The government has announced six new principles in its guidance on the Bribery Act, due to come into force on 1 July.

The government says the Act aims to ensure the UK can clampdown on corruption without being burdensome to business. For example, ensuring anti-bribery procedures are proportionateto the bribery risks firms face and to the nature, scale and complexity of its activities.

The six key principles are:

• Proportionate procedures

A commercial organisation’s procedures to prevent bribery by persons associated with it are proportionate to the bribery risks it faces and to the nature, scale and complexity of the commercial organisation’s activities. They are also clear, practical, accessible, effectively implemented and enforced.

• Top-level commitment

The top-level management of a commercial organisation (be it a board of directors, the owners or any other equivalent body or person) are committed to preventing bribery by persons associated with it. They foster a culture within the organisation in which bribery is never acceptable.

• Risk assessment

The commercial organisation assesses the nature and extent of its exposure to potential external and internal risks of bribery on its behalf by persons associated with it. The assessment is periodic, informed and documented.

• Due diligence

The commercial organisation applies due diligence procedures, taking a proportionate and risk based approach, in respect of persons who perform or will perform services for or on behalf of the organisation, in order to mitigate identified bribery risks.

• Communication (including training)

The commercial organisation seeks to ensure that its bribery prevention policies and procedures are embedded and understood throughout the organisation through internal and external communication, including training, that is proportionate to the risks it faces.

• Monitoring and review

The commercial organisation monitors and reviews procedures designed to prevent bribery by persons associated with it and makes improvements where necessary.

Justice secretary Kenneth Clarke says: “I have listened carefully to business representatives to ensure the Bribery Act is implemented fully and in a workable, common sense way – this is particularly important for small firms that have limited resources. I hope this guidance shows that combating the risks of bribery is largely about common sense, not burdensome procedures.”

http://www.justice.gov.uk/guidance/docs/bribery-act-2010-guidance.pdf