The 9th Regional Business Integrity Week in Latin America, organized by the Alliance for Integrity and partners, took place from August 27-29 in Santiago, Chile. The event aimed to promote business integrity and multi-sector collaboration in the region.

This year’s meeting focused on the challenges of digitalization for business integrity and its impact on the environment. It highlighted the need for a collaborative response involving governments, businesses, civil society, and academia. This very much resonated with our focus on multi-stakeholder working.

We participated in the panel  titled “Challenges and opportunities in terms of industry integrity and the impact on the environment.” The panel discussed the private sector’s challenges regarding integrity and environmental protection in the context of increasing digitization. Around 400 people attended the event, both physically and online.

The discussion emphasized the importance of identifying and overcoming challenges, such as protecting the environment and human rights while doing business.

Evelyn Hernández, Head of Programs and Affiliates at CoST, highlighted the relevance of transparency and multi-stakeholder dialogue in public construction, key elements that we promote daily. This highlighted the role that inclusive dialogue has a role to play in fostering effective collaboration.

Evelyn also emphasized the significance of the CoST Infrastructure Data Standard (CoST IDS), which provides vital information, not only on investment and project financing, but also on aspects related to environmental sustainability and institutional integrity.

Hernández concluded by highlighting the importance of cooperation between the public and private sectors, as well as with civil society, to overcome current challenges and take advantage of opportunities in integrating sustainability and environmental issues into compliance and integrity programs.

The Business Integrity Week, held since 2016 in different Latin American countries, serves as a key space for the exchange of knowledge and good practices among relevant stakeholders from various sectors.

CoST’s participation in this event reinforces our commitment to integrity in public infrastructure, contributing to constructing a more ethical and sustainable environment in Latin America.

We know that the private sector has a vital role to play with driving transparency, participation and accountability in infrastructure, and with tackling the climate crisis.