Corruption is a global ethical and legal issue and is defined by Transparency International as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. The aim of the Global Corruption Report is to bring the matter of corruption to the attention of the world and aid in combating it. It is also designed as a tool to help policymakers and the public to change corrupt behaviour by providing guidelines and recommendations within the report. The Global Corruption Report uses various sources of information including experts and activists, as well as up to date research, in order to bring to the fore the recent developments in corruption. The report also addresses international and regional trends, highlights significant cases and uses the Bribe Payers Index and the Corruption Perceptions Index as empirical evidence of corruption. The report provides an assessment of corruption within more than 30 countries, as well as research findings and perspectives, and it is designed to be useful to a broad range of readers. This includes policymakers, journalists, educators, as well as the general public.
Each year the report focuses on a particular sector and examines the prevalence of corruption within that sector around the world. By focusing on one sector the report further underlines the seriousness of corruption and the need for change to be implemented. It also emphasises how corruption in that sector has an impact on the people and economy of those affected countries. The report helps to expose what may be lacking in the policies of those nations and encourages them to put in place better policies and processes. In reviewing the policies related to one sector, this may further encourage policymakers to review other sectors and implement change throughout.