To foster business integrity UNODC works with academia and the private sector

28 May 2021 – To foster ethical decision-making in the private sector, the UNODC Global Integrity Education project is equipping young university graduates with the skills to develop an ethical mindset which they can apply at their future workplace. The project creates innovative partnerships between the private sector and academia in developing and implementing an integrity education programme in companies and universities in Kenya, Mexico and Pakistan.

The 16 modules of the project currently available were developed under the UNODC Education for Justice (E4J) initiative. They  include the input from academics and private sector practitioners and feature local readings (e.g. articles and books), case studies and practical examples of integrity challenges from specific sectors such as healthcare, education, legal and banking.

In the last months, UNODC provided training on anti-corruption, integrity, and ethics to over 250 university lecturers from Kenya, Mexico, and Pakistan. Each lecturer will in turn provide training on the same topics to each of their students, amounting to a total of 7,500  across the three countries. Students will also have the opportunity to gather first-hand experience of compliance and integrity issues during internships in the private sector.

The project  continues to engage students after graduation, involving them in adapting the modules to ‘on-the-job’ training programmes and empowering them to serve as ethics ambassadors at work. In doing so, the project bridges the gap between academia and business, and ensures that  education impacts practitioners across the span of their early career.

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The Global Integrity Education project is funded by the Siemens Integrity Initiative.  It is helping companies promote integrity and level the playing field for a fair and transparent economic environment.