Why and How to Feature Your Anti-Corruption Program in Your CSR or Sustainability Report

Publishing a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) or sustainability report has become a must for any organization—and even more so with the enhanced requirements of the European CSRD directive. Yet these reports often focus heavily on environmental and social issues, leaving the governance pillar overlooked. This is a missed opportunity to highlight major efforts around anti-corruption programs, a key strategic and reputational lever.

Why your anti-corruption program deserves a place in your sustainability report?

1. Transparency & deterrence

 Highlighting your anti-corruption program demonstrates your commitment to preventing and detecting corruption risks, while creating a strong deterrent effect. Transparency about the existence and effectiveness of controls discourages risky behavior—employees and partners know that detection mechanisms are in place and active. 

2. Trust

 Providing concrete evidence of your anti-corruption practices is essential to meet regulatory expectations and reassure key stakeholders: clients, suppliers, investors, employees, and commercial partners. 

3. Internal Engagement

 Bringing visibility to compliance initiatives at the executive level through your sustainability report promotes a culture of integrity, engages teams around strong values, and elevates the strategic importance of anti-corruption initiatives. 

4. Competitive advantage

 Integrating your compliance strategy into your sustainability report helps differentiate your organization, reinforces your governance, and attracts high-integrity commercial partners. 

A good practice example: Sonepar's 2024 CSR Report

Sonepar’s 2024 CSR report is a standout example of how to incorporate the French Sapin II law into corporate governance. In the section "Corporate culture and business conduct" (pages 112–123), the company highlights:

• Group-wide strategic integration of compliance practices;
• A structured presentation of the eight pillars of the Sapin II law and their practical implementation;
• Quantitative data (e.g., number of trainings, controls) and performance indicators;
• The tools used to support compliance, including their internal control system.

This structured approach turns a regulatory requirement into a powerful communication tool that showcases the maturity of their governance.

Automated anti-corruption controls: a powerful asset for CSRD & ESG reporting

Beyond compliance, automated control tools like Eye2Scan offer a strong deterrent effect while providing tangible, auditable data. These solutions continuously analyze high-risk flows—accounting, purchasing, sales, logistics—to detect anomalies and potential fraud.

They enable:

• Continuous monitoring of control points;
• Accurate indicators of the effectiveness of anti-corruption measures;
• Quantified metrics for control coverage;
• A historical record of alerts and how they were resolved.

This shift toward data-driven reporting aligns perfectly with the CSRD’s increased demands for transparency and traceability. In addition to giving you compliant assets to share with regulators. 

Governance, controls, and data: a strategic foundation for CSRD

Actively integrating your anti-corruption program into your sustainability report is more than a compliance exercise—it’s a strategic opportunity to strengthen governance, solidify your ESG approach, and build lasting trust with stakeholders.

Moreover, the structure of a strong anti-corruption program provides a solid foundation for CSRD-aligned reporting, especially in terms of governance, reliable indicators, auditability, and sustainable disclosures.

👉Want to go further with implementing an anti-corruption internal control system aligned with leading regulatory best practices? Read our article about anti-corruption controls.