Corporate Responses to Corruption: Symbolic and Substantive Engagement with SDG 16 in Mexico

Abstract

Corruption remains one of the most persistent and complex challenges in emerging economies. In countries like Mexico, where a weak rule of law and institutional voids shape the business environment, firms often operate in contexts where corruption is both systemic and normalized. This paper examines how public firms listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange (Bolsa Mexicana de Valores, BMV) engage with anti-corruption standards and whether this engagement aligns with the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16), particularly those related to transparency, accountability, and institutional integrity. Drawing on institutional and neo-institutional theory, the study follows a two-phase approach: it first analyzes the responses of 119 firms to the Corporate Governance Questionnaire to identify broad adoption patterns, and then conducts an in-depth qualitative review of the 2022 annual reports of a 20-firm subsample to assess whether disclosures reflect substantive practices or symbolic compliance. Results show that most firms adopt a symbolic or minimal approach, with only six demonstrating substantive alignment through concrete governance mechanisms, anti-corruption measures, and accountability practices. By linking corporate practices to specific SDG 16 targets, the study highlights the fragmented and uneven commitment to transparency in a weak institutional context. The paper concludes with recommendations for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), seeking to contribute meaningfully to SDG 16 through more robust governance practices.