Opening of the 4th International Collective Action Conference 2022, 30 June to 1 July 2022, Basel, Switzerland (#ICAC2022).

• Welcome by Gretta Fenner, Managing Director of the Basel Institute on Governance
• Keynote address by Prof. Margaret Heffernan, Professor of Practice, University of Bath School of Management: "A place for truth-telling"

Numerous governments endorse Collective Action as an innovative, flexible and collaborative approach to prevent corruption and promote fair competition and sustainable business. Representatives of authorities engaged in anti-corruption will discuss their support for Collective Action and share experiences in translating commitments into action:

• Jorge Bermúdez Soto, Comptroller General of the Republic of Chile
• Navin Beekarry, Director General, Independent Commission Against Corruption of Mauritius
• Izadora Zubek, International Affairs Officer, French Anti-Corruption Agency
• Gemma Aiolfi, Basel Institute on Governance (moderator)

This lightning talk by Bernard O'Donnell, Head of Investigations at the European Investment Bank, kicked off a panel discussion about the variety of anti-corruption Collective Action initiatives.

Related blog: https://collective-action.com/news/siemens-and-the-european-investment-bank-fostering-integrity-through-collective-action-and-constructive-settlements-2133

The field of Collective Action is diverse and continues to evolve. This panel showcases good practices and highlight new approaches and developments in Collection Action for business integrity. The panel features:

• Giovanni Gallo, Chief, Implementation Support Section, Corruption and Economic Crime Branch, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
• Andrew Blasi, Director, Crowell & Moring International
• Lene B. Lauridsen, Senior Compliance Officer, Grundfos
• Liz David-Barrett, Head of the Global Programme on Measuring Corruption, International Anti-Corruption Academy
• Vanessa Hans, Basel Institute on Governance (moderator)

The winners of the Collective Action Awards 2022 were announced at a ceremony during the 4th International Collective Action Conference. Offered by the Basel Institute on Governance, the Awards celebrate anti-corruption initiatives that bring together stakeholders from across the private and public sectors and civil society. The winners in the two categories were:

• Outstanding Achievement: The Maritime Anti-Corruption Network’s Collective Action initiative in Nigeria, in collaboration with the Convention on Business Integrity.
• Inspirational Newcomer: Global Compact Network Ukraine Collective Action Initiative

Honourable mentions go to the shortlisted participants: Business Integrity Society Korea, CoST - the Infrastructure Transparency Initiative, the Bribery Prevention Network and the Fight Against Facilitation Payments Initiative (FAFPI).

The second day of the 4th International Collective Action Conference kicked off with a fireside chat between:

• Drago Kos, Chair of the OECD Working Group on Bribery
• Mark Pieth, President, Basel Institute on Governance and former chair of the OECD Working Group on Bribery

The discussion highlighted key developments in setting international standards on Collective Action in the OECD framework.

This panel on the synergies between anti-corruption and business and human rights brought to a close the 4th International Collective Action Conference. The regulatory landscape is shifting towards mandatory human rights due diligence regulations. This panel brought together experts from human rights and anti-corruption compliance backgrounds to explore the potential nexus between corporate efforts to protect human rights and prevent corruption, and the role Collective Action could play in connecting the dots. It featured:

• Anita Ramasastry, Member, UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights
• Peter Nestor, Global Head of Human Rights, Novartis
• Christian Leitz, Head, Corporate Responsibility Management, UBS
• Vanessa Hans, Basel Institute on Governance (moderator)

This panel discussion explored how governments, businesses and civil society can collaborate better through Collective Action. Building on stakeholder breakout discussions from the previous day of the conference, the session delved into how stakeholders can build stronger and lasting relationships across stakeholder divides. The panellists discussed how common expectations, incentives, and commitments can be channeled towards mainstreaming Collective Action more effectively. It featured:

• Cecilia Müller Torbrand, CEO, Martitime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN)
• Daniela Santana Silva, Head of the Department of Cooperation and International Affairs, Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic of Chile
• Prof Deon Rossouw, CEO, The Ethics Institute (South Africa)
• Scarlet Wannenwetsch, Basel Institute on Governance (moderator)