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During the webinar organised by the National Transparency Authority on the occasion of the writing of the Corruption and Fraud Risk Management Guide by the General Directorate for Integrity & Accountability, more than 300 professionals from the public and private sectors had the opportunity to be informed about a coherent framework of practical steps and methodologies for identifying, assessing and managing the risks of fraud and corruption in policies, programmes and projects undertaken by the Greek public administration. The NTA’s Corruption and Fraud Risk Management Guide, includes best practices for establishing suitable organisational structures and fostering a culture that discourages corruption.
The Governor of the National Transparency Authority, Mr. Angelos Binis, gave a brief welcome greeting, noting that the guide has already been implemented by the Authority in the field of the policy of granting Greek citizenship and Νaturalisation, which has led to the initiative of the Ministry of Interior to modernise the relevant legal framework. He also spoke about the need for public organisations to develop the risk management function as a structural element of a coherent internal audit system, as established by Law 4795/2021.
During the discussion, Mrs. Emilia Athanasiou, Head of Unit C at the Special Service for Institutional Support, presented the National Strategy against Fraud in Structural Actions and the procedures of the Management and Control System which are related to the management and assessment of fraud risks in co- funded programs.
Mr. Charalambos Xydis, President of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) Greece, presented the key points of the Fraud Risk Management Guide. The guide was jointly issued by the COSO Committee and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. Mr. Xydis emphasized the importance of integrating a Fraud Risk Management Program into the governance system of every organization.
Mr. Ioannis Drakoulis, Head of Forensic and Integrity Services at Ernst and Young Greece, shared his experience from the private sector in managing corruption and fraud risks. He also commented on the findings of EY's latest global research on the occurrence of fraud and corruption in both private and public sector.
Mr. Christos Kourtis, Head of the Integrity Policies and Standards Development Department of the National Transparency Authority, presented the Guide's basic structure. He analysed the fundamental techniques for practically implementing Corruption and Fraud Risk Management. He also highlighted the added value of this function in strengthening safety nets, preventing, and deterring misconduct.
Mrs. Maria Konstantinidou, the Head of the General Directorate for Integrity & Accountability of the National Transparency Authority, stressed the importance of public organisations adopting risk management procedures. This is because they operate in a complex and ever-changing environment with unprecedented risks. She highlighted that this Guide is a valuable tool for all professionals dealing with this subject.
Following the initial presentations, participants had the opportunity to submit questions to the speakers.
The entire discussion can be watched at the following link: https://youtu.be/Yht0UpeopDo