The World Bank Group (WBG) has updated its “Integrity Compliance Guidelines” for the first time in 15 years, and at a time when sanctions cases are on the rise, according to the WBG’s annual report. These developments combined should prompt companies to reassess their anti-corruption compliance practices. Now is also a good time to brush up on common compliance missteps to avoid during a WBG integrity audit.
In November 2025, the WBG published its revised compliance guidelines with the stated aim of bringing its core principles and internal controls into better alignment with the Multilateral Development Bank (MDB) “General Principles for Business Integrity Programs,” published in March 2023. The WBG compliance guidelines also closely align with the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) “Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs.”
