A comparative analysis of the current anti-bribery practices and ISO 37001 requirements in Ghana

Abstract

Corruption is a worldwide problem and a significant issue in Ghana, causing retarded economic growth and development, and reduced confidence in government institutions. Over the last few years, corruption has taken over various aspects of Ghanaian society, including political monetization, bureaucracy, and lack of enforcement of relevant laws. To deal with corruption, Ghana has implemented a comparatively robust legal and institutional framework against corruption. However, corruption pressures still exist in Ghanaian enterprises, and weaknesses are reported in the legal and institutional business environment. Since Ghana has failed to implement ISO 37001, an international standard for anti-bribery management systems, this paper examines the gaps between the existing anti-bribery practices in Ghanaian organizations and the requirements of ISO 37001. Employing content analysis, the study assesses the potential of ISO 37001 to reduce corruption-related challenges in Ghana and recommends promoting Ghanaian organizations to adopt and implement the standard’s requirements, which would provide organization-level good practices and local anti-corruption champions and create positive examples for society.