Corruption Undermines Everything: What Actually Works to Stop It

Yet anti-corruption work is rarely straightforward. Rules and transparency mechanisms matter, but corruption is also shaped by incentives, political power, institutional capacity, and the ability of citizens and civil society to hold decision-makers accountable. This session will explore what effective anti-corruption and good governance work looks like in practice. Where have transparency, accountability, and institutional reforms made a meaningful difference? What enables those reforms to endure? And what can governments, civil society, philanthropy, business, and international institutions each contribute? The conversation will also examine the relationship between fighting corruption and strengthening governance more broadly. The goal is not simply to identify wrongdoing, but to build institutions and systems that are more transparent, accountable, responsive, and worthy of public trust. Discussion Group Leaders Blair Glencorse is Co-CEO at Accountability Lab, advancing accountable governance and citizen-led approaches that strengthen institutions and communities. Marc Schleifer is an Independent Consultant, strengthening economic opportunity, nonprofit capacity, good governance, and business integrity through international development and policy reform. Maíra Martini is Chief Executive Officer at Transparency International, advancing global efforts to combat corruption, illicit financial flows, and financial secrecy while strengthening transparency and accountability. Cheri-Leigh Erasmus is Co-CEO at Accountability Lab, advancing accountable governance, civic participation, and organizational resilience across Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. What to Expect An open, practical conversation about the realities of anti-corruption work and the conditions that make reform possible. Participants will compare approaches across sectors and contexts, examining what has worked, where efforts have fallen short, and how different actors can strengthen accountability without losing sight of the political and institutional realities in which reform takes place. Who This Is For This session is for government and civil society leaders, anti-corruption practitioners, philanthropists, development organizations, businesses, journalists, researchers, and others working on governance, transparency, accountability, and institutional reform. What You Will Get Out of It Perspectives on what makes anti-corruption efforts effective A clearer understanding of the connection between corruption, governance, and public trust Lessons from different approaches to transparency and accountability Ideas for strengthening institutions and incentives, not only compliance Opportunities to connect anti-corruption work across government, civil society, philanthropy, and business