What happens when you ‘self-report’ improprieties?   Layne Christensen Company agreed to pay nearly $5 million in fines last year.  They self-reported employees’ bribes offered to help get business in Africa.  The fines were about half what they might have been if the companies themselves had not stepped forward.

Apparently one-third of all cases brought under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act have been the result of self-disclosure.  Across the globe, self-reporting is becoming more common.  There are now 41 signatories to the 1999 Ant-Bribery Convention.

The Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has stated that over the past fifteen years, that most international bribes are paid by large companies with the knowledge of senior management.

Most cases have resulted in settlement rather than convictions.  The wrong-doing was either to blatant to fight in court, or more hopefully, companies have decided to join the fight against corruption.