Siemens AG announced on December 9th 2010 the first anti-corruption projects that will receive financing from the US$100 million integrity initiative to promote clean markets. This initiative is part of the World Bank-Siemens AG comprehensive settlement that was agreed on July 2, 2009 . Around 300 nonprofit organizations from 66 countries applied for funding during the first round. An initial tranche of US$40 million will now be distributed to more than 30 initiatives from over 20 countries that have been selected, including in South Africa The Ethics Institute of South Africa (EthicsSA) on a project which aims to capacitate African business networks with the implementation of anti-corruption initiatives and good governance practices at ground level.
EthicsSA was established in 2000. It is a non-profit, public benefit organisation. The organisation’s mission is to foster ethics in South Africa by forming partnerships in both the public and the private sector, as well as acting as a resource in the fields of thought leadership (promoting ethical values, standards and awareness); research; assessment; training; support and project management.
“We are delighted that an organization like EthicsSA is part of this initial funding tranche,” says Siemens South Africa CEO, Stuart Clarkson. “Our commitment to the principle that only clean business is sustainable business is unwavering. It is only through collectively joining hands to combat corruption action that the full impact can be realized through out society and the world.”
Business networks and individual businesses seldom have the expertise to implement internationally developed anti -corruption and good governance guidelines, standards and initiatives. Indeed, they are often unaware of their existence. An additional challenge when it comes to the fight against fraud and corruption is related to making the impacts felt at ground level. Here it becomes difficult to create platforms for the private and public sectors to engage on corruption challenges and collective action solutions.
The EthicsSA project will attempt to address these challenges, while building local capability. It will aim to reduce corruption from a ground level and implement collective projects that will have a positive impact on an ethical business climate and service delivery.
“Siemens stands for top performance with the highest ethical standards,” said Peter Y. Solmssen, Member of the Managing Board and General Counsel of Siemens AG. “Together with the World Bank Group, we want to promote integrity and fair competition worldwide. With the selection of the projects for the Siemens Integrity Initiative, we have taken the first important step in this direction.”
Contact:
Head: Corporate Affairs
Sithembile Mokaeane
Tel: +27 11 652 2146
Mobile: +27 79 890 6280
Email: Sithembile.mokaeane@siemens.com