World Bank publishes revised Integrity Compliance Guidelines

The World Bank Group recently revised its Integrity Compliance Guidelines, which provide entities debarred by the World Bank with guidance on compliance measures that should be implemented as a condition of release from World Bank sanctions.  The Guidelines, which were revised on November 24, 2025, contain several important updates particularly in the areas of business development and mergers and acquisitions. The World Bank now requires, among other things, that debarred entities adopt safeguards and procedures that include a review of all bids and other business development activities to ensure that their representations are accurate and disclosures are complete. To this end, the World Bank urged entities to segregate sales or business development functions from individuals that prepare, review, or approve bid submissions and business proposals, where appropriate.  The Guidelines also provide that companies coming under the control of a debarred entity through a merger or acquisition should be subject to Integrity Compliance Guidelines and that integrity risk assessments should be performed on these companies to ensure their prompt integration into the program.  The World Bank also recommended that debarred entities should reserve the right to cancel such transactions if material integrity compliance problems are discovered.

World Bank Group Integrity Compliance Guidelines