Corruption is ‘private sector’s worst effect’, survey finds

Corruption is the most negative effect of private companies on society, according to 51% of Maltese. This opinion is shared by 41% of our fellow Europeans.

These conclusions emerge from a recently published Eurobarometer survey based on 500 telephone interviews carried out in December, before the oil procurement scandal which rocked Malta's political and business establishments.

Corruption is cited as the private sector's worst effect in 15 EU Member States, including Malta. This disdain is also present for respondents in Slovenia (68%), Slovakia (63%) and the Czech Republic (62%).

In contrast, only 14% of Danish, 18% of Finnish and 19% of Swedish respondents cite corruption.

Europeans in general consider corruption (41%), staff reductions (39%) and environmental pollution (39%) as the main negative effects of private companies on society.

But the Maltese consider corruption (51%), environmental degradation (50%) and poor working conditions (45%) to be their worst effects.

It may speak volumes about environmental conservation, however, that 25% of Europeans consider encouraging overconsumption to be one the worst effects of private companies on society, while only 14% of the Maltese share this concern.

60% of Maltese think that job creation is the best effect of the private sector on society. 54% of Europeans express the same view.