The Scope of Due Diligence
Carefully examine ethics and corporate compliance structures
Consider industry and sector
Know the parties and the players
Conduct background checks (criminal, media, reputational, conflicts of interest)
Cross-check debarment and sanctions lists
Assess organizational cultures for commitment to ethics and integrity
Assess organizational cultures for commitment to ethics and integrity
Know the culture of integrity and ethics, the leaders of the potential partner entity, and the tone they have set from the top.
Conduct background checks (criminal, media, reputational, conflicts of interest)
These may include the history of criminal accusations, indictments, fines, guilty pleas, or incarceration. Look into their relationship with the media and what the media says about them.
Know the parties and the players
Consider if a potential partner is a surrogate for a member state or a political party, if they truly are independent of the governance realm or the governance sector, or if they are state-owned entities. Know the funding sources of the entity you hope to partner with.
Consider industry and sector
There are some industries and sectors that are known to pose more significant ethical risks in partnerships. They may include the pharmaceutical industry, defence contracting, tobacco, nuclear power, fast food, oil and gas mining extractive industries.
Cross-check debarment and sanctions lists
Such lists are issued by the World Bank, the UN Security Council, and other International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
Carefully examine ethics and corporate compliance structures
When considering a potential partner, carefully examine the ethics and corporate compliance structures, and ask to meet with the ethics and compliance officer of the entity. Look into the countries they operate in, under which laws and if they are compliant with these laws. Check if they have formal systems, formal rules, codes of conduct, whistleblowing systems, training and awareness.
The Scope of Due Diligence
UNSSC
Created on March 16, 2026
Start designing with a free template
Discover more than 1500 professional designs like these:
View
Images quiz
View
Toys quiz
View
Which Country Quiz
View
Watercolors quiz
View
History quiz
View
House of Cards Quiz
View
Blackboard Quiz
Explore all templates
Transcript
The Scope of Due Diligence
Carefully examine ethics and corporate compliance structures
Consider industry and sector
Know the parties and the players
Conduct background checks (criminal, media, reputational, conflicts of interest)
Cross-check debarment and sanctions lists
Assess organizational cultures for commitment to ethics and integrity
Assess organizational cultures for commitment to ethics and integrity
Know the culture of integrity and ethics, the leaders of the potential partner entity, and the tone they have set from the top.
Conduct background checks (criminal, media, reputational, conflicts of interest)
These may include the history of criminal accusations, indictments, fines, guilty pleas, or incarceration. Look into their relationship with the media and what the media says about them.
Know the parties and the players
Consider if a potential partner is a surrogate for a member state or a political party, if they truly are independent of the governance realm or the governance sector, or if they are state-owned entities. Know the funding sources of the entity you hope to partner with.
Consider industry and sector
There are some industries and sectors that are known to pose more significant ethical risks in partnerships. They may include the pharmaceutical industry, defence contracting, tobacco, nuclear power, fast food, oil and gas mining extractive industries.
Cross-check debarment and sanctions lists
Such lists are issued by the World Bank, the UN Security Council, and other International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
Carefully examine ethics and corporate compliance structures
When considering a potential partner, carefully examine the ethics and corporate compliance structures, and ask to meet with the ethics and compliance officer of the entity. Look into the countries they operate in, under which laws and if they are compliant with these laws. Check if they have formal systems, formal rules, codes of conduct, whistleblowing systems, training and awareness.