The National Council of Private Enterprise (Conep) launched this Monday the platform “Responsible Business Conduct (CER), a website that allows companies to register and self-assess the levels of transparency, compliance and due diligence they implement in their operations.
The platform –created with the support of the Directorate of Ethics and Government Integrity (Digeig) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)– also offers good practice tools for the business leaders.
The president of Conep, Celso Juan Marranzinihighlighted that the environment in which companies operate has changed, so ethics and transparency are no longer “optional expectations” and become necessary conditions to participate in global chains, attract investments, protect reputation and ensure sustainability.
“Since the Conepwe believe that the private sector has been maturing this issue. The CER platform was born precisely with that vision: to offer modern tools and accessible to accompany companies on their path towards better practices,” he said.
He specified that the platform It is not a punitive mechanism or an external audit, but rather a learning toolmanagement and progress that helps companies “see themselves clearly and move forward with purpose”, in addition to making visible those businesses that are doing a good job in that regard.
For the director of Ethics and Government Integrity, Milagros Ortiz Boschthe platform will allow others business leaders find pioneering companies in developing responsible business conduct.
“These companies are an example to appreciate that it is worth participating in a compliance program that promotes cost reduction, minimizes risks and represents gains for everyone,” said the official, who received recognition during the event for her support to the business sector in the development of this tool and her contributions in terms of institutional integrity.
Likewise, he indicated that having a compliance program strengthens the organizational culture taking into account the nature of each company, increases motivation in work environments, strengthens competitiveness and attracts investors with companies attached to them integrity standards.
First record linked to the integrity
The representative of IDB in the Dominican Republic, Nathalie Alvaradodefined the platform as “an exceptional example” of public-private collaboration to strengthen the integrity standards.
“He CER is he first national registry of companies with verifiable standards of integrity. With this, the Dominican Republic is positioned as a regional benchmark in building trust and preventing corruption from the business sector.”
He indicated that CER arises as part of a support program of the IDB to the transparency agenda and integrity that is working in the region, which seeks to strengthen access to information, citizen participation and integrityboth from public institutions and from private companies.
He indicated that this platform is the way in which business leaders and authorities created adapted tools to its context and to the “country vision” that they have, with a tool aligned with the international standards outlined in the United Nations Convention against Corruption, which calls for strengthening internal controls and adopting business practices that prevent illicit acts.
Self-assessment
Meanwhile, the executive vice president of Conep, Caesar Dargamshowed attendees at the launch event how they can register for free at the platformwhich is open to companies of all sizes: from large corporations to micro-businesses.
The self-assessment allows:
- Identify strengths
- Recognize gaps
- Guide improvement plans
- Moving towards a culture of integrity through practical tools.
