Anti-corruption disclosure in local public services

Objectives. The research investigates the characteristics of anti-corruption disclosure of companies operating in local public services and owned by Public Bodies. These companies are featured by the presence of the State as shareholder and so subject to high standards of transparency, accountability and compliance. On the other hand, they offer essential utilities to local communities, so producing a social impact. Methodology. The analysis has been performed on fifteen companies, one for each of the three local public services under investigation (waste management, public transportation, water supply network), owned, totally or partially, directly or indirectly, by Public Bodies. The publicly disclosed documents relevant for the research purpose and available on the company website were analyzed. Findings. A manifold layout of the anti-corruption emerges. The companies deal with the topic of anti-corruption throughout a composite approach. A shared view on anti-corruption among companies operating in the sector surfaces. It is not properly a standard de facto, but rather a common approach to the issue. Research limits. As the research’s aim does not pertain the achievement of statistical evidence, the main limitation may refer to the methodology, given the small numbers of firms under investigation. Practical implications. The findings may be relevant for policy makers due to the test of the normative framework, while the managerial implications could address business anticorruptive conduct. Originality of the study. The research assesses systematically both the typologies and the contents of the disclosure on the topic of anti-corruption within a specific sector.