From Awareness to Action: Tackling Corruption in the City of Turku

The project at hand departs from the fact that successful anti-corruption prevention and detection require a sound understanding of (i) what corruption entails, (ii) the harmfulness of corruption, (iii) corruption-related legislation and guidelines, (iv) corruption risks in a particular context and (v) context-appropriate anti-corruption measures. This applies also in the municipal context, where a report by the Finnish Ministry of Justice finds that (i) corruption awareness still remains insufficient, (ii) attitudes to corruption, and leadership commitment to anti-corruption vary across municipalities, (iii) acts of corruption tend to be hidden away, and those responsible protected rather than held to account, and (iv) corruption risk assessments are insufficient or conspicuous by their absence. The aim of the project at hand is to (i) assess whether similar development needs can be found within the city of Turku, and to (ii) assist the city in identifying actions needed to strengthen anti-corruption. This, the project argues, also contributes towards the implementation of the city’s Mayor’s Programme.