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    In 2017, KBA Swiss Holding and Koenig & Bauer Banknote Solutions, the former KBA-NotaSys, established an internal special reserve under the name "Integrity Reserve". This Reserve was funded with a total amount EUR 5 Mio. For communication reasons, the Integrity Reserve was later renamed by KBA-NotaSys Integrity Fund.

    The purpose of the Integrity Fund was to promote ethical conduct, transparency and compliance, in particular in the security and banknote printing industry. Within five years, the available amount of EUR 5 Mio had to be spent on projects that fulfill the above-mentioned purpose.

    The Integrity Fund was managed by a Management Board consisting of three members, a president and two ordinary members, who could not be employees or former employees of Koenig & Bauer Group. The Management Board had full discretion in deciding on the projects. Therefore, they decided to achieve the purpose of the Integrity Fund. The decisions were final and appropriate internal processes ensured the independence of the Management Board.

    The Management Board invited universities, associations and other not profit-oriented institutions to submit project applications. Over all, there were submitted more than 90 project ideas and proposals, out of which until end of 2021 a number of 42 projects have been approved.

    As many projects were financed step by step, the termination of the Integrity Fund was extended until the end of 2023. In 2023, the funds remaining after completion of most of the projects were used for two final projects: The Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) was asked to organise an Integrity Europe conference on October 26-27, 2023. This was also the official final event of the Integrity Fund. Thanks to the positive feedbacks, the final remaining funds were made available to the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) and Ethics and compliance Switzerland (ECS) to organise one or more further conferences in 2024 and 2025 with the purpose to enable a dialogue between academia and practice.

    At the end of 2023 the Integrity fund was officially closed and there is no more possibility to submit any applications. 

    For further information: christoph.lengwiler(at)integrityfund.ch

    Looking back, the Integrity Fund of Koenig & Bauer Banknote Solutions was a success story. A wide range of 44 projects have received financial support. 21 projects were from institutions in Switzerland, 12 from institutions in Germany and 11 from institutions in other countries (Austria, South Africa, United Kingdom, Brazil). Manuals and handbooks for compliance practice were published, further training courses were developed, expert opinions were written and traditional research projects with scientific publications were carried out. With a few exceptions, the projects were brought to a successful conclusion. They provided new insights and were of benefit to practice in the areas of ethically correct behavior, transparency and compliance. 

    It was very important to the Management Board to enable networking among the managers of the various supported projects. That’s why in 2020, 2021 and 2022, with the Project Managers were organised meetings, which were also attended by representatives of Koenig & Bauer. At these meetings, the various projects were presented and discussed. And there were established new personal contacts and ideas for (joint) follow-up projects. The community was expanded at the publicly promoted by the Integrity Europe Conference in fall 2023. Many Project Managers appeared as speakers and there was an exchange between science and practice. The Management Board is convinced that the networks created thanks to the Integrity Fund will live on even after the end of the project at the end of 2023 and that the knowledge gained in the funded projects will continue to be transferred in the future.

    The people behind the Integrity Fund: Prof. Dr. Christoph Lengwiler (President of the Management Board), Dennis Wolf (Group Compliance Officer at Koenig & Bauer), Eric Boissonnas (CEO at Koenig & Bauer Banknote Solutions), Sandra Middel (Member of the Management Board), Dr. Andreas Plesske (CEO at Koenig & Bauer), Dr. Daniel L. Bühr (LALIVE). Not on the Foto: Christian Geling (Member of the Management Board).

    For further information: christoph.lengwiler(at)integrityfund.ch

    Prof. Christoph Lengwiler has been a Lecturer in Banking and Finance at the Lucerne School of Business (Lucerne University of Applied Science and Arts, Hochschule Luzern, HSLU)since 1987. He established the Institute for Financial Services Zug IFZ in 1997 and managed it until 2017. Its offerings include training courses in compliance management and economic crime investigation. His main areas of research and consulting are bank management and corporate governance along with corporate and real estate finance.

    From 2001 to 2016, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the Lucerne Cantonal Bank (as Vice Chairman from 2011 to 2016). From 2012 to 2024 he was a member of the Bank Council of the Swiss National Bank (from 2014 to 2024 as Head Audit Committee). From 2011 to 2023, he was Vice Chairman of swissVR, an Association of Board Members. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Berne Cantonal Bank since 2016 (as Vice chairman since 2020). Christoph Lengwiler studied business administration and economics at the University of Zurich and got his Ph. D. with a dissertation in banking.

