Transparency marketing: mechanisms for preventing corruption in international humanitarian aid projects

Abstract

The article aims to provide a scientific rationale and develop a conceptual model of transparency marketing in anti-corruption management of humanitarian aid, capable of reducing corruption risks, strengthening donor trust, and ensuring the sustainability of international support for Ukraine during wartime. The methodological foundation of the study includes system and comparative analysis, structural-logical modelling, and synthesis of international experience in humanitarian flow governance. The research incorporates practices of digital accountability, preventive and remedial control, as well as modern instruments of open data and public communication. The findings demonstrate that existing anti-corruption mechanisms in the humanitarian domain remain fragmented and predominantly focused on oversight procedures. At the same time, it is the combination of control measures with transparency marketing—open data, dashboards, verified reporting, anti-corruption branding, and community-driven verification tools—that enables stakeholder trust-building and reduces information asymmetry. The proposed model integrates four interrelated components: preventive, remedial, communication-informational, and reputational-evaluative. It forms a closed “transparency–trust–support sustainability” loop and is accompanied by a KPI system for assessing resource traceability, reporting quality, and reputational resilience. The results indicate that transparency marketing can function as an integrated anti-corruption mechanism within the humanitarian management system, enhancing the capacity of public and non-governmental institutions to secure donor trust and sustain external support. The proposed model not only aligns preventive, remedial, and communication tools but also establishes a holistic approach to reducing corruption risks by increasing the visibility of humanitarian processes and optimizing stakeholder engagement. Its conceptual value lies in its applicability under conditions of prolonged conflict, when reputational stability and transparency of resource flows are decisive for maintaining international partnership.