Transparency International

Transparency International (TI), a nonpartisan, nonprofit nongovernmental organization (NGO) founded in Berlin in 1993 to expose corruption and reduce its harmful effects around the world, especially on the poor and underprivileged. TI consists of a global network of approximately 100 national chapters devoted to fighting corruption in their home countries. Headquarters are in Berlin.

TI does not conduct investigations into corruption itself but instead brings together officials in the areas of government, business, civil society, and the media to promote transparency in private and public affairs and to lobby for anticorruption measures. TI targets corruption at every level, from local governments to multinational corporations, in keeping with its belief that corruption creates and perpetuates poverty, weakens democracy, distorts national and international trade, endangers national security, and threatens natural resources around the world. It focuses on five areas of concern: corruption in politics, corruption in the private sector, corruption in public contracting, poverty and development, and international anticorruption conventions.

TI is governed by a board of directors, which is elected at an annual meeting of national chapters and individual members. It publishes several annual reports, including the Global Corruption Report, the Global Corruption Barometer, and the Corruption Perceptions Index, which ranks countries by perceived level of corruption based on surveys of experts. It also publishes books on specific regions and issues Integrity Awards to individuals who expose corruption in their countries.

The organization is primarily funded by government development agencies and foundations. It also receives project funding from international organizations, donations from private companies, and lesser income from publication sales and honoraria.