Transparency International

Transparency International was founded on 9 February 1993 in The Hague, Netherlands; it was formally registered on 15 June 1993 in Berlin, Germany. According to political scientist Ellen Gutterman, "TI's presence in Germany, and indeed its organizational development and rise from a small operation to a prominent international TNGO [Transnational Non Governmental Organisation], benefited from the activities and personal connections of at least three key German individuals: Peter Eigen, Hansjoerg Elshorst, and Michael Wiehen".{{cite journal|url=http://www.cpsa-acsp.ca/papers-2012/Gutterman2.pdf|title=The Legitimacy of Transnational NGOs: Lessons from the Experience of Transparency International in Germany and France (PDF)|journal=Paper Submitted to the 84th Annual Conference of the Canadian Political Science Association |author=Ellen Gutterman |date=June 2012}}

The founding members included:{{usurped|[https://web.archive.org/web/20140502005154/http://www.iaaca.org/AntiCorruptionAuthorities/ByInternationalOrganizations/NonGovernmentalOrganization/201202/t20120220_807871.shtml Transparency International（TI）]}}, International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities{{cite book | first=Peter | last=Larmour | editor1-first=Brett |editor1-last=Bowden | title=Global standards of market civilization | publisher=Routledge |date=September 2006 | pages=95–106 |isbn=0-415-37545-2}}

• Peter Eigen, a former regional director for the World Bank, is recognized as a founder.
• Peter Conze, a former regional director of GTZ (then Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)
• Laurence Cockcroft
• Fritz Heimann of General Electric.{{cite web|url=http://groups.colgate.edu/cews/people/bios_old/heimann.htm|title=CEWS - Panelist Biographies - Butler|access-date=16 November 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117013913/http://groups.colgate.edu/cews/people/bios_old/heimann.htm|archive-date=17 November 2015}}
• Michael J. Hershman of the U.S. military intelligence establishment (now President and CEO of the Fairfax Group).{{cite web|url=http://www.fairfaxgroup.us/bio_hershman.php|title=Senior Division Leaders: Michael J. Hershman|website=Fairfax Group|access-date=2015-10-10|archive-date=2015-08-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150814064313/http://fairfaxgroup.us/bio_hershman.php|url-status=dead}}
• Kamal Hossain, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh.{{cite web|url=http://www.transparency.org/whoweare/organisation/advisory_council/0/|title=Advisory Council|website=Transparency.org|access-date=2015-10-10|archive-date=2015-01-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150102145920/http://www.transparency.org/whoweare/organisation/advisory_council/0/|url-status=dead}}
• Gerald Parfitt, formerly of Coopers & Lybrand (then PricewaterhouseCoopers) in Ukraine.{{Cite web|url=https://groupdf.com/en/o-kompanii-angl/korporativnoe-upravlenie-ang/the-audit-committee/dzherald-parfitt/|title=Gerald Parfitt|website=Group DF}}
• Jeremy Pope, a New Zealand activist and writer.{{cite web | first=Bill | last=Hicks | title=Transparency International | publisher=Pinkindustry.com | year=2010 | url=https://pinkindustry.wordpress.com/transparency-international/}}
• Roy Stacy
• Frank Vogl, a senior official at the World Bank and head of Vogl Communications, Inc., which has "provided advice to leaders of international finance".{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-vogl/|title=Frank Vogl - The Huffington Post|website=HuffPost|access-date=16 November 2016}}

In 1995, TI developed the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). The CPI ranked nations on the prevalence of corruption within each country, based upon surveys of business people. The CPI was subsequently published annually. It was initially criticized for poor methodology and unfair treatment of developing nations, while also being praised for highlighting corruption and embarrassing governments.{{cite book | first=David | last=Chaikin | title=Corruption and money laundering: a symbiotic relationship | publisher=Palgrave Macmillan |date=June 2009 | pages=12–13 | isbn=978-0-230-61360-7}}