    Sandra Middel has been Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer at AXPO Group since 2023. Before, she was from 2017 to 2023 Head of Group Compliance at Clariant, responsible for Legal and Ethical Compliance, Data Privacy and Information Security. She brings over 15 years of experience in Compliance and Risk Management in mature and emerging markets in setting up and implementing compliance programs in various companies. Before joining Clariant she has been with Syngenta developing the Compliance program and governance for the EMEA region. Her first assignment in Compliance was to build up the Compliance and Risk management System for ING in Russia. 

    She has been a board member of Ethics and Compliance Switzerland ECS) since 2017  (since 2023 as Chairwoman). ECS is the first NGO in Switzerland bringing together private and public sector ethics professionals to encourage best practice sharing. And she is a Co-Chair of the Swissholdings Compliance Working Group fostering knowledge exchange in the industry. She is an active speaker on various conferences, panels and lecturer.

    Christian Gehling is a partner of SZA Schilling, Zutt & Anschütz Rechtsanwalt AG, Frankfurt, specializing in corporate and capital market law advice. He and his team have broad experience in advising listed corporations, M & A transactions, ECM and corporate governance. Christian Gehling has been a lawyer and partner in national and international law firms in Düsseldorf and Frankfurt since 1992.

    Approved funding for the following projects to date:

    The remaining funds of the Integrity Fund shall be used for further Conferences in the field of Compliance - Integrity - Transparency - Anti-Bribery - Corporate Responsibility - Business Ethics in the years 2024 and/or 2025.

    Project Partner:
    Prof. Dr. Stefan Behringer, Dr. Ute Laun, Hochschule Luzern HSLU
    Sandra Middel, Patrick Wellens, Ethics and Compliance Switzerland ECS

    Project Duration: January 2024 to December 2025

    The aim of the project is to organize the first time an Integrity Conference on 26/27 October 2023. The conference will be at the same time the final event of the Integrity Fund.

    Project Partner:
    Prof. Dr. Stefan Behringer, Dr. Ute Laun, Hochschule Luzern HSLU

    Project Duration: April 2023 to November 2023

    The projects intends the translation of three publications in German, French and Spanish. 

    Project Partner:
    Guendalina Dondé, IBE Institute of Business Ethics, London

    Project Duration: April 2022 to March 2023

    The project intends to increase the understanding of selected LkSG regulations in the field of human rights and to put them on a solid foundation.

    Project Partner:
    - Prof. Dr. Marc-Philippe Weller, 
    - PD Dr. Leonhard Hübner
    - Dr. Markus Lieberknecht, University of Heidelberg, Germany

    Project Duration: June 2022 to August 2023

    Many Latin American countries have already introduced corporate criminal law and also regulate the consideration of compliance systems in a variety of ways. For the first time, the international study compares the legal systems with these uniform questions in a systematic way.

    Project Partner:
    Prof. Dr. Katharina Beckemper, Universität Leipzig together with Prof. Dr. Adán Nieto Martín, Universidad Castilla-La Mancha, Ciudad Real, Spanien

    Project Duration: January 2022 to June 2023

    Practical implementation concept for an "ethics board as a service" to enable access to qualified ethics knowledge to as many companies as possible (including SMEs in particular).

    Project Partner:
    Cornelia Diethelm, Center for Digital Responsibility CDR, Switzerland

    Project Duration: January 2022 to September 2022

    Collection of practical cases for situations with moral dilemmas, swissVR Guide «Integrity und ethics on Boards of Directors», swissVR Guide «Conflicts of interest as a Board Member», swissVR Impulse «Ethical aspects of digital transformation».

    Project Partner:
    Cornelia Ritz Bossicard, swissVR Association, Prof. Dr. Manfred Stüttgen, Dr. Felix Buschor, Hochschule Luzern – Wirtschaft, Lucerne School of Business, Switzerland, Cornelia Diethelm, Center for Digital Responsibility CDR

    Project Duration: January 2022 to December 2023

    Develop a guide with recommendations, references and good practices for companies to improve the effectiveness of integrity programs from the perspective of good governance, in particular for prevention of bribery and corruption, of economic crime and to improve market behaviour.

