Transparency International is an international non-governmental organization which is based in Berlin, Germany It publishes the “Corruption Perception Index” (CPI) every year. The CPI currently ranks 180 countries "on a scale from 100 (very clean) to 0 (highly corrupt)". In 2015, Mongolia was ranked 72nd with score of 39 and in 2016 was ranked at 87th with the core of 38. In 2017, Mongolia ranks 103rd with a score of 36. Therefore, it means Mongolia drew back by 16 positions in 2017 compared to the previous year.

In 2017, the Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Business School of National University of Mongolia conducted a nationwide “Mongolian business environment survey” with the aim to access the current situation of Mongolian business environment, and understand the factors influencing it. The survey results have told us that corruption is one of key factors that holds the improvement of the business sector back.

Since October 2017, Independent Research Institute of Mongolia has been implementing a project named “Business Integrity Country Agenda” which is being funded by Transparency International Mongolia.

The main overall goal of programme is to reduce corruption through improved transparency, integrity, and accountability in business practices.

In order to achieve the programme goal, each country, including Mongolia, sets its own goals and objectives. For this, an evidence-based reform agenda that seeks to improve the business integrity environment in the country and ultimately reduce corruption in and from the Mongolia's private sector has been proposed. 

As of today, in many countries around the world, there is no comprehensive assessment framework targeted at reducing corruption in the private sector. Since 2016, Transparency International Global has been working to address this gap by implementing the Business Integrity Country Agenda in order to improve integrity in private sector. Alongside with Mozambique, Turkey, Italy and Cambodia, Mongolia, too, has been initiated within the BICA project in 2018.

This study has conducted its desktop research according to the methodology developed by Transparency International Global. The agenda evaluates 51 indicators of 15 thematic areas while considering relationship between public and private sector, and civil society. Therefore, the research evaluates the score of each 3 sectors. We should note that there is no comparison with other countries around the world.

Throughout the research, we established a National Advisory Group of 10 advisors to provide significant inputs for the development of all research materials and inform and ensure the research's validity at all stages. First National Advisory Group's meeting was held in November 2017. National Advisory Group has selected representatives that are well respected and have credibility amongst all stakeholder groups of public sector (Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs, Mongolian National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, National Academy of Governance), of private sector (representors from domestic and foreign investment company, Mongolian Stock Exchange, Mongolian Association of Securities Dealers) as well as of the civil society (Globe International NGO and Open Society Forum’s advisors).

Currently the research is ongoing, and the “Business Integrity Country Agenda” will launch its final report in early June 2018 in Mongolia as well as in globally.