World Bank : Statement on the Doing Business Index

WASHINGTON, January 13, 2018 - The World Bank Group today issued the following statement on the Doing Business Index:

'Over the 15 years of its existence, the Doing Business Index has been an invaluable tool for countries looking to improve their business climate, tracking thousands of reforms. Since we developed this vital report, Doing Business has undergone a number of reviews - both internal and external - and we are always looking for new ways to refine and strengthen its methodology.

It is important to note that we treat all countries equally in our research, and the Doing Business indicators and methodology are designed with no single country in mind but so that the overall business climate can be improved. Any changes to the Doing Business methodology are done through a rigorous consultative process, where our Board, individual countries, practitioners, academics, and staff across the Bank Group can provide input. The indicators are based on hard data, such as actual tax rates and legislation passed, and they are subjected to internal and external validation. Objective data is not subject to political influence.

In light of the concerns expressed by our Chief Economist in the media and our commitment to integrity and transparency, we will conduct an external review of Chile's indicators in the Doing Business report.'