Above: Chamber Business Development Director Oonagh O’Reilly with William Christopher and Laura Gillespie

On the morning of 18 May, the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce in association with McGrigors offered 50 Chamber members the opportunity to hear an Explanation of the Bribery Act, the Impact of getting it wrong – fines and public sector contracts, the defense of “adequate procedures” and practical advice on corporate hospitality.

The Bribery Act will come into force on 1 July 2011. It will then be a strict liability offence for any commercial organisation to fail to prevent bribery either inside or outside the UK. With penalties of unlimited fines and debarment from public sector contracts, all business will undoubtedly want to be in a position to defend themselves should the worst happen.