chair "La Caixa" Social Responsibility business and Corporate Governance at the IESE Business School of the University of Navarra, says that at the business level, business needs to establish an ethical corporate culture and implement a solid anti-corruption strategy. In other words, the fight against corruption depends on the organization's management being firmly committed to complying with the law. This includes, according to the professor:

* Considering honesty in promotions, but, above all, its introduction in the strategy of business.

    * Define who assumes responsibility for actions that are more susceptible to corruption (contract or permit holders).

    * Establish general criteria for behavior in the face of corrupt practices, which should be put in writing in a code of conduct that, if appropriate, should go so far as to typify even the smallest detail.

    * Inform staff at business who to contact to report corrupt practices within the organization.

    * Commit to reinstate those affected to the extent necessary and dedicate material and human resources to control tasks.

    * Implement corrective measures in the event of any episode of corruption, taking advantage of the opportunity to take a step forward in the commitment against this subject of actions. In this way, what is initially perceived as a serious problem can become a competitive advantage if, in the long term, a new anti-corruption strategy emerges from it deadline.

For Professor Argandoña, the commitment not to engage in corruption is the least that should be demanded of a company business, although ideally it should be committed to actively combating it. Firstly, because of its social responsibility and, secondly, because the possible short-term gains deadline will never outweigh the long-term benefits.