Transparency International

Transparency International is a global non-governmental organization and movement focused on combating corruption and strengthening transparency, accountability, and integrity in public and private life. Founded in 1993 by Peter Eigen, the organization developed around the idea that corruption is not only a legal or administrative problem but also a major obstacle to development, effective governance, fair competition, human rights, and public trust. Headquartered in Berlin, Germany, Transparency International works through an international network of national chapters and partner organizations. Its activities combine comparative research, public education, policy advocacy, legal and institutional analysis, and support for civic action. The organization engages with governments, international institutions, companies, journalists, researchers, and civil-society groups, while also seeking to maintain independence from the institutions whose anti-corruption performance it assesses. The organization is best known for producing widely cited research and measurement tools, particularly the Corruption Perceptions Index. The index compares perceived levels of public-sector corruption across countries and territories using expert assessments and business-related surveys. Although it is not intended to measure every form of corruption or provide a direct count of illegal acts, it has become an influential reference for journalists, policymakers, investors, researchers, and international organizations. Transparency International has also published broader thematic reports and country- or sector-focused analysis concerning issues such as political integrity, public procurement, illicit financial flows, bribery, and accountability. Its approach generally combines global agenda-setting with locally grounded work. National chapters adapt anti-corruption priorities to their legal, political, and institutional environments. Typical activities may include advocating for stronger access-to-information rules, supporting whistleblower protection, monitoring public contracting, promoting political-finance transparency, and helping citizens report or challenge corrupt conduct. The network also participates in international debates on governance standards and the responsibilities of companies and financial institutions. Transparency International is not a commercial consumer brand. Its principal public-facing offerings are research publications, indexes, policy recommendations, advocacy campaigns, and educational resources. Its influence comes from the credibility and reach of its evidence, the visibility of its global network, and its ability to translate complex governance issues into accessible public-interest analysis. The organization remains active internationally, with its work centered on reducing the opportunities and incentives for corruption and improving the systems through which public power is exercised.

Transparency International was established in 1993 by Peter Eigen, a former World Bank executive who had become concerned about the economic and social effects of corruption and the weakness of existing international mechanisms for addressing it. The organization emerged in a period when corruption was increasingly being discussed as a global governance issue rather than solely as a domestic matter. Its founding concept was to create an independent civil-society institution capable of documenting corruption, mobilizing public opinion, and encouraging practical reforms across national boundaries. From its Berlin base, Transparency International developed a network model built around national chapters and local partners. This structure allowed the movement to combine international research and advocacy with country-level knowledge. Rather than operating only as a central secretariat, the organization sought to support locally relevant campaigns addressing public procurement, political accountability, access to information, judicial integrity, corporate conduct, and the protection of people who report wrongdoing. Research became a central part of the organization's identity. Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index established a comparatively simple way to communicate differences in perceived public-sector corruption between countries and territories. The index helped make corruption a recurring subject of international policy debate and media coverage. Over time, the organization expanded its research portfolio beyond a single country ranking, publishing thematic studies and broader reports examining bribery, public institutions, political finance, business integrity, and other dimensions of corruption risk. The organization has also used advocacy and public engagement to promote legal and institutional change. Its work has addressed the need for transparent public administration, stronger oversight, accountable political systems, responsible corporate behavior, and international cooperation against corruption. National chapters have pursued different priorities depending on local conditions, while the international movement has used cross-border campaigning and comparative evidence to identify common problems and encourage shared standards. Transparency International's role has evolved alongside the anti-corruption field. Corruption is now commonly connected with democratic backsliding, inequality, illicit financial flows, conflicts of interest, weak rule of law, and failures in public-service delivery. The organization therefore presents anti-corruption work as part of a broader effort to improve governance and protect public trust. Its publications are used by civil-society groups, public officials, researchers, journalists, and international organizations as sources for debate and policy development. The organization remains an active global non-governmental movement headquartered in Germany. Its continuing model combines evidence, public communication, advocacy, and a network of national organizations. Its principal institutional legacy is the mainstreaming of corruption measurement and transparency policy as internationally recognized governance concerns.

• 1993

  Transparency International founded

  [1]Transparency International official websitetransparency.org

  Peter Eigen founded Transparency International as an international civil-society organization dedicated to combating corruption and promoting transparency and accountability.

Independent global civil-society organization and research-led advocacy movement focused on preventing and exposing corruption.

• Governance index

  Corruption Perceptions Index

  Transparency International's best-known research product compares perceived levels of public-sector corruption across countries and territories. It is designed as a comparative indicator rather than a direct tally of corruption cases. The index draws on expert assessments and business-related surveys and is widely used in public debate, journalism, policy analysis, and academic research. Its role is to make a complex and often hidden governance problem more visible and comparable while encouraging discussion of institutional reform.

• Research publication

  Global Corruption Report

  The Global Corruption Report is a major Transparency International publication format covering corruption-related themes and governance challenges. It brings together analysis intended to explain how corruption affects institutions, economies, public services, and society. The report format supports the organization's research and advocacy mission by connecting evidence with recommendations for improving transparency, oversight, accountability, and integrity.

• Research and advocacy

  Anti-corruption research and policy reports

  Transparency International produces research and policy material on corruption risks, institutional accountability, public-sector integrity, corporate responsibility, and related governance issues. These publications are intended for public education and policy influence rather than commercial sale. Their scope can include global, regional, country, and sector perspectives, depending on the issue under examination.

1. 1Transparency International official websitetransparency.org