Transparency International released its annual Corruption Perceptions Index (February 2026), tracking global views on the state of corruption in 2025. The index scores 182 countries on a scale of 0 to 100, with 0 indicating high corruption and 100 low corruption.
Human Level’s Take:
- Corruption has close ties with repressive regimes and human rights violations, but it can also create a risky operating environment for business, which relies on transparency, a level playing field, and well-funded public services and infrastructure.
- So the red flags showing up in this year’s Corruption Perceptions Index are relevant for any business. The global average dropped for the first time in a decade, to 42 out of 100 points. Traditionally higher-scoring countries (including the US, Canada, UK, France, Sweden, New Zealand and Chile) are slipping in their scores, spurred by weakened checks and balances, legislative gaps, reduced enforcement, political polarisation and private influence in political decision-making.
- Critically, increasing corruption is linked with declining democracy. Countries that protect civic freedoms (freedoms of expression, assembly and association) tend to control corruption more effectively and achieve higher scores. By contrast, 36 of the 50 countries where scores have significantly declined have seen a reduction in civic space, including repressing and prosecuting civil society organisations,
- There are bright spots though: some countries have demonstrated sustained gains from low scores (notably, Albania, Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Laos, Senegal, Ukraine and Uzbekistan), driven by political leaders committed to reform and by open civic space that enables transparency and accountability.
- Transparency International lays out key actions for governments, which include regulated transparency and anti-corruption reporting, strengthening institutions like the justice system, and increasing oversight of public funds and decision-making processes, punishing identified instances of corruption.
- These considerations are also worthwhile for companies to take note of. Countries that legislate and deploy effective anti-corruption systems and promote transparency and fairness are likely to better protect human rights and be more stable places to do business. Forward-looking companies will be looking at the reforms needed in the places where they operate and source and proactively urge governments to clean up corruption.
Some key takeaways:
- Decline in scores: In 2025, the global average score fell for the first time in over a decade to 42 out of 100, with more countries declining (50) than improving (31). Denmark ranked highest for the eighth consecutive year (with a score of 89). Only 15 countries scored above 75 points, with just five of these exceeding 80. Over two-thirds of countries score below 50, indicating widespread serious corruption. Thirty three score below 25, mostly conflict-affected and highly repressive states.The report also identifies a trend of worsening corruption in democracies, including the United States (64), Canada (75), New Zealand (81), the United Kingdom (70), France (66) and Sweden (80). Among the countries whose scores have fallen, two patterns stick out. First, there has been long-term structural deterioration since 2012 in countries such as Venezuela, Syria, Hungary and South Sudan, driven by democratic backsliding, weakened institutions, entrenched patronage, and in some cases conflict. Second, recent slips among higher-scoring countries (e.g., the United States, Canada, UK, France, Sweden, New Zealand, Chile) are caused by weakened checks and balances, legislative gaps, reduced enforcement, political polarisation, and private influence in decision-making. This shows that even strong systems are vulnerable. Yet two positive trends stand out: some countries have made sustained long-term gains from low starting points (e.g., Albania, Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Laos, Senegal, Ukraine, Uzbekistan), and strong, independent civil society organisations have played a key role in safeguarding and advancing governance reforms in these countries.
- Links with democracy and civic space: Transparency International points out that “corruption is not inevitable”: countries that are seeing improvements in their scores have political leaders and regulators that are committed to decreasing corruption and are implementing legal and institutional reforms. By contrast, low or falling scores are closely linked to weakened democratic checks, politicised justice systems, undue political influence and restricted civic space. On average, full democracies score 71, flawed democracies 47, and authoritarian regimes just 32. Overall, countries that protect civic freedoms (freedoms of expression, assembly and association) tend to control corruption more effectively and achieve higher scores. Accordingly, 36 of the 50 countries where scores have significantly declined have seen a reduction in civic space, from limiting funding for civil society organisations to disbanding them to intimidating them. This makes it harder for journalists, civil society organizations and whistleblowers to speak out against corruption, which in turn makes it easier for leaders to perpetuate corrupt practices. That said, the report notes that 2025 saw a surge of protests led by Gen Z against corruption, signaling new hope for anti-corruption activities.
- What’s needed: The report focuses on recommendations for governments, which can also be leveraged by companies to understand the types of reforms signaling improvement in corruption in countries where they operate and source. Companies can also play a part by advocating for these types of reforms in an effort to improve their operating context and address human rights risks. Transparency International recommends that governments ensure justice systems are independent from political and economic interference, adequately resourced, transparent in decision-making and accessible. It also recommends transparency and limits to political funding to prevent undue influence of industry groups and individuals. Increasing transparency and oversight in public services and public financial management, as well as detecting and punishing large-scale corruption, can deter misuse of funds and authority. Governments should also ensure access to justice through the courts for people harmed by corruption, especially people from marginalised communities. Additionally, they can help create natural deterrents to corruption by fostering civic space and requiring anti-corruption reporting through regulation.