Starting in 1999 and ending in 2011, TI published the Bribe Payers Index (BPI) which ranked nations according to the perceived likelihood that a country's multinational corporations would offer bribes. Spokesperson Shubham Kaushik said the organization "decided to discontinue the survey due to funding issues and to focus on issues that are more in line with our advocacy goals".{{Cite web |date=2022-07-26 |title=Old Wall Street Journal report about corruption in Malaysia recirculates online |url=https://factcheck.afp.com/doc.afp.com.32EG28Z |access-date=2024-01-07 |website=Fact Check |language=en}} The Journal of Business Ethics states "Bribery in international business transactions can be seen as a function of not only the demand for such bribes in different countries, but the supply, or willingness to provide bribes by multinational firms and their representatives. This study addresses the propensity of firms from 30 different countries to engage in international bribery".{{Cite journal |last1=Baughn |first1=Christopher |last2=Bodie |first2=Nancy L. |last3=Buchanan |first3=Mark A. |last4=Bixby |first4=Michael B. |date=2010 |title=Bribery in International Business Transactions |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/25621541 |journal=Journal of Business Ethics |volume=92 |issue=1 |pages=15–32 |doi=10.1007/s10551-009-0136-7 |jstor=25621541 |s2cid=154833690 |issn=0167-4544|url-access=subscription }}

Since 2005, TI has published thirteen Exporting Corruption reports. Exporting Corruption is a research report that rates the bribery-related performance of leading global exporters, including countries that are signatories of OECD Anti-Bribery Convention.{{Cite web|url=https://www.transparency.org/en/projects/exporting-corruption|title=Exporting Corruption 2020 - Projects|website=Transparency.org|date=11 October 2022 }}

In April 2015 Russia's Ministry of Justice added TI to the so-called list of "foreign agents".{{Cite news|lang=en|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-adds-transparency-internatuional-to-foreign-agents-list/26944865.html|title=Russia Adds Transparency International To Foreign Agents List|website=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|date=8 April 2015 |access-date=2023-08-16}} On 6 March 2023, TI was declared an undesirable organization in Russia.{{cite web|url=https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2023/03/06/russia-declares-transparency-international-undesirable_6018406_4.html|title=Russia declares Transparency International 'undesirable'|website=Le Monde|date=March 6, 2023|accessdate=March 6, 2023}}

Since 2023 TI partners with ChatBot and utilises artificial intelligence technology on its website to enhance its digital engagement and support transparency initiatives at scale.{{Cite web |title=Home Transparency.org |url=https://www.transparency.org/en/ |access-date=2024-12-13 |website=Transparency.org |language=en}}

Transparency International is the global civil society organization leading the fight against corruption. It brings people together in a powerful worldwide coalition to end the devastating impact of corruption on men, women and children around the world. TI's mission is to create change towards a world free of corruption.{{Cite web |title=Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs : Transparency International |url=https://ciaotest.cc.columbia.edu/pbei/sites/ti.html |access-date=2024-05-18 |website=ciaotest.cc.columbia.edu}}

The organization defines corruption as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain which eventually hurts everyone who depends on the integrity of people in a position of authority.{{cite web|url=https://www.transparency.org/whatwedo|title=Transparency International – What we do|author=Transparency International e.V.|work=transparency.org|access-date=2015-04-27|archive-date=2015-04-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150415041234/http://www.transparency.org/whatwedo?|url-status=dead}} It develops tools for fighting corruption and works with other civil society organizations, companies and governments to implement them. Since 1995, TI has issued an annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI); it also publishes a Global Corruption Report, a Global Corruption Barometer, and a Bribe Payers Index. In 2010, TI developed a five-year strategy with six strategic priorities organized by the following categories: People, Institutions, Laws, Values, Network, Impact.{{cite web|url=https://www.transparency.org/whoweare/organisation/strategy_2015/1|title=2015 Strategy|author=Transparency International e.V.|work=transparency.org}} In 2015, TI developed a five-year strategy which sets out their collective ambition for the coming years. Together against Corruption: Transparency International Strategy 2020 is a strategy by and for the TI movement. This strategy is based on more than 1500 external and internal contributions addressing both the corruption environment of today and the one TI anticipates in the years ahead.{{cite web|url=https://www.transparency.org/whoweare/organisation/strategy_2020/1|title=2020 Strategy|author=Transparency International e.V.|work=transparency.org}}

{{Main|Corruption Perceptions Index}}

The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) ranks countries and territories based on how corrupt their public sector is perceived to be. It is a composite index – a combination of polls – drawing on corruption-related data collected by a variety of reputable institutions. The CPI reflects the views of observers from around the world.{{cite web|url=http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2012/in_detail/|title=2012 Corruption Perceptions Index – In detail|author=Transparency International e.V.|work=transparency.org}}

