BYIAFSECRETARIATON APRIL 30, 2023 •
In Kazakhstan, corruption-related issues are being addressed at the state level, and various public institutions and mechanisms are involved in its solution. One of them is the International Standard ISO 37001 “Anti-bribery management systems — Requirements with guidance for use”, which is widely discussed in Kazakhstan. The standard is designed to help organizations implement an effective anti-bribery management system that is applicable to small, medium and large organizations in the public, private and voluntary sectors.
ISO 37001 establishes requirements and provides recommendations for a management system to help organizations to prevent, detect and take action on bribery, and to ensure compliance with anti-bribery laws or voluntary commitments.
The National Center for Accreditation under the Ministry of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan (NCA) is making an important contribution to the dissemination and promotion of this standard. In late January 2023, representatives of the NCA at a meeting in the Ministry held a detailed discussion with employees on prevention service of the Kazakhstan Anti-Bribery Agency, during which they spoke about both the ISO 37001 standard and the accreditation procedure for those organizations who wish to certify institutions, businesses and companies to this standard.
A short while later, NCA received the first application in the history of Kazakhstan for such accreditation, and after appropriate preparation, a team led by – NCA Deputy Director General Mr. KARASSAYEV Yerzhan began the process of accrediting the applicant.
The first accreditation of the CB according to the anti-bribery standard is an excellent opportunity to set a new precedent in Kazakhstan.
Firstly, this event opens up a new scheme of accreditation for NCA.
Secondly, it strengthens the very foundations of state security: economic, reputational, social, political.
Thirdly, having an ISO 37001 accredited certification body in Kazakhstan is a great leap forward and offers hope for the whole country. It represents a doorway to great opportunities to overcome corruption step by step, from organisation to organisation.
On March 31, 2023 in Astana, Kazakhstan, a forum on the “Development of anti-bribery compliance in the Republic of Kazakhstan” was organized by the Anti-Bribery Agency for organizations of the quasi-state and non-state sector. With the participation of NCA representatives, the topic about accredited certification according to ISO 37001 aroused great interest and became one of the most discussed topics.
NCA Deputy Director General Mr. KARASSAYEV Yerzhan as a specially invited speaker briefed participants about the ISO 37001 standard, which was developed in 2016 based on the model adopted in the UK. According to the speaker, the standard systematizes all the work processes to drive out corruption – from planning to the prospects for continuous improvement, while a special role is given to the first heads of organizations and top management in general.
It was at this forum that the NCA representative for the first time informed a wide audience about the first experience of accreditation for anti-bribery management system CB in Kazakhstan, which will subsequently provide high-quality certification for compliance with the ISO 37001 standard.
Another potential applicant expressed interest in accreditation and is currently at the stage of preparation and coordination of organizational issues with NCA.