Prague has announced that E&Y, a global consulting firm, will provide comprehensive advice to its anti-corruption systems. The company will assist Prague in implementing the international standard, ISO 37001, in the coming months. This standard provides guidance on creating, implementing, and monitoring anti-corruption management systems in organizations.

Prague seeks to establish a transparent and open environment within its institutions and hopes to reduce the costs, risks, and damages associated with bribery. Prague’s strategy to combat corruption has been successful, and the selection of a supplier for this type of consultancy focusing on implementing the ISO international standard is considered one of the critical milestones in the process.

According to Adam Zábranský, the head of property, transparency, and legislation, “Satisfying statutory norms against corruption is not enough. Individual organizations must take action in the fight against corruption. The ISO standard was created in response to this. The standard is based on international OECD and UN agreements against bribery and corruption.”

The standard is being adopted in response to experiences with Prague’s public companies, some of which have already received certification for internationally recognized anti-corruption standards or are now seeking it. Prague’s City Hall Director, Martin Kubelka, stated that “the system generally helps to fight corruption, which is the long-term strategy of the city and the administration. The system enables verification of internal processes, verification of established levels of transparency, and ethical behavior. It also strengthens corporate culture and gains greater trust from clients and the public.”

The anti-bribery measures the city hall will implement under the ABMS system include risk identification and assessment, bribery prevention and detection, and potential responses. The adoption of ISO 37001 should serve as an effective way for Prague’s institutions to enhance their ability to combat corruption and ensure that they operate within the international standard of good governance.

Overall, the decision to implement the ISO standard represents a significant step forward in the city’s efforts to combat corruption. The adoption of this standard should provide Prague with an effective framework for creating and maintaining a transparent and accountable organizational culture. Additionally, this move will help the city ensure that its institutions operate in accordance with best practices for good governance, both domestically and internationally.

Article by Prague Forum