Uncovering corruption in procurement: red flags and remedies

Corruption in procurement is changing. It is no longer simply a buyer taking a bribe from a supplier. Nor does it exist only in certain geographies or industries. As global supply networks become more complex, risks are becoming harder to spot, from hidden beneficial ownership and inflated intermediary fees to manipulated e-auctions, tailored specifications and AI-generated documentation designed to look legitimate.We’re joined by Sope Williams, Distinguished Visiting Professor in Government Contracts Law at George Washington University and CIPS Global Head of Sustainability Maxfield Weiss, to explore why corruption remains a persistent challenge in modern supply chains. And what procurement professionals can do about it.We discuss why traditional compliance programmes often fail to change behaviour, how technology can both expose and enable misconduct, and why digital literacy is now a core procurement competency. The conversation also examines the importance of asking difficult questions early, strengthening transparency across supply chains, and ensuring that subcontractors and their suppliers can be trusted.Plus, why leaders must "walk the talk" and give their teams genuine authority to challenge corrupt practices. Further reading:

Part two of the CIPS Foundation special features Tony’s Chocolonely Chief Impact Officer, Pascal Baltussen, sharing how the company exists to end exploitation and child labour in cocoa farming. Pascal talks us through the company’s five sourcing principles – and why all of them must be done in a united impact model, consistently, to bring about real systemic change.

In the first of a two-part series, CIPS Foundation lead Emma Scott speaks with ActionAid programme officer, Afram Kwame, about the work being done by the charity in West Africa to address the problem of child labour in coca supply chains.

In this episode, we talk to one of procurement's great thinkers, Dr Elouise Epstein, futurist, author and partner at Kearney. In a fascinating conversation with CIPS global CEO Ben Farrell and governance director Kate Tomlinson, she discusses: why AI will change everything but won't take your job; why we should watch how private equity deploys procurement; supply chains as national security assets; and the importance of telling great stories. Plus, we reveal how CIPS and Elouise will be working together to take procurement professionals to a new level of AI expertise. Related links...

The AI revolution, shifting geopolitical alliances, and a new generation in the workforce. Mike Soutar, author of Next Gen CEO and star from the BBC’s The Apprentice describes these as "the three storms". What does this mean for the next generation of leaders? Mike has 60 lessons, but here are just two: it's a leader's job to maintain momentum; and people don't follow pessimists. Plus, why procurement and supply chain professionals are in a unique position to lead organisations in an uncertain, fast-moving world. From creating space for constructive dissent to building culture in remote organisations, this revealing conversation with CIPS CEO Ben Farrell is a fascinating insight into the future of leadership. This episode is sponsored by Vantify, the vantage point for connected compliance. You can find out more about them at Vantify.com Related links...