A few years ago, the Accountability Lab began a campaign called Integrity Icon. We were fed up with the constant stream of bad news around issues of corruption- that endlessly focused on the problem and the wrong-doers, without offering any solutions. Integrity Icon flips that narrative- by “naming and faming” honest government officials and celebrating them very publicly in a way that can lift up these role-models, rebuild trust and give citizens hope for a better future.

The campaign has led to some fantastic results around the world- the public credibility that it provides along with the Lab’s ongoing guidance has allowed the winners to grow their influence and push for reforms. A former winner of Integrity Icon in Mali, for example, was subsequently made Minister of Justice- and is now clamping down on graft; and a former winner in South Africa is now part of a new ethics committee to reform the way the entire government operationalizes accountability.

In 2019, with the support of the Bosch Alumni Network through the International Alumni Center (iac Berlin) – we began Integrity Icon in Mexico. After initial conversations, the iac Berlin sponsored a planning visit for me in June to chat to fellow Bosch Alumni Alejandro Martinez (himself an expert on governance in Mexico), develop ideas and launch the campaign. After a productive few days I came away convinced the concept could work- and began building a team and a plan to help us deliver.

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Sheena Adams