Corrupt UK construction?

Citation

(2007), "Corrupt UK construction?", Structural Survey, Vol. 25 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ss.2007.11025bab.003

Corrupt UK construction?

Keywords: Construction industry, Corruption, United Kingdom

Fifty-one per cent of UK construction professionals feel that corruption is commonplace within the UK construction industry according to a survey by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). The survey asked over 1,400 construction professionals what type of corrupt practice was most commonly found, and examined attitudes of how corrupt they deemed a variety of practices to be. The study also looked at the areas in which respondents felt that corrupt practice was most likely to occur. 82 per cent of respondent’s were managers or directors; 57 per cent worked in large companies, 20 per cent were employed in medium sized firms and 23 per cent in small organisations.

76 per cent of respondent’s regarded the employment of illegal workers as widespread in UK construction; 60 per cent felt that fraud within the industry was prevalent and 41 per cent had been personally offered a bribe. The World Bank has estimated the cost of corruption to the global economy at US$1.5 trillion a year. More specifically corruption in the Great British construction industry could cost anywhere up to £3 billion a year. The total cost of corruption to the respondents’ companies was estimated at £35 million per year.