Government launches consultation on Bribery Act guidance for businesses

The Government has begun consultation on guidance about the adequate procedures that organisations can put in place to prevent bribery under the Bribery Act 2010. The consultation runs until 8 November 2010. The Act, which comes into force in April 2011, introduces a corporate offence of failure to prevent bribery by persons working on behalf of a business. A business can avoid conviction if it has adequate procedures in place to prevent bribery. The Government will publish the guidance in early 2011. 

Guidance about commercial organisations preventing bribery (section 9 of the Bribery Act 2010) Get more information on the consultation at the Ministry of Justice website, which provides a link to the PDF consultation document. 

Bribery Act 2010 The Bribery Act 2010 is available on the Government legislation website. 

Also

The XpertHR legal timetable provides summaries of forthcoming and recently implemented legislation. 

Bribery Act 2010: implications for employers The updated legislation includes new offences, so employers should prepare now for its implementation. Paul Gaff, partner at Thomas Eggar, considers the implications. 

The XpertHR policies and documents section includes a policy on accepting gifts, a declaration of interests contract clause, and an outside business interests contract clause.