Transparency International

Lore & Background

Transparency International was founded in May 1993 in Berlin, Germany, and formally registered on 15 June 1993. Key German individuals involved in its development included Peter Eigen, Hansjoerg Elshorst, and Michael Wiehen. Other founding members included Peter Conze, Laurence Cockcroft, Frank Vogl, Fritz Heimann, Michael J. Hershman, Kamal Hossain, Gerald Parfitt, Jeremy Pope, and Roy Stacy. Oby Ezekwesili joined later in 1994. An important moment in its history was in 1995 when TI developed the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), which ranks nations on the prevalence of corruption based on surveys of business people. The CPI was initially criticized for poor methodology and unfair treatment of developing nations, while also being praised for highlighting corruption.

Reader's Guide

Transparency International has become a prominent global civil society organization dedicated to combating corruption. Its significance lies in its development of widely used tools such as the Corruption Perceptions Index and the Global Corruption Barometer, which have brought international attention to the issue of corruption. The organization operates as an umbrella for over 100 national chapters and holds consultative status with UNESCO, and is a member of the United Nations Global Compact and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network. However, its work has not been without controversy. The Corruption Perceptions Index has been criticized for measuring perception rather than reality, and for ignoring corruption in the business world, as noted by Le Monde. TI acknowledges the index's limitations but defends it as the best available tool for high-level assessment. The organization also faced internal challenges, such as the dis-accreditation of its US chapter in 2017, with a new chapter established in 2020. Despite these issues, TI remains a key player in global anti-corruption efforts, with a strategy titled 'Holding Power to Account – A Global Strategy Against Corruption 2021–2030.'

Did You Know?

• Transparency International was founded in 1993 by former employees of the World Bank.
• The Corruption Perceptions Index was first developed in 1995.
• TI confirmed the dis-accreditation of its United States national chapter in 2017; the chapter was re-accredited in 2019.
• Since 2023, TI has resolved to combat sexual corruption, or sextortion.