Overview of CCI's Anti-Corruption Program

Russians excitedly discuss barriers to small business development at St. Petersburg Conference in September 2002

The Next Steps Program, funded by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, is designed to identify corruption junctures, educate entrepreneurs on corruption-reduction methodologies, create entrepreneurial advocacy associations and raise a network of entrepreneurs to become a force for change locally, regionally and nationally.

Russia's entrepreneurs are the primary victims and the largest stakeholders in cleaning up corruption. They are the population that can have the most influence over public officials to force them to change the current dynamics. Over 90 percent of the money skimmed from Russia's companies, over $30 billion annually, is carried out at municipal levels. This practice puts money in private pockets instead of returning it to legitimate agencies to pay salaries and build the nation's tax base.

Entrepreneurs in informal brainstorm session at St. Petersburg Conference

The Next Steps Program strategy is to inform and educate Russia's entrepreneurs about the world's best practices in corruption reduction through a series of symposiums and conferences in Washington, D.C. and Moscow. Information from the world's experts is then broadcast across Russia via news conferences, television and radio appearances and the CCI Russia website.