Global Integrity 11

Pro-Integrity

Moral wholeness for a whole world

We cannot talk about corruption without also talking about its antidote: integrity.

Integrity is moral wholeness—living consistently in moral wholeness. Its opposite is corruption, the distortion, perversion, and deterioration of moral goodness, resulting in the exploitation of people. Global integrity is moral wholeness at all levels in our world—from the individual to the institutional to the international. Global integrity is requisite for “building the future we want—being the people we need.” It is not easy, it is not always black and white, and it can be risky. These entries explore the many facets of integrity with a view towards the global efforts to promote sustainable development and wellbeing.

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Excerpt from the Global Declaration Against Corruption

(Anti-Corruption Summit: London 2016, 12 May 2016)

“Corruption is at the heart of so many of the world’s problems. We must overcome it, if our efforts to end poverty, promote prosperity and defeat terrorism and extremism are to succeed. Today’s Summit has demonstrated the deep commitment of a significant number of countries, businesses and members of civil society to work together to tackle this scourge. To do this we will build on and implement existing international agreements – but also go much further, making this a top priority at home and abroad and building capacity to tackle the problem. We commit to expose corruption wherever it is found, to pursue and punish those who perpetrate, facilitate or are complicit in it, to support the communities who have suffered from it, and to ensure it does not fester in our government institutions, businesses and communities. We will fulfil our shared commitment to ‘substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms’ [as stated in Sustainable Development Goal 16]."

Pro-integrity is a synonym for anti-corruption. It is also the antidote for corruption. It would be great if our anti-corruption efforts everywhere would include this term and prioritize it as a practice.

Corruption lies at the heart of every human (and not only at the heart of the world’s problems as per the quote above). This is a message that must be clearly acknowledged and shared. Without it, anti-corruption efforts miss the primary, predisposing, precipitating, and reinforcing causes of corruption. 

Likewise, the capacity for integrity resides in the heart of every human. This too must be emphasized. We cannot  talk about corruption without also talking about its antidote: integrity. To be anti-corruption is to be pro-integrity.

Watch the archive of the London Summit here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zsla0NoYXoM

Applications

--List a few ways to explicitly link pro-integrity with the anti-corruption discourse and efforts.

--How could this linkage be done in your settings and spheres of influence?