Cairo, Egypt, March 16, 2025
On the sidelines of the regional meeting “Towards Building the Way Forward: Enhancing Business Integrity in the MENA Region,” organized by UNODC in collaboration with the Administrative Control Authority (ACA) of Egypt, the National Anti-Corruption Academy (NACA), the League of Arab States (LAS), and the Palestinian Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), UNODC conducted insightful interviews with companies benefiting from anti-corruption initiatives.
We had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Amr Talib, Director of Rita Fresh Food, Egypt, and Mr. Hamza Arkan, Director of Future Company, Iraq, who shared their experiences in adopting integrity-driven business practices. Rita Fresh Food is a leading company in the Egyptian market that produces healthy frozen food for pets, established in 2017 in Cairo and now export to the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Future Company specializes in repairing optical cables for homes, in addition to selling Internet services and accessories
Integrity has always been at the core of our vision—to establish a work environment that is transparent, ethical, and free of corruption. In our companies, we strive to foster a culture where accountability is balanced—avoiding both excessive punishment for mistakes and unwarranted tolerance of unethical behavior.
The training provided by UNODC was instrumental in translating our vision into actionable policies. It equipped us with practical tools to implement anti-corruption, transparency, and integrity frameworks, particularly in the private sector and SMEs. As a result, our leadership teams convened to develop a Code of Conduct tailored to our operational contexts, mirroring the frameworks we learned from UNODC.
From there, we expanded this Code into a structured set of regulations and procedures governing recruitment, salary disbursement, customer and supplier relations, incentive structures, and disciplinary measures. Finally, we conducted comprehensive training for our employees to ensure the widespread adoption of these integrity-focused policies.
One of our biggest challenges was the lack of awareness regarding corruption indicators—many of which could pose significant risks if not addressed proactively. UNODC provided us with an online corruption risk assessment tool, which revealed vulnerabilities within our organizations that we had previously overlooked.
Another challenge was bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical implementation. Writing a Code of Conduct and a procedural manual that aligned with our business operations was not an easy task. However, through UNODC’s training-of-trainers workshops, corporate consultations, and tailored guidance, we were able to develop a robust framework that is now fully integrated into our daily business processes.
The impact has been transformative. We now have a deeper understanding of corrupt practices and have adopted a transparent approach in our dealings with suppliers, competitors, and stakeholders. For instance, during our engagement with suppliers, we identified loopholes in their supply systems that we could have exploited for cost reductions and higher profit margins. However, prioritizing integrity over short-term gains, we chose to inform our suppliers about these gaps, fostering a relationship built on trust and transparency.
Similarly, when competitors sought to artificially raise prices to deter new market entrants, we recognized this as an anti-competitive practice—thanks to our training with UNODC experts. Instead of following suit, we maintained fair pricing based on product quality, leading to enhanced consumer trust and brand credibility.
Beyond our internal operations, we have also collaborated with competitors to share our experience in compliance, transparency, and anti-corruption, collectively strengthening business integrity across our industry.
