Business Integrity in Action: Zero Tolerance for Corruption

On December 9, the UN Global Compact Ukraine, together with USAID and UK International Development, held a forum “Business Integrity in Action: Zero Tolerance for Corruption”, dedicated to the International Anti-Corruption Day.

The event brought together representatives from government, business, and the civic sector to discuss how companies can not only endure but also strengthen their reputations amid full-scale war by upholding the highest standards of integrity and compliance.

With opening remarks, the following speakers addressed the audience: Anne Hopper, Director of the USAID Office of Democracy and Governance in Ukraine, Tetiana Sakharuk, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Ukraine, Viktor Pavlushchyk, Head of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention and Prof. Dr. Peter Eigen, Founder and former Chairman Transparency International (TI).

“Investments flow to those who adhere to ethical norms, and we must take this into account. In 2025, we plan to launch a new initiative for small and medium-sized enterprises—a self-assessment tool. This will allow SMEs to identify gaps in their anti-corruption practices and receive recommendations for improvement. I invite everyone to join this effort, as only through collective actions can we build an honest and transparent business climate in Ukraine,” emphasized Tetiana Sakharuk, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Ukraine.

As part of the event, two panel discussions were held, covering topics such as Ukraine’s sustainable recovery, integration of ESG principles into business practices, and the adaptation of corporate compliance programs to new realities.

During the first panel discussion, “Recovery with Integrity: A New Era of Transparent Business in Ukraine,” top executives from leading Ukrainian companies came together to share proven approaches to maintaining business integrity during the war. The discussion featured:

• Vira Savchenko, Executive Director, BDO in Ukraine;
• Nadiya Petruchenko, Co-founder and Chief Business Officer, SPP Development Ukraine, and member of the Supervisory Board of the UN Global Compact in Ukraine;
• Yevhen Kalinin, Director of Ethics and Compliance, Naftogaz of Ukraine;
• Alina Konovalchenko, Director of operations, UN Global Compact in Ukraine.

The second panel discussion, “ESG in Focus: Regulatory Landscape and Compliance with Standards,” explored how recent regulatory changes, such as the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the EU Anti-Corruption Strategy, are influencing compliance policies in Ukraine and beyond. Participants included:

• Serhiy Derkach, Deputy Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine;
• Tetiana Kyryk, Director of Compliance and Ethics, Kyivstar;
• Dmytro Yakymets, Head of ESG, EPAM Ukraine;
• Svitlana Mudrenko, Business Integrity Advisor, Pro-Integrity Project;
• Yevhenii Deineko, Managing Partner, EVERLEGAL.

Additionally, 13 Ukrainian companies joined the UN Global Compact Ukraine initiative by signing a Memorandum of Cooperation on Anti-Corruption.

For the fourth consecutive year, the UN Global Compact in Ukraine has invited businesses, civil society organizations, government institutions, and other stakeholders to affirm their commitment to integrity by signing the Memorandum of Cooperation on Anti-Corruption.

On December 9, the memorandum was signed by MHP, N-iX, BDO, Zezman Group, Epicenter, AC Crowe, Crowe Erfolg, LLC LogicPower, Avrora, EVERLEGAL, EPAM, the Ukrainian Bar Association, Astarta, and EVERLEGAL.

This event was made possible with the support of the American and British people, particularly through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the UK government’s International Development program, through the Promoting Integrity in the Public Sector Activity (Pro-Integrity). The contents of this report are the sole responsibility of the contractor and do not necessarily reflect the views of either the U.S. government or USAID, nor the UK government or UK International Development.

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