Public Servant Codes of Ethics Worldwide

Discussion about values and ethics in government and in the public service are all the rage these days in Canada as we digest the fallout from the federal sponsorship scandal.

Since the beginning of February, I have been to 2 sessions (one lasting an entire day) where the code of ethics in the federal public service of Canada has been discussed.

The Public Service Human Resources Management Agency of Canada, affectionately known as PSHRMAC, which is pronounced "pusher-mack", has compiled a list of web resources on public service values and ethics related initiatives outside Canada (Australia, UK, European Union, OECD, France, etc.).

Canadian material:

• PSHRMAC's website features material from the Office of Public Service Values and Ethics offering information about how the Canadian public service is supposed to behave
• Public Service Integrity Office: "provides public service employees with an independent and neutral, external review of disclosures of wrongdoing in the workplace. In addition to investigating matters in an equitable, timely and confidential manner the Office ensures that an employee who makes a good-faith disclosure is protected from job reprisal"
• Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service (Treasury Board Secretariat)
• Policy on the Internal Disclosure of Information Concerning Wrongdoing in the Workplace (Treasury Board Secretariat)