Ethical Governance

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2. Global Integrity

These TI shortcomings, especially the soft data and complex measurement of it~ indexes, have given rise to an organization that takes a different approach. Global Integrity is a nonprofit international organization founded in 2006 that "generates, synthesizes, and disseminates credible, comprehensive and timely information on governance and corruption trends around the world." Like T I, Global Integrity has developed a quantitative measure to rank countries. However, the measure-the Global Integrity Index-"assesses the existence, effectiveness, and citizen access to key national-level anticorruption mechanisms used to hold government accountable. The Index does not measure corruption." Rather, it investigates the "medicine" used against it-in the form of government accountability, transparency, and citizen oversight. Stated differently, "the index assesses integrity, not corruption-it measures the actions being taken to fight corruption, not the extent of the problem itself. The Global Integrity Index is a composite measure that aggregates more than 300 specific questions and answers for each country and then places them into various categories and subcategories, for example, elections, government accountability, oversight and regulation, administration, and civil service. As noted, the integrity scores are not based on perceptions but are locally researched and peer reviewed. In 2008, forty-six countries were indexed, and Poland received an overall rating of "strong," Canada was rated "moderate," Russia, "weak," and Somalia, "very weak." The alternative offered by Global Integrity is refreshing, promising, and a bridge to a more inclusive approach-the Public Integrity approach. This approach is premised on the belief that ethical governance can be most successfully achieved by strengthening the civic culture of a community or nation. Education and outreach are the principal vehicles for effecting change. One international nonprofit is an especially strong proponent of the Public Integrity approach.

3. OECD

These TI shortcomings, especially the soft data and complex measurement of it~ indexes, have given rise to an organization that takes a different approach. Global Integrity is a nonprofit international organization founded in 2006 that "generates, synthesizes, and disseminates credible, comprehensive and timely information on governance and corruption trends around the world." Like TI, Global Integrity has developed a quantitative measure to rank countries.

However, the measure-the Global Integrity Index-"assesses the existence, effectiveness, and citizen access to key national-level anticorruption mechanisms used to hold government accountable. The Index does not measure corruption." Rather, it investigates the "medicine" used against it-in the form of government accountability, transparency, and citizen oversight. Stated differently, "the index assesses integrity, not corruption-it measures the actions being taken to fight corruption, not the extent of the problem itself. The Global Integrity Index is a composite measure that aggregates more than 300 specific questions and answers for each country and then places them into various categories and subcategories, for example, elections, government accountability, oversight and regulation, administration, and civil service. As noted, the integrity scores are not based on perceptions but are locally researched and peer reviewed. In 2008, forty-six countries were indexed, and Poland received an overall rating of "strong," Canada was rated "moderate," Russia, "weak," and Somalia, "very weak." The alternative offered by Global Integrity is refreshing, promising, and a bridge to a more inclusive approach-the Public Integrity approach. This approach is premised on the belief that ethical governance can be most successfully achieved by strengthening the civic culture of a community or nation. Education and outreach are the principal vehicles for effecting change. One international nonprofit is an especially strong proponent of the Public Integrity approach.

New forces of ethical governance

Corrupt behaviors and practices are embedded in scarcity, greed, and lawlessness, and some would contend, unhealthy cultures. Corruption is a complicated, complex problem not amenable to simple solutions. The efforts described, however, are finding new allies and strategies.

Globethics.net

Globethics.net, a nonprofit association created in 2004, is based in Geneva, Switzerland. In 2009, it became a foundation under Swiss law with a full-time staff of four plus two part-time support personnel. Globethics.net is a global network of people and institutions interested in different fields of applied ethics. It offers access to resources on ethics, especially through its global digital library launched in October 2008. In addition, it facilitates collaborative Web-based research, conferences, online publishing, and active sharing of information. It aims especially at increasing the visibility of, and access to, ethics perspectives from Africa, Latin America, and Asia. It strengthens global common values and respect of ethical contextual diversity, including the richness of languages, religions, and world views. Globethics.net offers members access to knowledge resources on ethics and values to enhance ethical reflection, action, and cooperation locally and globally. A major goal is to empower people from all regions of the world, especially in developing and transitional countries, for ethical dialogue, reflection, and action by

providing access to knowledge resources on ethics through the global digital library on ethics,

facilitating networking on ethics in it'> online community of persons and organizations, and

stimulating global collaborative research on selected fields such as business ethics, interreligious ethics, and responsible leadership.

The Globethics.net annual report for 2008 states that 3,100 people from 1 09 countries joined the network (for which there is no charge or fee). Libraries, universities, ethics centers, and other organizations can also join, and 120 registered in 2008. To join the network, get a password at www.globethics.net.

b) International Society for Ethical Governance

The International Society for Ethical Governance (ISEG) is in an embryonic stage. An international