America's Largest Companies Meet to Debate Anti-Corruption

    CHICAGO, March 7 /PRNewswire/ -- A conference for big business is set
 to explore the growing case against corporate corruption.
 
     Today, large companies find themselves constantly in the firing line
 over bribery and corruption. Regulators and prosecutors are becoming ever
 more vigilant. Convictions and fines for business corruption are rapidly
 increasing.
 
     Baker Hughes, Vetco International and Titan have paid a combined $98.5
 million to prosecutors in the last 12 months alone.
 
     Still many large companies are unaware of the growing legal liability
 they face under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. KPMG data points out
 that many large companies lack basic compliance programs yet face hugely
 increased criminal risks.
 
     Now, to help companies both understand and tackle this important issue,
 Ethical Corporation, the leading global business ethics magazine and events
 company, will hold a major business summit on the topic in Chicago on April
 15-17.
 
     The Anti-corruption Summit will discuss the risks big companies now
 face on corruption, and focus on practical programs and actions firms can
 use to manage their anti-corruption risk every day.
 
     "This conference is set to be a practical, pragmatic forum for senior
 managers to discuss and identify steps and strategies for effectively
 addressing bribery and related forms of corruption," said Wendy Hallgren,
 Vice President of Corporate Compliance at Fluor, a $14 billion, Texas-based
 global engineering, procurement, construction and maintenance services
 organization.
 
     The conference, preceded by a practical workshop on April 15, will be
 held in central Chicago on April 16-17. Issues discussed at the conference
 will include global ethics and compliance programs, supply chain
 anti-corruption, training and measurement of anti-bribery efforts.
 
     "Between true globalization of the world's economy and the increased
 demand for greater transparency on how corporations conduct business, a
 company's well-earned ethical reputation can be at risk if not properly
 safeguarded with sufficient anticorruption efforts," said Alex Brigham,
 President & CEO at Corpedia, the global ethics and compliance service
 provider.
 
     Speakers and attendees at the conference are confirmed from: Wal-Mart,
 BP, Best Buy, Tyco, ACS, Hospira, SAIC, ITT Corporation, Texas Instruments,
 Pfizer, Merrill Lynch, FBI, DoJ, SEC, and State Department.
 
     The conference is sponsored by: Deloitte, KPMG, and Corpedia.
 
     About Ethical Corporation:
 
     Ethical Corporation http://www.ethicalcorp.com is an independent
 publisher and conference organizer launched in 2001 to encourage debate and
 discussion on responsible business.
 
 

     Contact:
 
     Ross Vincent
     Conference Director
     Ethical Corporation Conferences
     Ross.Vincent@ethicalcorp.com
     +1-800-814-3459 extn 268
 
 
 

SOURCE Ethical Corporation