    Project Partner:
    Caio Magri, Istituto ETHOS, São Paulo, Brasil

    Project Duration: March 2022 to December 2023

    The project provides knowledge and concrete recommendations to the following questions: Which misconduct is more likely to be tolerated in organizations ? Which ways of misconduct reporting are commonly followed? Which contexts and measures can increase the willingness to report misconduct?

    Project Partner:
    Prof. Dr. Markus Pohlmann, Max-Weber-Institute of Sociology, Heidelberg University, together with DICO (Deutsches Institut für Compliance)

    Project Duration: January 2022 to June 2023

    Support of the African Journal of Business Ethics, the Conference Proceedings and the Business Ethics Podcasts. 

    Project Partner:
    Bryan Robinson, BEN-Africa – The Business Ethics Network of Africa


    Project Duration: November 2021 to December 2022

    Web Platform with information on whistleblowing regulations and practice in different european countries.

    Project Partner:
    Prof. Dr. Bartosz Makowicz, Viadrina Compliance Center, Europa-Universität Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder)

    Project Duration: January 2022 to July 2022

    Development of an international Master Program «Compliance, Ethics & Integrity» in cooperation with different Universities.

    Project Partner:
    Prof. Dr. Bartosz Makowicz, Viadrina Compliance Center, Europa-Universität Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder)

    Project Duration: January 2022 to December 2022

    Support of a planned conference on third party du diligence in 2022

    Project Partner:
    ECS Ethics and Compliance Switzerland

    Project Duration: January 2022 to December 2022

    Update and revamp of the IBE Say No Toolkit

    Project Partner:
    Guendalina Dondé, IBE Institute of Business Ethics

    Project Duration: October 2021 to March 2022

    Update of an investigation of 2012, computer assisted Telefone Interviews with 525 swiss companies on their exposure to corruption in foreign markets.

    Project Partner:
    Prof. Dr. Christian Hauser, FH Graubünden, Dr. Martin Hilti, Transparency International Schweiz

    Project Duration: September 2021 to December 2022

    The main project objectives are to identify relevant issues in current compliance practices which can be targeted by nudging and to offer recommendations based on nudging and the ethical compass.

    Project Partner:
    Prof. Dr. Andreas Suchanek, HHL – Leipzig Graduate School of Management

    Project Duration: January 2022 to December 2023

    The project intends to develop Tools and Skill Sets for Managers in order to improve ethical decision making (incl. managing in the grey): Empowerment, Enablement, Effectiveness

    Project Partner:
    Prof. Dr. Stephan Grüninger, KICG – Konstanz Institute for Corporate Governance, HTWG Hochschule Konstanz 

    Project Duration: October 2021 to September 2023

    The goal is to build up competencies and develop an application for a Innosuisse Project. This project intends to develop a blacklisting platform, which provides transparency and allows to minimise money laundry risks.

    Project Partner:
    Prof. Dr. Stefan Hunziker, Aline Renda, Hochschule Luzern, Zug

    Project Duration: May 2021 to December 2021

    The project seeks to empower and provide women in business and compliance from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) with education, training and networking opportunities in anti-corruption compliance.

    Project Partner:
    Thomas Stelzer, International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA)

    Project Duration: October 2021 to September 2023

    Development of Guidelines on Due Diligence of Business Partners of swiss SME.

    Project Partner:
    Dr. Martin Hilti, Alex Biscaro, Transparency International Schweiz

    Project Duration: January 2022 to October 2022. 

    With this project, the FHNW wants to investigate the applicability and feasibility of blockchain-based whistleblowing. We aim to develop and test a solution that enables whistleblowing in a secure, anonymous, immutable, and non-traceable way, enabled by blockchain technology that could potentially be integrated into already existing or newly created compliance programs as an anti-corruption measure.   

    Project Partner: Prof. Dr. Petra Asprion, Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz FHNW

    Project Duration: May 2021 to January 2022

    This project will undertake research to identify the content and best method of delivery for a corporate investigator accredited qualification. The research will enable the ACi to deliver an internationally recognised accredited qualification to its members. 
     
