World Bank stops Doing Business Report amid probe of irregularities

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 Reuters - The World Bank Group said on Thursday it ended publication of its Doing Business Report on Country Investment Climates after a probe of data irregularities cited undue pressure by top bank officials, including then-Chief Executive Kristalina Georgieva, to boost China's ranking in 2017.

The World Bank said in a statement here: www.worldbank.org. org en news statement 2021 09 16 world-bank Group to discontinue-doing - business-report that the decision came after internal audit reports raised ethical matters including the conduct of former Board officials as well as current and/or former bank staff, and a board investigation conducted by the law firm WilmerHale.

The Wilmer Hale report https://docs.worldbank.com/Wilmer Hale. It also said that Georgieva, now an international co-director of the International Monetary Fund, and a key advisor pressured staff to make particular changes to China's data points and boost its ranking at a time when the bank was seeking China's support for a new capital increase.

China's ranking in Doing Business 2018 report published in October 2017, rose seven places to 78th after data methodology changes were made, compared with the initial draft report.

The Doing Business Report assesses regulatory environment, ease of business startups, infrastructure and other business climate measures.

I disagree fundamentally with the findings and interpretations of the investigation of data irregularities as it relates to my role in the IMF Doing Business report for 2018 Georgieva said in a statement issued by the World Bank. She added that she had met with the executive board of IMF to discuss the matter.

WilmerHale report also cited irregularities in the data used to determine rankings for Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan in the Doing Business 2020 report published in 2019, but found no evidence that any members of the bank's office of the President or executive board were involved in these changes.

Starting with a new approach for assessing the business climate, the World Bank said in a statement.