Eyes wide open: how SMEs should manage new bribery and corruption risks in light of “gamechanger” UK Government support

On 5 June 2019, the then Secretary for State for International Trade (SoS), Dr Liam Fox, announced a new government initiative to help provide finance to UK small to medium sized businesses (SMEs) for exports to emerging markets. While SME exporters may welcome this show of financial support at a time of Brexit uncertainty, they could also be exposed to new and emerging bribery and corruption risks should they engage in increased or new business in emerging markets.  This article considers the risks SME exporters may face, how SMEs can address these challenges and the role UK Government and large multinationals can play in supporting SME exporters in navigating these challenges.