Bribery and corruption – the beginning of the end of corporate entertainment?

Following Chris Blackhurst’s article in the evening standard there has been a marked increase in the interest being paid to the on again / off again Bribery Act. The Act is being reviewed again in light of serious concerns around the cost of corporate entertaining and at what point issues of bribery arise. The Evening standard cited the example of the cost of hospitality for the Olympics – suggesting that as firms will effectively have to pay £270,000 to undertake corporate entertaining at the opening or closing ceremony (£4,500 per ticket with a requirement to purchase in blocks of 10 and book seats for additional events at the same time being the basis for the calculation) surely questions would be asked. Whilst clearly there may be bribery issues at such cost levels – referring the fact a supplier paid for your coffee during the course of a meeting to compliance (as has been the case for one corporate this morning) is possibly being a little too cautious…… Although forewarned is forearmed…….?