Anti-corruption charter
As a development bank with a strong social mandate and operating under the supreme authority of the Council of Europe, the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) is firmly committed to promoting integrity, ethical conduct and good governance across all its activities. The CEB applies a zero-tolerance approach to fraud, corruption and money laundering. This commitment applies not only to the Bank’s internal operations, but also to the projects it finances and to its relationships with counterparties, partners and other third parties.
Why this matters
Fraud and corruption undermine the effectiveness of development finance, threaten public trust and pose reputational and operational risks. Preventing and addressing such risks is essential to safeguarding the CEB’s mandate, maintaining the confidence of its shareholders and ensuring the social impact of its operations.
What the Charter sets out
The Anti-Corruption Charter establishes the principles guiding the CEB’s approach to preventing, detecting and addressing fraud and corruption, including:
- adherence to the highest standards of ethics, transparency and accountability
- a clear framework for prevention, detection and corrective action
- individual responsibility and accountability at all levels of the organisation
- the application of internationally recognised definitions and standards, including those developed by the Multilateral Development Banks’ Working Group on Fraud and Corruption.
How the CEB implements this commitment
The principles of the Charter are operationalised through the CEB’s governance framework, internal controls and compliance arrangements, as well as through a set of public policies covering areas such as compliance, whistleblowing, project financing, procurement and environmental and social safeguards. The Bank also cooperates with international partners and continuously aligns its practices with evolving international standards.
The Anti-Corruption Charter is implemented under the responsibility of the Office of the Chief Compliance Officer and is subject to periodic review to ensure its continued effectiveness.