Integrity Compliance Programs for SMEs - Practical Guidance and Resources (English)

Small and medium-sized enterprises, or “SMEs,” play a major role in global economic development. This Guide aims to provide SMEs with a useful framework for developing effective Integrity Compliance Programs, or “ICPs,” tailored to their own business models, budgets, and risk profiles. It distills prevailing best practices and guidelines from leading national and international institutions. Many SMEs worldwide have collaborated with the World Bank Integrity Compliance Office, or “ICO,” to develop creative strategies for devising and implementing ICPs, mitigating the risk of misconduct in their operations, and even more broadly, among their business networks. This Guide describes some of these strategies. It is hoped that this Guide, which explains certain core principles, internal controls, and essential elements of ICPs, will be of real, practical value for SMEs seeking to build a culture of integrity in their businesses and communities.