By Adam Turteltaub

The world is often a difficult place in which to do business.  Many countries lack the rule of law, are corrupt, and make it hard for a company to do business and to do so lawfully and ethically.

The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) is trying to make a difference.  Its mission is to strengthen “…democracy around the globe through private enterprise and market-oriented reform.”  That mission puts them on the forefront of the fight against corruption.

In this podcast, Frank Brown, the Director of the Anti-Corruption and Governance Center at CIPE, provides an overview of the Center for International Private Enterprise and its work outside the US.

The podcast shares some notable progress.  As he explains, there is a very strong anti-corruption wave in Indonesia, and the KPK, the anti-corruption authority there, has had a 100% conviction rate.  In so doing, it has become a model for much of the world.

In this far-ranging conversation he discusses:

* The traction ISO 37001 is gaining in some countries, but not others

* Due to the new French anti-corruption law, a very specific approach to how state-owned enterprises should act is starting to spread

* Some mid-sized firms are not always motivated to change their behavior because they may not see the benefits of an anti-corruption compliance program because they feel that they are not likely to be prosecuted