The Corruption Perceptions Index has been criticised for measuring perception and not "reality". The creators of the index argue that "perceptions matter in their own right, since... firms and individuals take actions based on perceptions".{{cite book|last=Uslaner|first=Eric M. |title=Corruption, inequality, and the rule of law: the bulging pocket makes the easy life|publisher=Cambridge University Press

|year=2008|pages=11–17|isbn=978-0-521-87489-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TLvfSVkZYo4C&pg=PA11}}

File:International Anti-Corruption Conference 2024 - plenary session in Vilnius LitExpo convention centre.jpg

{{Main|International Anti-Corruption Conference}}

First held in 1983, the International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) is a series of international conferences organised by the IACC Council, in association with local governments and organisations, with TI as its secretariat.IACC website, http://iaccseries.org/ The conferences take place every two years in different countries.

Since 2016, TI has partnered with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). The partnership enables knowledge and evidence gathered through OCCRP's corruption investigations to inform TI's policy and legal advocacy.{{cite web |title=Global Anti-Corruption Consortium |url=https://www.transparency.org/en/projects/global-anti-corruption-consortium |website=Transparency International |access-date=5 December 2024}} The programme is co-funded by three governments, including the US, and private donors.{{cite news |last=Philippin |first=Yann |last2=Candea |first2=Stefan |date=5 December 2024 |title=The hidden links between a giant of investigative journalism and the US government |url=https://www.mediapart.fr/en/journal/international/021224/hidden-links-between-giant-investigative-journalism-and-us-government |access-date=5 December 2024 |work=MediaPart}}

• The Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) is a survey that asks citizens about their direct personal experience of corruption in their daily lives.{{cite web |last1=e.V |first1=Transparency International |title=Global Corruption Barometer: citizens' voices from around the world |url=https://www.transparency.org/news/feature/global_corruption_barometer_citizens_voices_from_around_the_world |website=www.transparency.org |access-date=23 April 2019 |archive-date=21 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190421193203/https://www.transparency.org/news/feature/global_corruption_barometer_citizens_voices_from_around_the_world |url-status=dead }}
• The Global Corruption Report picks a specific topic like corruption in climate change for example and provides in-depth research.{{cite web |title=Research - GCR - Overview |url=https://www.transparency.org/research/gcr |website=www.transparency.org}}
• National integrity system assessments are designed to provide comprehensive analysis on a given country's mechanisms to fight corruption.{{cite web |title=What we do - National integrity system assessments |url=https://www.transparency.org/whatwedo/nis |website=www.transparency.org}}
• In 2013, TI published the Government Defence Anti-corruption Index with which corruption in the defence sector of 82 countries was measured.{{cite web |title=Government Defence Anti-corruption Index |publisher=Transparency International |year=2013 |url=http://government.defenceindex.org/report |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508093004/http://government.defenceindex.org/report |archive-date=2013-05-08 }} Some governments have expressed criticism towards the methodology of the report. Mark Pyman, the founder of TI's Defence & Security program, defended the report in an interview and stressed the importance of transparency in the military sector. The plan is to publish the index every two years.{{cite web |title=Transparency is feasible |author=Mark Pyman |publisher=dandc.eu |date=March 2013 |url=http://www.dandc.eu/en/article/transparency-international-assesses-82-governments-defence-related-corruption-risks-first}}
• Exporting Corruption is a research report that rates the corruption performance of leading exporting countries, including signatories of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention.

Image:Transparency International Berlin.jpg]]

According to its 2012 Annual Report, Transparency International is funded by western governments (with almost €5 million from the UK government) and several multinational companies, including oil companies Exxon Mobil and Shell, hedge funds KKR and Wermuth Asset Management, Deloitte and Ernst & Young.{{cite web|url=https://www.transparency.org/whatwedo/publication/annual_report_2012|title=TI Publication - Annual Report 2012|first=Transparency International|last=e.V.|access-date=16 November 2016}} Exxon Mobil itself was ranked in 2008 as the least transparent of 42 major oil and gas firms.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7370685.stm|title=Exxon 'ranks low on transparency' |work=BBC News |date=28 April 2008 |access-date=16 November 2016}}

