Swiss firms found least likely to offer bribes

Swiss business managers are perceived as being the least likely to pay bribes while doing business abroad, a survey has found.

Berlin-based Transparency International surveyed 3,000 business executives from 28 developed and developing countries and ranked them on the likelihood their firms would pay bribes abroad.

Switzerland and the Netherlands tied for first place with 8.8 points out of a possible ten as being the least likely to bribe.

Emerging economic powerhouses China and Russia, which invested $120 billion (SFr106 billion) overseas in 2010, were found to be the most likely to attempt to bribe potential business partners.

The survey found that the practice of companies paying bribes to public officials to win tenders or circumnavigate regulations was widespread – as was the practice of bribing other businesses.

“It is clear that bribery remains a routine business practice for too many companies and runs throughout their business dealings, not just those with public officials,” said Huguette Labelle, chair of Transparency International, in a media statement.

The survey found that public sector works and construction companies scored lowest in the survey, while the oil and gas sector is also seen as being especially prone to bribery.

“Companies operating in oil-rich Nigeria have already been fined upwards of $3.2 billion in 2010-2011 for bribery of public officials,” the survey noted.