Dear TIPS Member,
Last month, the TIPS Managing Committee held its final committee meeting for 2019/20. We held a focused discussion on how TIPS can effectively maintain engagement and continue to support TI-UK in a remote environment. This discussion was reinforced by this month’s TIPS Networking Discussion, which engaged wider members of the TIPS Network in a similar discussion.
TIPS envisages continuing on a remote basis at least for the remainder of 2020. Rather than being limiting, we believe this opens up new opportunities – to engage the anti-corruption and compliance community further afield and to reach out to more universities than we might otherwise. We are also conscious that you may be “webinared out” or suffering from “Zoom fatigue”, and so we are actively considering how to adapt our events to ensure you can both engage with the subject matter and network with other TIPS members.
You can also be a part of this drive in the coming year by applying to be a member of the TIPS Managing Committee for 2020/21. If you are interested, please refer to the job roles and submit your application by Friday 7 August 2020.
Please see below the TIPS Newsletter for July 2020. We look forward to seeing you soon.
- the TIPS team
1. Upcoming Events (register on our Events page)
TIPS Networking Discussion | 28 September 2020 | 7-8pm BST
Trust through transparency: the secret ingredient | 4 Aug 2020 | 9-10am BST
Fiscal governance and anti-corruption database | 5 Aug 2020 | 5-6pm BST
Anti-bribery and corruption awareness workshop | 27-28 Aug 2020 | 2-5.30am BST
2. Recent Events
TIPS Networking Discussion | Summary
On 27 July 2020, a number of TIPS members joined the TIPS managing committee for a brainstorming discussion on how TIPS can continue to add value in a remote WFH setting. Ideas included exploring how corruption intersects with other key issues in society (e.g. the environment, human rights) and organising practical knowledge-sharing sessions among TIPS members.
It was a really productive discussion that will help to inform the TIPS programme for the 2020/21 cycle.Many thanks to those who participated!
3. TIPS Advocacy: One Minute Reads
A number of new One Minute Reads have been uploaded to the TIPS website. Please do click the link to read more – perfect for your morning/evening WFH coffee break!
As ever, if you want to draft/share any One Minute Reads on the TIPS website or have any questions about this initiative, please contact Alex Sidossis, TIPS Advocacy Lead, at asidossis@4-5.co.uk.
4. Items of Interest
New TI-UK publication. TI-UK’s have made a submission to the Department for International Trade outlining the corruption risks that emerge in freeports, and making recommendations to reduce these risks. See here.
TI-UK blogs.
- Corruption & COVID-19 – the story so far. See here.
- Was the Surgisphere case a one-off, or does it highlight the bigger systemic problem of research fraud? See here.
- How open contracting can help mitigate corruption in health procurement amid COVID-19. See here.
- Ethical companies that respect human rights when lobbying will best survive the post COVID-19 recession. See here.
Podcasts.
- Bribe, swindle or steal: Art and antiquities in the criminal arsenal. Listen here.
- The Red Box Politics Podcast: From Russia with love. Listen here.
- The suspicious transaction report: Inside Crypto. Listen here.
News items.
- Russia report reveals UK government failed to investigate Kremlin interference. See here.
- “Serious concerns” raised over government’s export credit agency. See here.
- Taxpayers to lose billions to virus fraud. See here.
- Revealed: Key Cummings and Gove ally given COVID-19 contract without open tender. See here.
Other items.
- Newsletter. Oligarchy: a regular newsletter on money and power during the pandemic written by investigative journalist and author Oliver Bullough. See here.
- Blogpost. Why didn’t Novartis try to conceal its ongoing bribery? See here.
- Long read. Constructing rules on exclusions (debarment) under a post-Brexit regime on public procurement. See here.