Bribery Act 2010

7Failure of commercial organisations to prevent bribery

(1)A relevant commercial organisation (“C”) is guilty of an offence under this section if a person (“A”) associated with C bribes another person intending—

(a)to obtain or retain business for C, or

(b)to obtain or retain an advantage in the conduct of business for C.

(2)But it is a defence for C to prove that C had in place adequate procedures designed to prevent persons associated with C from undertaking such conduct.

(3)For the purposes of this section, A bribes another person if, and only if, A—

(a)is, or would be, guilty of an offence under section 1 or 6 (whether or not A has been prosecuted for such an offence), or

(b)would be guilty of such an offence if section 12(2)(c) and (4) were omitted.

(4)See section 8 for the meaning of a person associated with C and see section 9 for a duty on the Secretary of State to publish guidance.

(5)In this section—

• “partnership” means—

  (a)

  a partnership within the Partnership Act 1890, or

  (b)

  a limited partnership registered under the Limited Partnerships Act 1907,

  or a firm or entity of a similar character formed under the law of a country or territory outside the United Kingdom,

• “relevant commercial organisation” means—

  (a)

  a body which is incorporated under the law of any part of the United Kingdom and which carries on a business (whether there or elsewhere),

  (b)

  any other body corporate (wherever incorporated) which carries on a business, or part of a business, in any part of the United Kingdom,

  (c)

  a partnership which is formed under the law of any part of the United Kingdom and which carries on a business (whether there or elsewhere), or

  (d)

  any other partnership (wherever formed) which carries on a business, or part of a business, in any part of the United Kingdom,

and, for the purposes of this section, a trade or profession is a business.