SPZK

In 2006 the Polish Centre for Testing and Certification with the Polish Chamber of Commerce and in consultations with the Ministry of Justice started works relating to elaboration of requirements of the Corruption Threats Counteraction System. These activities were inspired by the idea of creating a tool which might counteract corruption threats eventually leading to eliminate them, based on the basic quality management system used in the organization, i.e. requirements of PN-EN ISO 9001:2009 standard.

Thanks to efforts of the team of experts the requirements of the corruption threats counteraction system were published in July 2007 which are owned by the Polish Chamber of Commerce and the Polish Centre for Testing and Certification. They constitute a basis for implementation of solutions aimed at increasing of confidence  in functioning of organization with regard to reliability and impartiality of decisions being made, both in relation to its customers and to decisions concerning the way of using resources made available to it.

Decision to implement the system does not mean that corruption prevails in organization. This means that management of organization is able to identify potential corruption threats and undertakes to prevent them effectively.

Organization implementing the system should not only meet requirements included in the criteria but also to analyse and consider basic legal regulations related to specificity of its activity and universal regulations paying special attention to possibility of occurrence of corruptive actions resulting from non-observance of these regulations or from their inaccuracy and vagueness.

Confirmation of meeting these requirements by an independent third party in the process of certification is a proof that the organization declared the willingness to act and that the organization consistently implements the policy of the corruption threats counteraction system.

Requirements of the corruption threats counteraction system constitute a set of criteria meeting of which is intended to increase confidence in functioning of organizations activity of which is assessed in terms of reliability and impartiality of their decisions, both in relation to its customers and to decisions concerning the way of using resources made available to them.

In case an organization has already got a certified quality management system according to the ISO 9001 standard, the implementing and certifying of the system consists in documentation of meeting additional requirements. If an organization has not got an implemented quality management system, the implementing and certifying of the system takes place together with the quality management system.

History of SPZK

SPZK requirements

Basic definitions

• Corruption

Activity or refraining from activity and promise of such proceeding for the purpose of obtaining of an undue advantage, handed over, promised or implied, directly or indirectly. The notion of corruption refers to all participants of real or potential exchange.

• Anti-corruption

Set of actions taken for the purpose of eliminating or reducing probability of occurrence of corruption.

• Anti-corruption policy

All plans and directions of activity of an organization concerning elimination corruption threats, formally expressed by the top management.

The benefits resulting from implementation and certification of the Corruption Threats Counteraction System mostly quoted by organisations:

• reduced risk of occurrence of corruption,
• increased public trust in organization,
• ensuring transparency of actions,
• clearly defined responsibilities,
• transparent application of procedures,
• significant increase of employees’ commitment  and identification with the organization,
• continuous improvement of organization through the use of risk analysis tools.

Industries particularly interested in the certification of the Corruption Threats Counteraction System:

• Public Administration
• Health and Medicine