Engage in Transparency: Advocate for transparency and accountability in government and business practices

In the Technical Session-I “Themed: Fostering Ethics and Transparency in Healthcare and MSME” Mr. Suhas Tuljapulkar, Founder Director, Legasis Private Limited highlighted the challenges of corruption in healthcare and MSMEs, aiming to explore solutions through ethical frameworks, technology, and governance reforms to enhance transparency, trust, and accountability. Dr. Suruchi Desai, Head of High-Risk Obstetrics Senior Consultant, Nanavati Max Super Specialty Hospital highlighted the challenges healthcare professionals face in maintaining ethical standards amid resource constraints and emphasized the importance of implementing strong integrity policies, particularly in high-risk areas like procurement and licensing, to build a trustworthy and effective healthcare system. Mr. Neeraj Bhargava, Founder, Aistra AI emphasized the role of artificial intelligence, blockchain, and data-driven insights in combating corruption and promoting transparency in healthcare and MSMEs, highlighting how technology can enhance efficiency, accountability, and ethical practices in various sectors. Mr. Vikas Gupta, General Counsel & Compliance Head, Actylis, discussed strategies for embedding anti-corruption policies in healthcare organizations, such as developing clear policies, implementing strong internal controls, and ensuring whistleblower protection. Ms. Taral Taruni Chief Operating Officer, KJ Somaiya Medical Hospital, emphasized the importance of fostering a culture of ethics and transparency in healthcare, outlining strategies such as leadership commitment, clear ethical guidelines, continuous training, and transparent processes, while highlighting how leadership plays a pivotal role in promoting organizational accountability and trust. Ms. Sowmya Jandhyala, Trust Officer, Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospital, discussed strategies for building trust and transparency in healthcare systems, especially in underserved areas, such as community engagement, accountable leadership, and simplifying processes, while emphasizing the importance of collaboration with civil society to combat corruption through advocacy, monitoring, and legal reform.

In the Technical Session-II on Leadership and Integrity Exchange: Collaborative Pathways and Public-Private Partnerships for Anti-Corruption, Dr. Anita Shantaram, Founder and Director, Ethics India introduced a high-level roundtable on global, national, and regional anti-corruption perspectives, emphasizing the need for local solutions to address global corruption challenges, highlighting the role of leadership in driving anti-corruption strategies, and encouraging active engagement to create a cohesive vision for a corruption-free society. Mr. Atul Juvle, Senior Advisor and Director, DB Tech Pvt Ltd, emphasized the importance of aligning corporate governance with anti-corruption goals for long-term sustainability, focusing on transparent decision-making, leadership commitment, and compliance systems. It also discusses the challenges of implementing compliance mechanisms in large-scale public-private partnerships (PPPs), such as balancing stakeholder interests, navigating complex legal frameworks, and ensuring effective monitoring to prevent corruption and maintain public trust. Mr. Shakti Leekha, Founder & CEO, Shakti Leekha Ventures discussed innovative public-private partnership (PPP) models, such as performance-based contracting, and emphasized the role entrepreneurs play in promoting transparency and combating corruption through ethical practices, technology, and stakeholder engagement. Dr. Rajesh Chitre, Chief Compliance Officer, Merck India, Mumbai, emphasized strategies to address fraud and corruption risks in procurement within healthcare systems and public-private partnerships (PPPs), such as transparent bidding, digital platforms, due diligence, and independent oversight. It also discusses building trust between public and private entities through clear communication, structured agreements, joint governance, public reporting, and ethical culture. Mr. Neeraj Acharya, Former Director- Finance &  Operations, and Grant Management, at India Health Fund and Lead Procurement, Tata Trusts, discussed the importance of funding and grant mechanisms in ensuring accountability in public-private projects, highlighting how they can be designed to foster transparency and effectiveness. It also draws lessons from Tata Trusts, emphasizing their role in creating corruption-resistant partnerships through careful planning and oversight.

 In the Technical Session-III on Fireside Chat and Values Dialogue: Cultural Shift for a Corruption-Free Society,  Ms. Rukaiya Joshi, Retired Professor, SPJIMR, Visiting Faculty, MKS, explored how to foster a corruption-free society by addressing mindsets through education, youth engagement, corporate responsibility, and community awareness, emphasizing ethical values and collective action for lasting cultural transformation. Ms. Nirmala Joshi, Head, of Research at   MET SEVA, Mumbai Educational Trust Institute of Management, explored how academic institutions can contribute to anti-corruption efforts through research and community engagement, and methods to foster a culture of accountability among students and educators. Ms. Yogini Suvarna, Principal, Thakur Public School, focused on initiatives schools can adopt to instill integrity in young minds and the role of educators in leading by example to foster a culture of ethics. Ms. Bhuvana Santhanan, Director, Sri Sathya Sai University for Human Excellence, emphasized that incorporating human values in education empowers individuals to build integrity and resist corruption by fostering ethical decision-making.

In the Capstone Session: Collective Action to Uphold Integrity and Build Trust,  Dr. Somnath Singh, Deputy Director, UN Global Compact Network India (UN GCNI), emphasized collective action, cross-sector collaboration, and integrity models to uphold trust and reaffirm the commitment to a transparent, ethical society. Mr. Vikas Gupta, General Counsel & Compliance Head, Actylis (Aceto Pharma), mentioned that sustaining collective action for long-term commitment to integrity and anti-corruption goals requires collaboration across sectors, with a focus on education, corporate responsibility, government accountability, and community engagement to foster a culture of integrity. Mr. Jitender Rana, Deputy Secretary, PHDCCI, mentioned that industry associations like PHDCCI, foster collaboration between the government and private sector for anti-corruption efforts by facilitating dialogue, sharing best practices, and advocating for policies that promote transparency, accountability, and ethical business conduct. Mr. Arya Dev, Assistant Manager, UN Global Compact Network India (UN GCNI), mentioned that UN GCNI has driven collective action for anti-corruption by fostering multi-stakeholder partnerships and emphasizing the need for transparent, accountable practices to build a robust anti-corruption ecosystem.

In the concluding remarks, Dr. Somnath Singh, Deputy Director, UN Global Compact Network India (UN GCNI), expressed his gratitude to all contributors for the success of the inaugural session and emphasized the importance of turning the insights gained into actionable steps for a transparent and corruption-free future.