Private Sector Corruption Perceived To Be Rising - Survey
PARIS (AFP)--Populations hit by the global economic crisis see rising bribery
levels in the private sector, a new survey by the global anti-corruption
watchdog Transparency International showed Wednesday.
Asked how they perceived different domestic institutions, half of the
respondents to the survey said they saw the private sector as corrupt, an
increase of eight percentage points compared with five years ago.
"These results show a public sobered by a financial crisis precipitated by
weak regulations and a lack of corporate accountability," Huguette Labelle, head
of Transparency International, said in a statement.
"What is needed now is bold action by companies to continue strengthening
their policies and practices, and to report more transparently on finances and
interactions with government," she said.
The survey questioned 73,132 people in 69 countries between October 2008 and
February 2009. In Russia, 70% of those questioned said domestic companies often
used corruption to influence government policy.
There were high rates of perceived private sector corruption also in Canada,
Denmark, Hong Kong, Iceland, Luxembourg, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway,
Portugal, Singapore, Spain and Switzerland.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
06-03-091209ET
Copyright (c) 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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