More than 1,400 representatives from over 130 countries are meeting in Brasilia this week to brainstorm and exchange ideas on how best to promote transparency and accountability. The goal for this 15th International Anti-Corruption Conference is to support and connect people who want to change the rules of the international business game. Most participants represent civil society in all its colorful forms. This includes authorities and experts from governments, the private sector, international organizations, academia, and civil society. The event, however, is unlikely to be well-attended by the business community, because civil society is often thought to be the opposing team.
Fortunately, this view is changing, and civil society and the private sector are working together more often to achieve greater transparency and develop new tools and standards. Commercial transparency requires access to information, whether that information reflects the reputation of business partners, the well-disguised connections of government officials, or the shell games played by some companies to obscure ownership. Transparencyor sunlight, as they sayis a great disinfectant.
