Bribery Act – SFO volunteers guidance on corporate hospitality

The upcoming implementation of the Bribery Act 2010 next year continues to be a major concern for UK businesses, but with Christmas approaching the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has offered some extra help.

The question on the lips of every UK company is “how will corporate hospitality be dealt with under the new legislation?” The SFO have volunteered a preliminary answer. Richard Alderman, Director of the SFO has said that ‘sensible and proportionate expenditure on hospitality will remain perfectly lawful under the Bribery Act’, and that the SFO ‘will be happy to help by publishing its views.’ This will follow the Ministry of Justice’s final guidance on the act, due in January, and the Attorney General’s guidance to prosecutors.

This leaves plenty for businesses to look forward to in the new year but it remains to be seen just how practical all of this guidance will be. Meanwhile, enjoy a very hospitable Christmas.

Posted by Fiona Carter, who specialises in commercial regulation, compliance advice and investigations; is head of Browne Jacobson’s advertising and marketing team and food and drink group.

Fiona Carter
0115 976 6224
fcarter@brownejacobson.com

Related posts:

• No related posts

Tags: bribery, corporate hospitality, SFO

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010 at 12:54 pm and is filed under Brands, Government bodies, Manufacturing, Regulatory. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.