By Duncan Mackay
May 2 – A new $3.1 million (£1.8 million) scheme has been launched by the Ethos Institute of Business and Social Responsibility and the United Nations Global Compact to try to ensure that the build-up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and 2016 Olympics and Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro remain free of corruption.
It is planned that project called “Clean Games Inside and Outside of the Stadium” will monitor public spending and to facilitate reporting of potential irregularities linked to the two biggest events on the sporting calendar.
Supported by the Siemens Integrity Initiative, “Clean Games” will cover all 12 host cities ofthe World Cup, including Rio de Janeiro, in an effort to increase transparency, integrity andsocial control over the infrastructure investments to be made in the run-up to the two events.
More specifically, the project will launch four sectoral anti-corruption agreements with companies from the construction, energy, transportation and health equipment sectors that carry out projects to modernise and expand airports, stadiums, hospitals, transportation systems and other types of public infrastructure.
In addition, “Clean Games” plans to initiate a transparency pact with Governors, Mayors and all candidates running for public office in the host cities, seeking public commitments toaccountability and transparency in public spending.
Further project funds will be used to develop and share tools to track and monitor recruitmentand progress of public works.
A project website will guide and help citizens and civil societyorganizations to exert more effective social control over public spending and monitor the conduct of companies by providing further details about individual projects and by offering a possible channel for complaints.
The initiative will be coordinated by a newly formed National Committee, four national thematic committees and 12 local committees, including representatives of civil society organisations, trade associations and Government bodies.
“With their voluntary commitment to prevent and combat fraud, businesses and Governments take a clear stand against corruption,” said Jorge Abrahão, the President of the Ethos Institute, a Brazilian-based non-Governmental civil society organisation that brings together more than 1,400 companies of all sizes and sectors whose mission is to mobilise, encourage and help companies manage their business in a socially responsible manner.
The Ethos Institute’s 907 members comprise companies of different segments and sizes, which account for annual revenues of approximately 30 per cent of the Brazilian Gross Domestic Product and employ roughly 1.2 million people.
It was founded with the aim of establishing ethical patterns for the relationship with employees, customers, suppliers, community, shareholders, public power, and the environment.
Launched in 2000, the United Nations Global Compact is a call to companies around the world to align their strategies and operations with ten universal principles in the areas of human rights,labour, environment and anti-corruption, and to take action in support of broader UN goals.
With more than 6,000 corporate signatories in over 135 countries, it is the world’s largest corporate responsibility initiative.
“As the world looks forward to the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics in Brazil, ‘Clean Games’ isa welcome collective effort to take a stand against corruption,” said Georg Kell, executive director of the UN Global Compact.
“We hope this initiative will serve as a blueprint to effectively address the inherent risks of large-scale infrastructure spending in the context of global sporting events.”
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