Ernst&Young survey: bribing, an acceptable business practice for big European companies

A quarter of the biggest European company directors surveyed consider that bribing their clients to consolidate the business and overcome the financial crisis is acceptable, an Ersnt & Young survey reveals, quoted by Reuters.

The survey was conducted on 2,200 people in key positions in the biggest companies across 22 European countries. Half of those questioned declared that at least one unethical behavior is acceptable. Bribing or offering false financial statistics to hide unsatisfactory results were considered as acceptable practices by a large number of respondents, Fraud Investigation department head at Ernst&Young declared.

The number of directors accepting unethical practices increased up to 38% in Spain, 43% in the Czech Republic and 53% in Turkey, according to the results of the survey. Moreover, the study reveals that directors are encouraging the diffusion of false information about their company’s profits.