Speaking last week on the Bribery Act the SFO Director, Richard Alderman, spoke of the SFO’s enforcement strategy and an approach of education for SME’s who violate the new law.

Highlighting SME’s Mr. Alderman said:

“some have said that we might launch a crackdown on small companies because they will be the easiest for us to deal with. Again, no. The small sector has its own issues and we are very sympathetic here. The economy depends upon a vibrant small and medium size sector, because a flourishing sector of this nature creates lots of jobs and this is what we need. We need to help them get it right.”

However, before SME’s up and down the land breathe a sigh of relief it is worth keeping in mind the SFO definition of one.  Continuing the theme Mr. Alderman said:

“Bringing the full force of the SFO and the criminal justice system to bear on a very small company (say under 50 people) seems to me to be a wrong use of resource. Far better to find other ways of making sure that that small company knows how to operate ethically.”