The World Bank Group issued a statement on September 16 regarding the publication of the survey on irregularities in data from the 2018 and 2020 editions of the Doing Business report. At the end of this investigation, the financial institution decided to stop publishing the Doing Business report.

The Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank has authorized the publication of the survey entitled Investigation of Data Irregularities in Doing Business 2018 and Doing Business 2020 – Investigation Findings and Report to the Board of Executive Directors. This is an independent external review of the facts and circumstances surrounding the irregularities found in the data from the 2018 and 2020 editions of the “Doing Business” report. For the board, confidence in the research work of the World Bank Group is of paramount importance. This work guides the actions of policy makers, helps countries make better-informed decisions and enables stakeholders to measure economic and social progress more accurately.

This work is also a valuable tool for the private sector, civil society, academia, journalists and other actors, and promotes a broader understanding of global issues. So after data irregularities in the 2018 and 2020 editions of the Doing Business report were internally flagged in June 2020, World Bank management suspended the next edition and launched a series of reviews and audits of the report and the method used to establish it. Furthermore, because the internal reports have raised ethical questions, particularly concerning the conduct of former officers of the Board of Directors as well as certain current and/or former employees of the Bank, management has brought the related allegations to the Bank's appropriate internal accountability mechanisms. “ After reviewing all information available to date on the Doing Business report, including the findings of previous reviews and audits, World Bank Group management has decided to discontinue publication of the report. Doing Business report.