Manufacturers in the frame on Bribery Act

MANUFACTURERS in the West Midlands are being offered legal advice on how a crucial new piece of new legislation is likely to affect their businesses.

To help get to grips with the Bribery Act, the Manufacturing Advisory Service – West Midlands has linked up with law firm Squire Sanders Hammonds for a workshop explaining to firms how they can avoid the various pitfalls presented by the new law.

Such are the consequences of breaching the Act, that firms could be hit by unlimited fines, imprisonment and irreversible reputational damage.

The interactive workshop will focus on the practical steps manufacturers should take to minimise risk, ensure compliance and deal with suspected non-compliance.

MAS Auto’s Rachel Eade said: “There is a real lack of understanding from industry when it comes to the Bribery Act 2010 and this could end up costing them financially in the long term.

“It is a very complex subject, which is why we’ve enlisted the support of Squire Sanders Hammonds to provide companies with an instant guide to what it means, the implications and what they can do to avoid falling foul of legislation.”

The free-of-charge event takes place at the law firm’s Birmingham offices and will ask manufacturers to review their internal procedures, implement or modify anti-bribery policy, critically appraise how they work with contractors, distributors, agents and train their key staff on compliance issues.

Amanda Beaton, of Squire Sanders Hammonds, said: “A key area will be the provision of hospitality and gifts which is one of the areas, together with facilitation payments, that has most concerned businesses. Without clear guidance, this is a potential minefield for management.

“Working with MAS-Auto, we’ll aim to unravel the complications of the Bribery Act 2010 for manufacturers and tell them in plain language how it could affect their business and, importantly, the measures they can take to avoid costly fines.”

The session takes place at 8am on Wednesday and for more invitation, firms have been told to contact Ms Eade at reade@mas-wm.org