Wining & Dining Clients at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games? Read This First… →
If you’re planning to host clients, potential clients, and others at the Olympics this summer in London, this update from law firm McDermott Will & Emery will help you understand the difference between legal and illegal corporate hospitality. So you don’t cross the line:
“In light of the forthcoming 2012 Olympic Games in London, many have expressed concern that those subject to the Act will be unable to accept or receive corporate hospitality. It has been suggested that simply purchasing tickets for the Olympic Games at their face value for a client could constitute an offence. However, since the Act came into force last year, a growing body of guidelines has been produced by the UK Government to assist organisations with managing their policies on the provision and acceptance of corporate hospitality. The Ministry of Justice published, on 30 March 2011, its guidance on the Act, with further commentary on what the Act terms as ‘adequate procedures’ for the prevention of bribery. The Serious Fraud Office (SFO), as the investigating and prosecuting authority, has also produced guidance…
The key message is that corporate hospitality should be both offered and accepted in a manner that is, and is perceived to be, proportionate and sensible. This will depend on a number of factors such as industry practice, the seniority of the persons involved and the timing of the corporate hospitality, i.e., part of ongoing good client relations, or an isolated episode to ‘buy’ new client work or influence its future reward.”
Read the update, Championing the UK Bribery Act: The 2012 Olympic Games and Corporate Hospitality, McDermott Will & Emery»