    Project Partner
    Steve Young, CEO, Association of Corporate Investigators (ACi) 

    Project Duration: April 2021 to December 2021

    The project fosters integrity management by applying methods developed for deep learning and natural language processing to the field of integrity research. Data scientists and integrity experts develop new metrics that automatically identify corruption-related issues in organizations’ internal documents and internal digital communication. 

    Project Partner
    Prof. Dr. Christian Hauser and Prof. Dr. Albert Weichselbraun, Fachhochschule Graubünden, Switzerland

    Project Duration: January 2021 to June 2022

    The project works out on an evidence basis which anti-bribery and corruption (ABC) compliance measures demonstrably counteract corruption in and by companies. By means of expert ratings, intervention studies and risk assessment the project will investigate which common ABC compliance measures are effective and sustainable and which are not.

    Project Partner:
    Prof. Dr. Markus Pohlmann, Dr. Sebastian Starystach, Max-Weber-Institute of Sociology, Heidelberg University
    Prof. Dr. Gerd Gigerenzer, Prof. Dr. Florian Artinger, Dr. Niklas Keller, Simply Rational GmbH, Berlin
    Markus Jüttner, Vice President Group Compliance E.ON SE, Essen 

    Project Duration: January 2021 to end of 2022

    Realisation of a «Whistleblowing Handbook» and a «Ethics Ambassador Handbook».

    Project Partner:
    Professor Deon Rossouw, The Ethics Institute, Pretoria - South Africa

    Project Duration: May 2020 to the end of 2021

    Detailed comparison and gap analysis between the BnEI Manual and ISO 37001 standard. Recommendations for adjustments of the BnEI manual.

    Project Partner:
    KPMG, GoodCorporation, Banknote Ethics Initiative BnEI.

    Project Duration: March 2020 to June 2020

    Corporations are confronted with a variety of anti-corruption rules worldwide. This project endeavours to catalogue these different rules taking a normative and empirical approach. The goal is to assess the possibilities and limits of harmonizing these standards in the future. For the time being, corporations and law enforcement authorities will be given a guideline of how to navigate the challenges of divergent policies and regulations. 

    Project Partner:
    Prof. Dr. Alexander Baur, M.A./B.Sc. (Universität Hamburg), Dr. Philipp Maximilian Holle (Universität Bonn), Prof. Dr. Jens Koch (Universität Bonn), Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Michael Kubiciel (Universität Augsburg)

    Project Duration: April 2020 to March 2022

    Production of five videos that will be used for one of the two virtual teaching blocks of the new CAS Compliance and Integrity. Those videos will cover “difficult compliance situations” and range from dealing with authorities to digitalization and leading investigations.

    Project Partner:
    Prof. Dr. Guido Palazzo, HEC, University of Lausanne

    Project Duration: October 2019 to May 2020

    Development and dissemination of guidelines and checklists on corruption prevention and control for Swiss companies. The total of four publications are orientated to the needs of SMEs and cover the main fields of action from risk analysis and the development of appropriate actions to their implementation.

    Project Partner:
    Dr. Martin Hilti, Alex Biscaro, Transparency International Schweiz

    Project Duration: July 2019 to September 2021

    The study shows which new instruments in Swiss criminal law can be used to create incentives for companies to cooperate more proactively with law enforcement authorities in the event of corruption offences. The aim is to promote the detection of corruption offences and to mitigate the criminal consequences and damage to the reputation of co-operating companies. The study is intended to serve as a reference work for initiating the necessary legislative adjustments.

    Project Partner:
    Dr. Martin Hilti, Transparency International Schweiz

    Project Duration: October 2019 to March 2021

    Analysis and best-practice sharing of select existing self-assessment and certification Collective Action Initiatives (CAIs); Analysis and best-practice sharing of select existing self-assessment and certification Collective Action Initiatives (CAIs); Support for a pilot certification Collective Action initiative in an emerging-market country.

