28 percent of managers in Lithuania justify bribery

Sixty percent of Lithuanian managers believe that companies apply high ethical standards, according to a fraud and corruption survey carried out by professional services company EY (Ernst & Young). Meanwhile 45 percent of respondents said that corruption practices are widespread in Lithuania.

Twenty-eight percent of the polled managers justified at least one form of bribery such as offering personal gifts, entertainment or cash. According to the survey, 48 percent of Lithuanian companies do not apply ABAC policies or an ethics code. 56 percent of the polled said that senior management has not strongly communicated its commitment to ABAC policies. Only 35 percent of companies have established clear penalties for violating ABAC policies, compared to 47 percent of companies in the West. Only 28 percent of companies have actually applied penalties to employees (30 percent in Western Europe).

Moreover, 19 percent of Lithuanian managers agreed with the statement that ABAC policies hinder competition in the market. This figure in Eastern Europe is also at 19 percent, whereas in Western Europe at 14 percent.