How technology contributes to the fight against corruption

Montevideo, December 9, 2022. 

Technology is an ally in preventing corruption across sectors of society. Through it, technological solutions have been designed and implemented that contribute to transparency, accountability, citizen participation, and institutional strengthening. In this way, mechanisms are provided for citizens to request and access information.

Corruption has multiple negative impacts, including: violations of human rights, poverty and inequality, economic loss and inefficiency, partial justice, climate change, and damage to biodiversity. Every corrupt act directly affects people’s lives, hindering opportunities, development, and growth for a better future.

Through the use of technology, public and private organizations have expanded and implemented new ways to strengthen transparency and accountability. For example, the incorporation of digital services, the development of IT systems, the creation of online platforms, and the digitalization of services. Through these, citizens have access to open data to interact with their governments and thus ensure public accountability.

Data are considered a key resource for uncovering acts and/or crimes of corruption. Through big data, it is possible to process and analyze information that helps identify risk factors, sources of corruption, improve the effectiveness of compliance programs, and focus on early detection and prevention of corruption, using more detailed due diligence mechanisms and other preventive actions.

Sofis Solutions has worked on different projects related to transparency and accountability. Projects that contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One of them is the Rendición de Cuentas Honduras (RCH) Oversight Platform. This tool contributes to transparency, inclusion, and accountability in national electoral processes. In addition, it serves as a mechanism to strengthen democracy and to prevent and manage conflicts of interest. 

Furthermore, Sofis Solutions has been working with its stakeholders in the fight against corruption, specifically bribery. Through its Anti-Bribery Policy, it maintains a zero-tolerance stance toward bribery in all its forms. Its Anti-Bribery Management System, based on ISO 37001, seeks to prevent, detect, and mitigate any possible act of bribery, both internally and externally. 

This year, the company included a gender perspective in its Anti-Bribery Management System, focusing on different items in the bribery risk analysis, including: risks of exclusion of certain genders by prioritizing others that could imply some form of bribery, risk of gender-based criminalization or extortion, reduction of gender gaps (as a positive risk), among others. 

Every December 9, the United Nations (UN) commemorates International Anti-Corruption Day, a date that calls worldwide attention to raise awareness among various sectors of society about the importance of preventing and combating corruption.