Avoid and report anti-competitive activity

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Manage risk

The people who run your business are responsible for ensuring it does not break competition law. You should:

  • work out where your business is at risk and how serious any risks are
  • set up policies, guidelines and training for your staff if you need to

Your business can still be given a penalty and sued for damages even if your senior managers did not know about the illegal activity.

Work out if your business is at risk

You’re more likely to be at risk if:

  • you or your employees have contact with your competitors, for example at conferences or trade association meetings
  • your employees regularly move to or from jobs with your competitors
  • you have partnerships with your competitors, for example joint buying or selling
  • you have any long-term exclusive contracts with any customers or suppliers
  • your business has a dominant position in any market where you do business

Set up policies, guidelines and training

You should ask a senior member of staff, for example a director, to make sure your employees know how to avoid and report anti-competitive behaviour.

There’s further guidance from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on reducing the risk of your business breaking the law.