Zagreb, 17 May 2024 – Vlahovic Group is proud to announce that it has obtained ISO 37001:2016 certification – Anti-Bribery Management System. With this certificate, issued by the renowned certification house Bureau Veritas, Vlahovic Group becomes the first consulting firm in its field in the entire European Union to have proven the existence of a robust anti-bribery risk management system. The scope of the certification covers consulting services related to public policies and relations with public authorities, i.e., to the core business of the company.

The ISO 37001 certificate is a globally recognized and recognizable anti-corruption standard. It confirms that Vlahovic Group has implemented a management system that includes procedures for identifying and managing bribery risks, as well as maintaining a high level of competence of employees and business partners who work for or on behalf of the company.

“The corporate sector from which our clients come treats interaction with public authorities as one of the riskiest areas in their line of business, and therefore we have recognized that the ISO anti-bribery certification is an additional step in proving our integrity. The services of professional lobbyists are in demand because their expertise and professional standards reduce the exposure of companies, especially those listed on the stock exchange. Therefore, we have decided to take a leading position in demonstrating the transparency and functionality of our internal business system, as we will thereby set the bar for all others. Although zero tolerance for any form of bribery has been and remains the business standard of Vlahovic Group, this certificate will certainly help us to strengthen trust in our company. In addition, we believe that it can also contribute to demystifying the work of professional lobbyists and further professionalizing the profession, not only in Croatia but also globally. Time will tell whether we have helped to set a new standard in the interest of the entire profession,” said Natko Vlahović, one of the pioneers of professional lobbying in Croatia and one of the co-authors of the first book in Croatian that professionally addresses the work of lobbyists.

The company carried out the multi-month implementation process of this ISO standard at the same time as it was engaged in the drafting and adoption of the first Lobbying Act in the Republic of Croatia, which enters into force on October 1, 2024. “We started before we knew what obligations would arise from the Lobbying Act, and although there is no obligation to certify in it, we realized that this is the only international anti-corruption standard that is complementary to the goals that the Act, and we as professional lobbyists, want to achieve, and those are to increase transparency, business ethics and responsibility,” said Natko Vlahović, director and founder of Vlahovic Group.