The accreditation process
In order to become a member of The Convention on Business Integrity, a rigorous accreditation process has to be completed by the intending signatory. The diligent examination is vital to preserve one major asset of CBi: the credibility of its members. In becoming a new member, the intending signatory borrows the credibility of the overall group, which must be handled responsibly and sincerely.
Application
The application process is initiated by the intending signatory, which signals interest to CBi and contacts the CBi Secretariat proactively. For further processing, the CBi Secretariat requests the following necessary documents from the intending signatory:
o Completed Application Form
o Application Letter (this letter should state why the organization would like to be considered for membership and summarize the efforts made thus far to improve governance)
o Policy Statements on mission, vision & principles and statements on proactive steps to combat corruption within the organisation
o Board Resolution (incl. principal officers authorizing entity to sign the Convention on Business Integrity in original form)
o Certificate of Incorporation (certified copy)
o Form Co2 & Co7 (certified copy)
o Memorandum & Articles of Association
o Audited Accounts & Tax Clearance Certificates (over 5 year period dependent on year of incorporation; certified copy)
o Application Fees
The documents are sent to the CBi Secretariat in paper-based form. Subsequently, the CBi Secretariat assesses the completeness and accuracy of the provided information which includes additional background checks. In case information has been provided properly and thoroughly, the application will be forwarded to the CBi Core Group and the CBi Board.
Review of application by CBi
The CBi Secretariat, the CBi Board and the CBi Core Group (in the stated order) review the application documents. The stated commitment as well as the impact of the prospective member on the credibility of CBi will be discussed. The application will be rejected in case the intending signatory poses a substantial risk to the public standing of other members of CBi.
The application review primarily depends on the reputation and the stated commitment of the intending signatory. This implies that even companies with a record of past corruption cases may be eligible if their stated commitment and actions to integrity persuades the members of the CBi Core Group.
After the CBi Core Group and the CBi Board approve the application, the CBi Secretariat sends a formal Declaration of Principles to the intending signatory.
Public signing of the Convention on Business Integrity
A media event has to be organized by the intending signatory (at the signatory’s expense) for the public signing of the CBi Declaration of Principles, which includes also the commitment to participate in the annual integrity rating process. Signatories can jointly organize and coordinate the media event for the public signing conveniently. With the public signing, the intending signatory will obtain the status of an Associate Member of CBi. Also, the Associate Member will be published on the CBi website.