Professional Certificate in Counter Bribery and Corruption

The Professional Certificate in Counter Bribery and Corruption is designed to help you and your organisation manage bribery risks and respond when bribery is detected in any form - from initial investigation, through to response and action. It is essential training, because bribery and corruption can manifest in any business or sector, whether your risk is judged to be low or high.  

This course will help organisations, regardless of size or sector, to put in place robust measures to combat the threat of bribery and corruption. It is suitable for any and all of your staff to attend as it will provide them an understanding in the fundamentals of bribery and corruption - what it is, how it is committed, what to watch out for - fostering a strong anti-bribery culture that will make your workforce the first line of defence. The course will also support any organisation with a commercial arm, function or activity in meeting the training recommendations as set out in the UK Bribery Act 2010. 

For organisations and professionals operating in high risk roles or sectors, advanced knowledge is provided through the exploration of business structures, geolocation and sector specific risks. Developing understanding, knowledge and skills in this area allows an organisation to demonstrate it has the adequate procedures to counter bribery and corruption risks as required by the Act - particularly useful for commercial organisations of all sizes who are subject to corporate liability as well as individual liability.   

Accredited by SFJ Awards, this Level 4 course has been developed by the Academy in collaboration with Cifas and leading bribery experts to ensure the content and learning outcomes are cutting edge and relevant to today's professionals and businesses.

Ian Walker, Advisory Board Member at Cifas commented:

“Despite the risks that bribery and corruption present to businesses, it has for years been difficult to find training which provides a comprehensive approach to the topic, not to mention a formal qualification. It’s great to see Cifas going live with an offering, and I think it will provide real value for any firm keen to bolster their prevention of this threat.”

Emma Willimott Cert(FinCrime), learner, commented:

“A fantastic course...is a must for anyone looking to expand their knowledge in this complex area of learning. The course is engaging , well-structured and encourages self-development. Ian is a hugely knowledgeable host whose experience is evident throughout. I highly recommend it!”

Module details

The objective of this qualification is to provide learners with the knowledge and understanding required to work in a role specialising in counter bribery and corruption. The qualification covers:

Unit 1

This unit will look at the wider concept of bribery and corruption, including key indicators and the reason why some people commit bribery and corruption and the enables that are sometimes used to facilitate the offending.  The final part of this unit will look at the some of the law enforcement organisations connected to the investigation and prevention of bribery and corruption and their different roles/responsibilities.

Unit 2

This unit will focus on the UK legislation relevant to bribery and corruption, as well as the wider legal framework, for example, Unexplained Wealth Orders, self-reporting and Deferred Prosecution Agreements. The unit will also touch upon the relevance of some international legislation, convention and treaties.

Unit 3

This unit will focus on the range of systems, policies and procedures that can be implemented to deter, detect and investigate bribery and corruption; this will include  an understanding of  due diligence, politically exposed persons and the identification and control of risk.

Unit 4

This unit will look at ways to respond to an incident of bribery and corruption, starting with a consideration to what is needed for a robust bribery and corruption response plan and how this can be effectively implemented and followed. The unit will them explore the strategy for dealing with the initial response to an offence through to its investigation and consideration to parallel enquiries.

Unit 5

This unit will take a closer look at both the civil and criminal sanctions and remedies available for bribery and corruption and will compare and contrast their use while consolidating the learning for the previous units. 

Entry requirements

The qualification can be undertaken by those new to a counter bribery and corruption role, or by those in an existing position looking to enhance and professionalise their skills and competencies and gain valuable CPD. It is also an excellent route for those who don't currently work in the area of counter bribery and corruption, but aspire to move into it - it is knowledge based and therefore previous experience of working in a bribery and corruption role is not mandatory.

Schedule & Teaching

The Professional Certificate in Bribery and Corruption is taught via a blend of scheduled live teaching (delivered remotely) and self-study elearning modules, accessible through our innovative learning management system Moodle.  Learners can log in 24/7, from any device, to complete modules, access resources and submit assignments.  

Please note learners should also expect to allocate additional hours in their own time for preparatory and assignment work, as well as general reading around the topic.   

Live teaching sessions are recorded for catch up purposes where necessary, but to gain maximum benefit from the course we recommend attending sessions in person as far as possible.