SFO committed to tackling and preventing foreign bribery

The latest report from the OECD Working Group on Bribery underscores the importance of strengthening New Zealand’s foreign bribery detection and corporate liability frameworks.

SFO Director Karen Chang says, “Foreign bribery undermines trust, transparency, and global business integrity. The SFO is dedicated to raising awareness, enhancing detection capabilities, and fostering robust prevention measures to protect New Zealand’s reputation and economic integrity.”

The report highlights the SFO investigative and prosecutorial model as being a notable example of good practice, praising the organisation’s diversity of skill and expertise within its multi-disciplined investigation teams and its use of an independent prosecution panel. Other examples cited as good practice in New Zealand were the extension of whistleblower protections to a range of third parties, and accessible court judgment databases.

The report also recognises SFO’s role in improving international cooperation. The SFO and NZ Police have been actively engaging with global networks such as the IACCC (International Anti-Corruption Coordinations centre) and IFBT (International Foreign Bribery Taskforce), alongside strengthened domestic partnerships, including expanded information-sharing agreements with the IRD.

The recommendations outlined in the report offer a valuable opportunity to enhance New Zealand’s anti-corruption framework. The SFO is dedicated to collaborating with partners across the sector to address the challenges identified. Key reforms, such as the strengthened whistleblower protection regime and steps towards increased company transparency, are pivotal to advancing New Zealand’s efforts on the global stage.

Ms Chang says, “Awareness is key to combating foreign bribery. By fostering awareness, strengthening accountability measures, and building a culture of transparency, we can better protect the communities New Zealand businesses operate in from the harmful effects of corruption.”

“In the public sector, our prevention efforts focus on enhancing systems and controls to reduce vulnerabilities, equipping agencies with tools to identify risks, and promoting ethical leadership. These initiatives not only safeguard public resources but also reinforce trust in government institutions as pillars of integrity.’

The SFO remains committed to partnering with international and domestic stakeholders to uphold New Zealand’s standing as a leader in integrity and fair business practices.

Read the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention Phase 4 Report on New Zealand(external link)

Background to report

• The Phase 4 report by the OECD Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions evaluates and makes recommendations on New Zealand’s implementation and enforcement of the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions and related instruments.
• The report details New Zealand’s achievements and challenges, including in enforcing its foreign bribery offence, as well as progress made since its 2013 Phase 3 evaluation.
• New Zealand’s response to the review was led by the Ministry of Justice and supported by the SFO.

About the SFO

The SFO is responsible for investigating and prosecuting serious or complex fraud, including bribery and corruption in New Zealand. With a focus on maintaining integrity and trust in the financial system, the SFO has developed strategic areas of focus to ensure it has the greatest impact with the cases it takes in. These are reviewed and updated every 12-18 months. SFO Strategic Areas of Focus(external link)