TI's leadership structure includes an advisory council, a group of individuals with extensive experience in TI's work. Drawn from diverse geographical, cultural and professional backgrounds, council members are appointed by the TI board of directors to advise them and to support the work of the organization as a whole.{{cite web|url=https://www.transparency.org/whoweare/organisation/advisory_council/0|title=Advisory Council|access-date=1 April 2019}}

Former head of technology Daniel Eriksson was appointed interim managing director in March 2020,{{Cite web|title=Management|url=https://www.transparency.org/en/the-organisation/management|access-date=2020-06-09|website=Transparency International}} and became CEO a year later.{{cite web |title=Daniel Eriksson appointed as Transpareny International Secretariat's chief executive officer (31 March 2021) |url=https://www.transparency.org/en/press/daniel-eriksson-appointed-transparency-international-secretariat-chief-executive-officer |website=Transparency International |publisher=Transparency International |access-date=21 June 2024}} In October 2024, he announced he would be stepping down as CEO in January 2025.[https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7249054638430154752/ "After much consideration, I have made the decision to step down from my role as CEO of the Transparency International Secretariat at the end of January 2025"], LinkedIn. Retrieved 5 December 2024.[https://x.com/anticorruption/status/1843289373023809609 "After six years of dedicated work, Daniel Eriksson has decided to step down as CEO of Transparency International."], X, 7 October 2024. Retrieved 5 December 2024. Maíra Martini succeeded him, taking office on 1 February 2025.{{cite news |title=Maíra Martini appointed Transparency International chief executive officer |url=https://www.transparency.org/en/press/maira-martini-appointed-transparency-international-chief-executive-officer |access-date=31 January 2025 |work=Transparency International |date=7 January 2025}}

Transparency International consists of chapters – locally established, independent organizations – that address corruption in their respective countries. From small bribes to large-scale looting, corruption differs from country to country. As chapters are staffed with local experts they are ideally placed to determine the priorities and approaches best suited to tackling corruption in their countries. This work ranges from visiting rural communities to provide free legal support to advising their government on policy reform. Corruption does not stop at national borders. The chapters play a crucial role in shaping its collective work and realising its regional and global goals, such as Strategy 2015. Transparency International's multi-country research and advocacy initiatives are driven by the chapters.

• Transparency International Canada
• Transparency Serbia
• Transparency International Slovakia
• Transparency International Bangladesh
• Association for a More Just Society, TI Honduras
• Corruption Watch (South Africa), TI South Africa

According to the newspaper Le Monde: "In its main surveys, Transparency International does not measure the weight of corruption in economic terms for each country. It develops a Corruption Perception Index (CPI) based on surveys conducted by private structures or other NGOs: the Economist Intelligence Unit, backed by the British liberal weekly newspaper The Economist, the American neoconservative organization Freedom House, the World Economic Forum, or large corporations. (...) The IPC ignores corruption cases that concern the business world. So, the collapse of Lehman Brothers (2008) or the manipulation of the money market reference rate (Libor) by major British banks revealed in 2011 did not affect the ratings of the United States or United Kingdom." The organization also receives funding from companies that are themselves convicted of corruption offences.{{Cite web|url=https://mondiplo.com/quien-investiga-a-los-investigadores|title=" ¿Quién investiga a los investigadores? " - Le Monde diplomatique en español|website=mondiplo.com}} CPI's reliance on opinions of a relatively small group of experts and businesspeople, has been criticised by some. Alex Cobham, fellow at the Center for Global Development, states that it "embeds a powerful and misleading elite bias in popular perceptions of corruption". Others argue it is not plausible to ever measure the true scale and depth of a highly complex issue like corruption with a single number, and then rank countries accordingly.{{Cite web|date=2013-12-03|title=Is Transparency International's measure of corruption still valid?|url=http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/poverty-matters/2013/dec/03/transparency-international-measure-corruption-valid|access-date=2021-10-08|website=the Guardian|language=en}}

At its annual members' meeting in November 2013 in Berlin, TI's national chapters from Germany and Ireland proposed a resolution calling for the "end of the prosecution of Edward J. Snowden... He should be recognized as a whistleblower for his help to reveal the over-reaching and unlawful surveillance by secret services...He symbolizes the courage of numerous other whistleblowers around the world."{{cite web|url=http://www.corporatecrimereporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Snowden.pdf|title=Whistleblower protection of Edward Snowden|first1=TI|last1=Germany|first2=TI|last2=Ireland|date=10 February 2014|access-date=16 November 2018}}

