Partnering Against Corruption Initiative

The World Economic Forum's Partnering Against Corruption Initiative (PACI) proposes a three-dimensional approach—institutional, behavioural, and technological—to combat corruption and restore trust. Using Argentina as a key example, the report highlights the impact of corporate liability laws, the role of leadership in setting ethical tones, and the potential of open data and blockchain to increase transparency. It emphasizes that while legal enforcement is necessary, it must be paired with capacity building for SMEs and a shift toward celebrating integrity ('naming and faming') to create sustainable change.

• Systemic corruption and low trust significantly hinder economic development, with illicit financial flows costing developing countries $1.26 trillion annually and the EU losing over $159 billion each year to corruption.
• In Argentina, there is a strong positive trend in anti-corruption perceptions; approximately 78% of business leaders observed a decrease in corruption over the last decade, and nearly 90% expect further improvement in the next ten years.
• The institutional dimension of trust relies on legal obligations and the rule of law. Argentina's Corporate Liability Law, enacted on 1 December 2017, establishes criminal liability for businesses that profit from bribery, even if leadership is not directly involved.
• There is a significant implementation gap for anti-corruption laws among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) due to lack of capacity. A study by Apertura found that 44% of surveyed firms had not initiated adaptation efforts after Argentina's liability law took effect, and 27% did not know what the regulation entailed.
• The behavioural dimension emphasizes 'leading by example' as the most critical driver of integrity across all sectors. The report argues for a shift from 'naming and shaming' to 'naming and faming' by spotlighting honest civil servants to inspire new generations.
• Collective action initiatives, such as the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) in Argentina, can mitigate corruption in high-risk areas like port inspections by replacing paper-based processes with e-governance and risk-based supervision.
• Open data is perceived by both public and private sectors as the most effective technological catalyst for trust, though it must be implemented alongside trust-building activities to avoid increasing political instability.
• Blockchain technology offers specific potential to combat land-registration corruption by tracking ownership and preventing graft. Rwanda is implementing a blockchain-based land registry to ensure the authenticity of identification and assets.
• A significant 'trust gap' exists regarding technology between sectors; the public sector is far more skeptical of technological innovations as enablers of trust compared to the private sector.

APA

World Economic Forum (2018). Partnering Against Corruption Initiative. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_47529_The_Future_of_Trust_and_Integrity_report_2018.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Partnering Against Corruption Initiative. 2018. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_47529_The_Future_of_Trust_and_Integrity_report_2018.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Partnering Against Corruption Initiative |date=August 2018 |url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_47529_The_Future_of_Trust_and_Integrity_report_2018.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2018partnering, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Partnering Against Corruption Initiative}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2018}, month = aug, url = {http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_47529_The_Future_of_Trust_and_Integrity_report_2018.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }