In corporate governance, integrity is more than honesty or legal compliance; it is a defining characteristic of ethical leadership. History shows that corruption can generate substantial short-term rewards for individual firms. Until governance systems, investor expectations and competitive incentives change, the commercial logic that sustains corruption will remain difficult to overcome. Individual firms might recognise that corruption damages the economy, yet conclude that refusing to pay bribes will hand contracts to less scrupulous competitors. As access to international capital increasingly depends on credible governance, integrity is becoming a commercial requirement rather than simply an ethical aspiration.