CIMA members and students worldwide have a responsibility to be fully aware of the implications of the UK Bribery Act, its main requirements and what the law will mean in practice for CIMA members working for UK businesses and their subsidiaries overseas. On 25 March 2009, UK Secretary of State for Justice Jack Straw announced a new Bribery Act. The Act received Royal Assent on 8 April and will become law – coming into effect in stages between June and October 2010. The new law will have wide implications for the UK industry and for accounting professionals worldwide.