As a World Bank employee, German lawyer Peter Eigen had seen firsthand the harmful effects of corruption. As a result, he began working to combat corruption. This commitment, however, was met with little enthusiasm by his employer, who issued Eigen a warning. So he left the World Bank and co-founded Transparency International (TI) in 1993 with other like-minded people.

Transparency International is currently the largest non-governmental organization (NGO) combating corruption and has representation in over 90 nations. TI educates the public as well as governmental and business leaders about the problem through seminars and lectures. The NGO also publishes studies such as the annual Corruption Index, which ranks countries based on their susceptibility to corruption. The philosophy of founder Peter Eigen of "sitting down at the table with the corrupt actors" irritates critics, as does the fact that corporate donations partially fund the NGO. TI's positive impact on the fight against corruption, however, is undeniable.