The revised criminal law on corruption has been in force since July 1, 2016. The criminal offense of private bribery has thus been extended to such an extent that any legal entity or natural person can be liable to prosecution. In addition, it is no longer an offense of application, but an official offense that must be prosecuted ex officio.Invitations, gifts, preferential treatmentsThe new law has a major impact on corporate compliance, i.e. the precautions taken by companies to comply with laws, guidelines and voluntary codes of conduct. What is still permitted is up for discussion. For example, when sponsors invite decision-makers from business, politics or society to events. Conference Arena, the event for conference and seminar providers and their customers, has therefore invited experts to a media roundtable. Mate Soso, Group Compliance Officer at Swisscom, Dominik Leonhardt, Head of MICEperts at Kuoni Reisen AG and Pascal Jenny, Kurdirektor of Arosa.Experts show concrete effectsThe conversation with the three experts showed the concrete effects. At Swisscom, for example, the limit is 100 francs, according to Mate Soso. If invitations are worth more, Swisscom employees are not allowed to accept them. If the employee can prove a business interest in the event, Swisscom will pay for travel and hotel.Arosa Tourism is increasingly relying on SMEs for sponsorship because large companies follow stricter rules as sponsors.The pioneering role in these stricter rules was played by the pharmaceutical industry, according to Dominik Leonhard. All the experts agreed that customer care should nevertheless not be neglected. With smaller possible amounts, it was a matter of finding creative solutions, also for customer events.
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The revised criminal law on corruption has been in force since July 1, 2016. The criminal offense of private bribery has thus been extended to such an extent that any legal entity or natural person can be liable to prosecution. In addition, it is no longer an offense of application, but an official offense that must be prosecuted ex officio.Invitations, gifts, preferential treatmentsThe new law has a major impact on corporate compliance, i.e. the precautions taken by companies to comply with laws, guidelines and voluntary codes of conduct. What is still permitted is up for discussion. For example, when sponsors invite decision-makers from business, politics or society to events. Conference Arena, the event for conference and seminar providers and their customers, has therefore invited experts to a media roundtable. Mate Soso, Group Compliance Officer at Swisscom, Dominik Leonhardt, Head of MICEperts at Kuoni Reisen AG and Pascal Jenny, Kurdirektor of Arosa.Experts show concrete effectsThe conversation with the three experts showed the concrete effects. At Swisscom, for example, the limit is 100 francs, according to Mate Soso. If invitations are worth more, Swisscom employees are not allowed to accept them. If the employee can prove a business interest in the event, Swisscom will pay for travel and hotel.Arosa Tourism is increasingly relying on SMEs for sponsorship because large companies follow stricter rules as sponsors.The pioneering role in these stricter rules was played by the pharmaceutical industry, according to Dominik Leonhard. All the experts agreed that customer care should nevertheless not be neglected. With smaller possible amounts, it was a matter of finding creative solutions, also for customer events.
