Anti-Bribery & Anti-Corruption Training (ABAC)

Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption (ABAC) training is a specialised compliance programme designed to prevent employees from engaging in bribery — offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting something of value to influence a business decision. Modern ABAC frameworks are governed by multiple overlapping laws: India's Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA), the UK Bribery Act 2010, and the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), among others.

The key behavioural risk ABAC training addresses is the grey zone: is a Diwali gift to a client a legitimate cultural gesture or an improper payment? Is a facilitation payment to a customs official to expedite a legitimate process acceptable? Different jurisdictions answer these questions differently, and ABAC training must equip employees with both the legal framework and the practical judgement to navigate ambiguity.

Third-party risk is a critical ABAC focus. Most international bribery enforcement actions involve payments made through intermediaries — agents, distributors, joint venture partners — rather than direct employee conduct. ABAC programmes must therefore include third-party due diligence processes, contractual safeguards, and training on how to identify red flags in business relationships.

Demonstrating a robust ABAC programme is essential for organisations seeking government contracts, listed on international exchanges, operating in high-risk markets, or subject to regulatory oversight. Aktrea's ethics and compliance programmes include dedicated ABAC modules designed to satisfy the 'adequate procedures' defence under the UK Bribery Act and analogous standards in other jurisdictions.