The final resolution that was passed by the plenary excluded any reference to Snowden, and excluded a call for "comprehensive protection on whistleblowers from all forms of retaliation". The original resolution was weakened following the intervention of the USA chapter.{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/russell-mokhiber/transparency-internationa_b_4687986.html|title=Transparency International Nixes Edward Snowden|last1= Mokhiber|first1=Russell|website=HuffPost|date=10 February 2014|access-date=16 November 2018}} Five months earlier, in June 2013, representatives from TI met Snowden at the Moscow airport, where he asked for political asylum in Russia.{{Cite web |date=2013-07-13 |title=С Россией заговорили на беглом американском |url=https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/2233463 |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=www.kommersant.ru |language=ru}}

In January 2015 it was reported that TI accepted $3 million from the German engineering multinational Siemens, which in 2008 paid one of the largest corporate corruption fines{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/16/business/worldbusiness/16siemens.html|title=Settling Bribery Case to Cost Siemens $1.6 Billion|first1=Eric|last1=Lichtblau|first2=Carter|last2=Dougherty|newspaper=The New York Times|date=15 December 2008}} in history – $1.6 billion – for bribing government officials in numerous countries. In 2014, Siemens made the donation to TI after pleading guilty in 2008 to bribery charges relating to widespread corrupt practices in Greece, Norway, Iraq, Vietnam, Italy, Israel, Argentina, Venezuela, China and Russia.{{cite web|url=https://www.sec.gov/news/press/2008/2008-294.htm|title=Press Release: SEC Charges Siemens AG for Engaging in Worldwide Bribery; 2008-294; Dec. 15, 2008|website=www.SEC.gov}}

TI applied for and received the funding from Siemens, even though TI's due diligence procedures{{Cite web|url=http://www.corporatecrimereporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/duediligence.pdf|title=Private-Sector Donors Approval and Due Diligence Processes}} prohibit the organization from accepting money from corporations that want to "greenwash" their reputations by making donations to TI. "If any corporate donor is accused of having been involved in corruption, the donor can expect no protection from TI," the procedures state. Transparency International received the funding from the Siemens Integrity Initiative{{cite web|url=http://www.siemens.com/about/sustainability/en/core-topics/collective-action/integrity-initiative/index.php|title=Integrity Initiative|website=www.siemens.com}} about a year after the Initiative hired former TI staffer Jana Mittermaier, raising questions of a "revolving door" that has benefited both the organization and the company.

Several of TI's national chapters also have accepted money from Siemens: $660,000 for TI USA, $600,000 for TI Italy, $450,000 for TI Bulgaria, and $230,000 for TI Mexico – each for a period of three years. "This really shows that Transparency International is not as pure as people think," a TI insider told Corporate Crime Reporter. TI's then managing director, Cobus de Swardt, said, "We did not file an application to Siemens, we applied to the Siemens Integrity Initiative. There's a difference. We have not applied to Siemens." However, according to Siemens, the money for these grants is "provided by Siemens".{{cite web|url=http://www.corporatecrimereporter.com/news/200/transparency-international-siemens-revolving-door-spins-money-pipeline-flows/|title=Transparency International Siemens Revolving Door Spins, Money Pipeline Flows - Corporate Crime Reporter|date=11 February 2014|access-date=16 November 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.corporatecrimereporter.com/news/200/siemens-and-the-greenwashing-of-transparency-international/|title=Transparency International and the Greenwashing of Siemens - Corporate Crime Reporter|date=2 April 2014|access-date=16 November 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.corporatecrimereporter.com/news/200/siemens-donates-3-million-transparency-international/|title=Siemens Donates $3 Million to Transparency International - Corporate Crime Reporter|date=21 January 2015|access-date=16 November 2016}}

In August 2015 former TI staffer Anna Buzzoni went public regarding retaliation she and her colleagues faced after reporting to managers questionable financial dealings at TI's Water Integrity Network.{{cite web|url=http://www.waterintegritynetwork.net/|title=Home page - WIN - Water Integrity Network|website=WIN - Water Integrity Network}} Two of Buzzoni's project responsibilities were suspended and she was transferred against her will. She left TI shortly before internal whistleblower guidelines were adopted in June 2014.{{cite web|url=https://correctiv.org/en/blog/2015/08/27/falling-deaf-ears/|title=Falling on Deaf Ears|date=27 August 2015|access-date=16 November 2016}}

