Transparency is one of the most important aspects connected with governance. By governance, we mean the process whereby the body of economic, political and social institutions of a country participate in the exercise of power. This becomes ‘good governance’ when public policies are formulated in an open, foreseeable and transparent manner; when the bureaucratic apparatus acts in accordance with professional ethics; when the executive answers for its actions; when a strong civil society participates in public affairs; and when all this happens in a state that operates by the rule of law.
There are three mechanisms that guarantee good governance: firstly, the existence of internal rules and controls; secondly, citizens’ participation; and thirdly, the creation of the conditions to ensure there is competition in the private sector. As can be seen, then, working towards the common good involves not just the political powers-that-be but also other decisive actors: economic agents and civil society itself.
Consequently, it is also the Anti-Fraud Office of Catalonia’s job to promote initiatives aimed at encouraging the responsible involvement of the private sector in public policies.
Notable initiatives
