It is sometimes said compliance with the new Bribery Act is impractical in the construction sector (鈥淲here the buck stops鈥�, 29 October, page 34)

However, companies that have embraced an anti-corruption culture, including Balfour Beatty and Amec, show that it can be done.

Small and medium-sized enterprises lack the muscle of their larger counterparts in taking a hard line against corruption. So one solution could be to club together in industry associations to agree a common approach.

It is clear the Serious Fraud Office means business. Last week the former chief executive of a City firm was jailed for 21 months and fined 拢100,000 for his part in bribery relating to an overseas contract. There have been a number of prosecutions and civil settlements recently under the old law, and the new one will make it easier to prosecute. We anticipate more investigations. Don鈥檛 be one of them 鈥�

Barry Vitou and Richard Kovalevsky

Topics