Due to a "lack of confidence", TI's chapter in Croatia was disaccredited by the organization's board of directors in November 2015.{{cite web|url=http://www.transparency.org/news/pressrelease/transparency_international_statement_on_its_former_chapter_in_croatia|title=Press release - Transparency International statement on its former chapter in Croatia|first=Transparency International|last=e.V.|access-date=16 November 2016}} The previous year, several leaders of the Croatia chapter challenged the legality of the chapter president's election. The president was accused of falsifying records, conflicts of interest, and arbitrarily expelling 10 chapter members who opposed the hiring of staff against the organization's rules. The Croatian government eventually revoked the president's appointment.{{cite book | url=http://seldi.net/fileadmin/public/PDF/Publications/RAR/SELDI_Regional_Anticorruption_Report_Final_Revised.pdf | title=Anti-Corruption Reloaded Assessment of Southeast Europe | publisher=Southeast Europe Leadership for Development and Integrity | date=2014 | editor=Ognian Shentov|editor2=Ruslan Stefanov|editor3=Boyko Todorov | isbn=978-954-477-221-5}}

In January 2017, the TI Secretariat confirmed that its International Board of Directors decided on 10 January 2017 to strip its US affiliate – Transparency International USA – of its accreditation as the National Chapter in the United States.

The stated basis for the dis-accreditation was the board's recognition of differences in philosophies, strategies, and priorities between the former chapter and the Transparency International Movement. Elsewhere, it was reported that TI-USA came to be seen in the United States as a corporate front group, funded by multinational corporations. TI-USA's funding was provided by Bechtel Corporation, Deloitte, Google, Pfizer ($50,000 or more), Citigroup, ExxonMobil, Fluor, General Electric, Lockheed Martin, Marsh & McLennan, PepsiCo, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Raytheon, Realogy, Tyco ($25,000–$49,999), and Freeport-McMoRan and Johnson & Johnson (up to $24,999).{{cite web|url=http://www.corporatecrimereporter.com/news/200/transparency-international-strips-us-affiliate-of-accreditation/|title=Transparency International Strips United States Affiliate of Accreditation - Corporate Crime Reporter|date=19 January 2017}} TI-USA previously awarded an annual corporate leadership award to one of its big corporate funders. In 2016, this award went to Bechtel. In April 2015 the Secretariat defended the decision by TI-USA to give Hillary Clinton its Integrity Award in 2012.{{cite press release|url=http://www.transparency.org/news/pressrelease/transparency_and_the_clinton_foundation_regarding_recent_statements|title=Transparency and The Clinton Foundation: Regarding recent statements|first=Transparency International|last=e.V.|access-date=16 November 2016}} Since January 1, 2020, Transparency International has an office in the United States.{{Cite web|url=https://us.transparency.org/|title=Home|website=Transparency International}}

In 2017, Cobus de Swardt stood down as TI's managing director, following a dispute with the organisation's board of directors. De Swardt agreed a settlement with TI in a Labour Court in Berlin.{{Cite web|url=https://www.transparency.org/en/press/statement-on-allegations-by-mr-de-swardt|title=Statement on allegations by Mr. de Swardt - Press|website=Transparency.org|date=11 October 2018 }}

In August 2019, accounts from seven current and former TI Secretariat staff were reported in The Guardian alleging a "toxic" workplace culture at the organisation.{{Cite news|last=Doshi|first=Vidhi|date=2019-08-21|title=Transparency International staff complain of bullying and harassment|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/aug/21/transparency-international-staff-complain-of-bullying-harassment|access-date=2019-11-12|issn=0261-3077}}

De Swardt's successor, Patricia Moreira, left in 2020 after making similar accusations to those of De Swardt, accusing the Board of failing to protect whistleblowers, as well as corruption.

