The commitment of the owners or controllers is essential so that a company does not resort to the practice of kickbacks to obtain illegal advantages from the public authorities. But it's not enough. Factors such as poorly designed bonus and incentive systems, pressure for results and failure to select good-natured professionals often lead even the best companies to become involved in corruption cases.

One of the most important initiatives to correct these factors and mitigate risks is the implementation of a good integrity or compliance program, which has full support from the top management and involves all employees, especially those with power in negotiations with suppliers and customers.

To encourage this practice, the Federal Comptroller General (CGU) and the Ethos Institute of Business and Social Responsibility instituted the Pro-Ethical Company program ten years ago. Through the initiative, companies of different sizes and sectors have the opportunity to submit their integrity programs to a rigorous evaluation led by the main control body of the federal government.

The program does not provide any advantage in business with the government. The companies approved in the evaluation (26 in the most recent edition, among 373 who started the process) earn the right to use the Empresa Pró-Ética seal for a period of two years. And all participants who present the complete documentation (152 last time) receive a detailed assessment of their integrity program to guide corrections and improvements.

ETCO support

In addition to CGU and Instituto Ethos, Empresa Pró-Ética has a management committee formed by entities from the public and private sectors dedicated to the fight against corruption. The group consists of ETCO, Ministry of Economy, Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil), Brazilian Federation of Banks (Febraban), National Confederation of Industries (CNI), National Confederation of Trade in Goods, Services and Tourism ( CNC), Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil (CNA), Institute of Independent Auditors of Brazil and Brazilian Service of Support to Micro and Small Enterprises (Sebrae).

To participate in Pró-Ética, the company needs to present certificates of tax and social security regularity, it cannot have debts before the Labor Court or appear in the Register of Unlawful and Suspended Companies (CEIS), in the National Register of Punished Companies (CNEP) or in the Register of Impeded Private Non-Profit Entities (CEPIM). Nor can you be participating in the negotiation of a leniency agreement or responding to an administrative proceeding related to the Anticorruption Law (12.846 / 2013).

Registration for the 2020-2021 edition, which started in October 2020, ended in February. The main novelty for this edition was the adoption of a special criterion that attributes extra points to companies that collaborated through donations for actions to face the economic and social crisis generated by the coronavirus pandemic. The evaluation period runs until October and the list of approved candidates will be released in November.