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DMA-SBAC joint press release: The UK 's leading defence companies and trade associations have made a written commitment to promote best practice in anti-corruption. 

The commitment takes the form of the signing of a participation statement by members of the UK Defence Industry Anti-corruption Forum, which sets out the Forum's objectives and confirms that participants will take action to implement those objectives.   

The objectives are: 

*   To promote the prevention of corruption in the international defence market  

*   To encourage the adoption of corporate policies and practices which are intended not only to achieve compliance with applicable laws but also to exceed this standard by the implementation of recognised best practice

*   To share good practice and available documentation / information amongst members, and particularly those members with restricted availability of expert resources, in order to encourage and assist the mutual raising of standards

*   To gain acceptance by external stakeholders of the effort and intent of the members in relation to the prevention of corruption in the international defence market

The participation statement has been signed by senior executives from the following companies:

AgustaWestland
BAE Systems
Marshall Aerospace
MBDA
Rolls-Royce
SELEX
Smiths Aerospace
Thales UK
VT Group
And by the Directors-General of the DMA and the SBAC

The Defence Industry Anti-corruption Forum will meet again in the autumn to take forward its objectives and to invite other companies to join the Forum by signing the participation statement.

For more information contact:

Major General Alan Sharman, Director General, Defence Manufacturers Association
Tel: 01428 607788   a.sharman@the-dma.org.uk

Paul Everitt, Communications Director, SBAC
Tel: 020 7091 4509 / paul.everitt@sbac.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

UK Defence Industry Anti Corruption Forum

UK defence companies and defence sector Trade Associations formed the UK Defence Industry Anti-Corruption Forum on 18 May 2006.  The creation of the UK Defence Industry Anti-Corruption Forum reflects the shared determination of the key industrial partners to promote the prevention of bribery and corruption in the international defence market.

All the participants in the Forum have established policies in place that meet high ethical values, backed up with compliance procedures to ensure that their employees observe the laws in all the countries in which they operate. Their aspiration is that the Forum will help build on those policies and practices to ensure universally high standards in the global market.

Defence Manufacturers Association

The DMA is the UK's defence trade association and the voice of the UK Defence Industry.
It has over 615 members (in the DMA and APPSS - Association of Police and Public Security Suppliers). Its members supply products and services to government agencies and contractors in the defence, police and public security markets worldwide. To know more go to: www.the-dma.org.uk

SBAC

SBAC is the UK's national trade association representing companies supplying civil air transport, aerospace defence, homeland security and space. SBAC encompasses the British Airports Group. Together with its regional partners, SBAC represents over 2,600 companies, assisting them in developing new business globally, facilitating innovation and competitiveness and providing regulatory services in technical standards and accreditation. To know more go to: www.sbac.co.uk

At present, the UK has the world's largest aerospace industry outside the USA. UK based aerospace activity had a turnover of more than £22bn in 2005, supporting a highly skilled workforce of over 276,000 people.