The German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported that TI dismissed Moreira "without giving any reasons".{{Cite news|last=Burras|first=Corrina|date=19 June 2020|title=Die dunklen Seiten der Korruptionsjagd|pages=1–3|work=Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung|url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/transparency-international-die-dunklen-seiten-der-korruptionsjagd-16803895-p3.html|access-date=21 February 2022}} The article added that, "dozens of employees, including high-ranking ones, have left the organisation in recent years. Even long-standing and deeply committed employees complain that TI is involved in political intrigues in which some are only interested in their own progress. For a non-governmental organization whose goal is to fight corruption around the world, and which collects millions of dollars in funding from governments and companies every year, this is a disturbing finding."[https://m.faz.net/aktuell/wirtschaft/transparency-international-die-dunklen-seiten-der-korruptionsjagd-16803895.html " Die dunklen Seiten der Korruptionsjard"], by Corinna Budras, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 7 June 2020 Investigations specialist Harriet Witchell has stated that the TI board’s handling of the complaints process was beset by conflicts of interest and failed to address allegations of misconduct made against the board.{{cite web |last=Witchell |first=Harriet |date=July 29, 2021 |title=Review Concerning Investigation of Bullying Allegations by Transparency International in 2019/20 |url=https://ia601500.us.archive.org/30/items/review-investigation-transparency-international-2019-20/Review%20Investigation%20Transparency%20International%202019-20.pdf |access-date=16 May 2022 |website=MyKludo}}

In 2021, de Swardt published a book accusing TI of abuse of power and silencing whistleblowers.{{Cite book|url=https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-76540-8|title=Silencing a Whistleblower|first=Cobus|last=de Swardt|date=February 19, 2021|doi=10.1007/978-3-030-76540-8|isbn=978-3-030-76539-2 }} De Swardt also presented a video published on YouTube by his publisher, Springer, criticising corruption at TI.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1je9wYQU0X4|title=Silencing a Whistleblower | Authors @ Fbm21|date=4 October 2021 |via=www.youtube.com}}

{{Disputed section |date=June 2024}}

TI's political impartiality, as well as its own transparency, have been called into question over hacked conversations of prosecutors in Operation Car Wash, leaked to The Intercept.{{cite news|url=https://theintercept.com/2020/03/12/united-states-justice-department-brazil-car-wash-lava-jato-international-treaty/|title="Keep It Confidential": The Secret History of U.S. Involvement in Brazil's Scandal-Wracked Operation Car Wash|first1=Andrew|last1=Fishman|first2=Natalia|last2=Viana|first3=Maryam|last3=Saleh|date=March 12, 2020|work=The Intercept}}{{cite news|url=https://theintercept.com/2021/06/08/brazil-congress-car-wash-corruption-merrick-garland/|title=House Democrats Want Answers About U.S. Role in Disgraced Brazil Corruption Probe|first=Andrew|last=Fishman|date=June 8, 2021|work=The Intercept}} In these, chief prosecutor Deltan Dallagnol and head of TI Brazil, Bruno Brandão, discuss a "backstage campaign" to "disarm resistance on the left", fund selected candidates, and target others, seen as adversaries, using social media. Plans extended to preparing a series of false accusations ("denúncias sem materialidade") intended to damage the reputation of former president and potential candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and lead up to a chat in which participants celebrate the election of Jair Bolsonaro.{{Cite web|title=Lava Jato debateu cláusula anti-Bolsonaro em ranking de candidatos em 2018|url=https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/politica/2021/03/06/lava-jato-debateu-clausula-anti-bolsonaro-em-ranking-de-candidatos-em-2018|access-date=2021-03-09|website=CNN Brasil|language=pt-BR}}{{Cite web|title=Deltan e Transparência Internacional tentaram criar plataforma de candidatos lavajatistas|url=https://www.conjur.com.br/2021-mar-08/deltan-ong-tentaram-criar-plataforma-candidatos-lavajatistas|access-date=2021-03-09|website=Consultor Jurídico|date=9 March 2021 |language=pt-BR}}

In April 2022, Brazil's auditing court announced that it had opened an investigation against TI over the illegal imprisonment of Lula da Silva.{{Cite web|url=https://www.brasilwire.com/brazils-auditing-court-opens-investigation-against-transparency-international/|title=Transparency International: Brazil Court Opens Investigation Of Anti-Corruption NGO|last=Mier|first=Brian|date=April 14, 2022|work=Brasil Wire|access-date=April 14, 2022}}

• European Public Prosecutor
• Group of States Against Corruption
• Information commissioner
• International Anti-Corruption Academy
• ISO 37001 Anti-bribery management systems
• United Nations Convention against Corruption
• Freedom of information
• Transparency (market)
• Transparency (trade)

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