China’s Internet giant Baidu, touted as the country’s version of Google, announced on Monday that it has initiated an internal anti-corruption probe to its employees following the reports that three of its department heads are being investigated for graft.
However, the search engine company has not yet disclosed any details about the probe and opted not to confirm the names of the involved.
In Baidu's statement to AFP, it said that the recently launched "anti-corruption action creates a just and transparent working environment, and a sound environment for workers' development."
"We call on all employees to respect company ethics and national laws, to create a healthy and just working environment," the statement added.
On Monday, Chinese online news portal Sina reported that Baidu has been probing three department chiefs.
According to analysts, the move reflects the company's serious action to sustain its integrity and goal to not tolerate corruption and misconduct.
"From Baidu's point of view, it is much better to publicly announce the investigation, because it shows that they are actively stamping out corruption within the firm," Neil Flynn, a portfolio manager at U.K.'s Alcuin Asset Management, remarked.
Meanwhile, Counterpoint Technology Market Research director Neil Shah said that Baidu's internal probe "will set a precedence for [the firm] and other Chinese companies to closely monitor employee practices in this important 'information age,' where soliciting or misusing information can have adverse consequences on the user, the company or any business associated with it."
Though there is no direct relation, internally initiated anti-corruption investigations in private firms have increased since President Xi Jinping unveiled a nationwide anti-graft campaign in 2012.