This panel marks the launch of the second OECD Anti-Corruption and Integrity Outlook. Drawing on the OECD Public Integrity Indicators, the Outlook demonstrates that while countries have made significant progress in the last two years, there remains scope to improve. Speakers will explore how addressing gaps in countries’ anti-corruption and integrity systems is vital to governments’ ability to confront evolving challenges such as organised crime, to their efforts to develop the efficiency and reliability of public services, and to their work to improve delivery through stronger public procurement processes. The panel will shape the global discussion on how strong anti-corruption measures can support prosperous economies and stable, dignified societies.

Predictable, effective enforcement is not a brake on business but a foundation for stable markets and quality investment. This session will examine how strong enforcement of anti-corruption rules enhances investor confidence, reduces regulatory risk, and supports fair competition. Coordinated action across jurisdictions and among domestic agencies, from tax to financial intelligence and competition authorities, can accelerate case resolution and avoid duplicative burdens. Sanctions, confiscation, and compensation can be considered as tools that restore value rather than simply punish. The discussion will also explore how integrity and the rule of law shape investment decisions, attract sustainable private sector growth and foreign direct investment, and contribute to creating business environments where companies can thrive.

While Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries have largely adopted anti-corruption and integrity strategies and introduced more robust regulatory frameworks in this field, effective implementation on the ground remains a persistent challenge. This side event will bring together practitioners from across the MENA region who work in integrity and related fields to examine the factors that hinder the implementation of these strategies and regulations and identify areas requiring particular attention to ensure that anti-corruption and integrity measures are fully translated into practice. These may include the development of stronger monitoring and evaluation frameworks, broader whole-of-government and whole-of-society engagement, engaging local governments in planning and implementation, and more robust data to inform decision-making.

To attract foreign direct investment and foster domestic entrepreneurship, governments across the world seek to improve macro conditions for companies. In this context, integrity and rule of law are threshold issues that determine where companies choose to grow and invest. Panellists from major multinationals and corruption prevention authorities will discuss how companies can work together proactively with officials at the centre of government to improve the business environment. The session will cover both consultation with companies on national anti-corruption and integrity strategies as an important mechanism as well as the impact of practical interventions, such as public-private peer-to-peer learning.

Businesses play a critical role in advancing integrity and combating corruption in an increasingly complex and high-risk global environment. This Business at OECD knowledge partner event will explore how companies are strengthening integrity not only through formal compliance systems, but also through leadership, organisational proximity, culture, and communication. Building on the recent Business at OECD Call to Action “Upholding Integrity and Compliance Amidst Global Uncertainty”, the session will first examine why strong business integrity matters more than ever in times of geopolitical instability, economic pressure, and heightened stakeholder expectations, and how the tone from the top can be effectively cascaded throughout organisations and across supply chains.The discussion will then present key findings from the Business at OECD policy paper “Talk Integrity: How Corporate Communication Drives the Fight Against Corruption”, highlighting how clear, credible, and consistent communication can reinforce compliance frameworks, support ethical decision-making, and build trust both internally and externally. Finally, drawing on the Business at OECD Zero Corruption Manifesto, the session will focus on how companies translate rules and systems into lived organisational culture, including the role of leadership behaviours, incentives, speak-up mechanisms, and ethical intelligence in shaping everyday decisions. Together, the panels will showcase how businesses are moving from commitment to action and positioning integrity as a strategic asset in uncertain times.

Governments are facing growing pressure to ensure budget discipline and maximise the impact of public spending amid fiscal constraints. The use of data analytics and AI can support governments to prevent fraud, detect wrongdoing, and recover money. This improves public finances and increases citizens’ trust that taxpayer funds are managed appropriately. This session will explore countries’ approaches to showcasing the return on investment of fraud prevention measures and promoting their adoption. Speakers will share how the use of data analytics and AI can support cost-savings and value for money.