    Project Partner:
    Gemma Aiolfi, Mirna Adjami, Basel Institute on Governance

    Project Duration: September 2019 to December 2020

    Development and promotion of a dedicated online resource page on Integrity Pacts; Building up a database of sample Integrity Pacts, practical case studies on lessons learned from some Integrity Pacts that operate (or that have operated) around the world, available to anyone interested in developing an Integrity Pact;Development and publication of additional user-friendly and action-oriented tools to promote Integrity Pacts, such as one-pagers, brochures, and other materials

    Project Partner:
    Gemma Aiolfi, Mirna Adjami, Basel Institute on Governance

    Project Duration: May 2019 to December 2019

    The research project is supporting medium-sized enterprises and larger SMEs from Germany, Austria and Switzerland in their internationalisation projects by analysing the challenges of rule conformity and ethical behaviour in high-risk regions and developing practical strategies and management instruments (integrity toolkit). 

    Project Partner:
    Prof. Dr. Stephan Grüninger, KICG – Konstanz Institute for Corporate Governance, HTWG Hochschule Konstanz Technik, Wirtschaft und Gestaltung

    Project Duration: May 2019 to April 2021

    Data scientists and integrity experts will design methods that automatically identify integrity-related issues in text corpora (e.g. media and corporate publications) in order to locate and analyse past gaps in integrity management and blind spots in current integrity management programs of firms.

    Project Partner:

    Prof. Dr. Christian Hauser, Prof. Dr. Albert Weichselbraun, Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft, HTW Chur

    Project duration: December 2018 to November 2020

    The project aims to promote compliance awareness in business and to provide support in the implementation of Compliance Management Systems (CMS): Development of a new basic model for Compliance Management Systems (CMS); Evaluation, revision and amendment of the existing DICO guidelines; Development of working aids for compliance officers; Knowledge transfer via webinars and expert workshops.

    Project Partner:

    Prof. Dr. Bartosz Makowicz, Viadrina Compliance Center, Europa-Universität Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) in co-operation with Deutsches Institut für Compliance e.V. (DICO), Berlin

    Project duration: January 2019 to December 2020

    The project aims to develop a scientifically sound index that allows to evaluate companies with regard to their integrity. Then the possibilities and limits of the implementation of such an index will be evaluated.

    Project Partner:
    Prof. Dr. Christoph Lütge, TUM School of Governance, Technische Universität München

    Project duration: September 2018 to August 2020

    The project examines to what extent proactive and transparent action during a corporate crisis helps to prevent reputational damage from the company or even to turn it into a reputational advantage. 

    Project Partner: 
    Prof. Dr. Mark Eisenegger, Universität Zürich, Prof. Dr. Monika Roth, Hochschule Luzern

    Project duration: Juli 2018 to December 2019

    Development of a model for measuring integrity, that could be integrated as part of enterprise risk management. The project intends to provide a practice-oriented management tool.

    Project Partner: 
    Prof. Dr. Linard Nadig, Prof. Dr. Stefan Hunziker, Hochschule Luzern, Zug

    Project duration: Mai 2018 to April 2019

    Development of a new Diploma Course in Corporate Compliance at the Luzern Business School.

    Project Partner: 
    Prof. Dr. Linard Nadig, Dr. Philipp Henrizi, Hochschule Luzern – Wirtschaft, Zug

    Project duration: April 2018 to September 2018

    A report has been written for submission to the BnEI showing the possibilities and limits of investigations of suspected compliance violations of third parties in tenders, as well as premises of ‘legal privilege’ with respect to the investigation results.

    Project partners:
    Uwe Dolata, Prof. W. Angelika Kreitel, Prof. Josef Scherer The Safety Profiler – DSP, Würzburg

    Project duration: December 2017 to March 2018

    This project supports the conception and promotion of integrity pacts as a standard compliance measure to be implemented for all procurement activities within the banknote industry. An integrity pact is a contract between the customer (for example, central banks, public printing works) and the bidders in a procurement procedure, and governs the rules to be observed on either side in order to safeguard fair competition.

    Project partners:
    Antti Heinonen, Banknote Ethics Initiative BnEI, Brussels Gretta Fenner, Basel Institute on Governance, Basel

    Project duration: end of 2016 to end of 2019

    This project will develop a framework concept for an effective compliance culture in governing bodies. To this end, behavioural patterns of executives and awareness deficits among employees that could prevent the creation of such a compliance culture are to be identified. Building on this, specific recommendations for action are to be derived.

    Project partners:
    DIEP Deutsch Institut für Effizienzprüfung GmbH, Willich (German Institute for Efficiency Testing) Prof. Peter Ruhwedel

    Project duration: April 2018 to September 2019

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