A seminar held to explore the nature of corruption in the construction industry has identified greater focus on industry 'complexity' as key to protecting businesses against it.

The Corruption in Construction (CIC) Seminar, held at the Institution of Civil Engineers, has outlined the relevance of corruption to the construction industry, as illustrated by a recent European Commission report that singled out "Urban Development and Construction" along with "Healthcare" as specific vulnerable sectors across the EU.

Well attended by a broad cross section of industry professionals and chaired by CIC Deputy Chairman, Tony Burton, the seminar consisted a panel of five guest speakers including Ken Gallagher from the National Crime Agency (NCA), Eddie Tuttle from the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Ronan Champion from the Society of Construction Lawyers (SCL), Jane de Lozey from the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), and Jim Gee, a fraud specialist at accountants BDO

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A CIOB survey carried out in 2013, and previously in 2006, revealed that approximately half of its members believe that corruption is common within the UK construction industry.

The CIC seminar, with the help of a recent European Commission report, identified that the insidious nature of corruption continues to make the job of defining it a difficult task. The complexity of the industry and the inherent works carried out, including procurement processes and 'the intricate web of relationships in all phases of development, from planning right through to construction itself, can create opportunities for collusion, fraud and sharp practice.'

With indicators pointing at construction, which accounts for 8% of GDP, as a soft target for organised crime, the NCA and the SFO are keen to work with the industry to explore how we might best protect our businesses from the toxic effects of corruption.

(HMC/IT)