Promotion (awareness raising and training)
Under the promotional aspect of the Ethics Office, it is the responsibility of the Ethics Officer to provide guidance to the HRD to ensure that relevant ethical standards are reinforced and promoted by ILO policies, procedures and practices, and that ethical standards are clearly understood.
Additionally, with a view to increasing awareness on ethical issues, the Ethics Officer cooperates closely with the HRD Director and her collaborators, to assist with the design and promotion of programmes to inform and educate staff members.
The first stage in this promotional action concerns the knowledge of the relevant standards, which are mentioned in the Office Directive on ethics in the Office, namely Chapter I of the ILO Staff Regulations, the Standards of Conduct for the International Civil Service adopted in 2001 by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), and the rules governing outside activities contained in the Office Directive, IDGS No. 71, Office Procedure, IGDS No. 70 and Office Guideline, IGDS No. 67.
In fact, the first promotional activity was put in place directly by the Office Directive on ethics in the Office, to the extent that one of the measures decided by the Director-General in this context was delivering a copy of the 2001 Standards of Conduct to each official, with a request to sign a statement confirming that they had read and agreed to observe them.
The signature of the Standards is not a condition for their applicability. It simply confirms the fact that ILO staff members have read and understood that they are expected to live up to the standards of behaviour described in the text. The signature is without prejudice to their rights and obligations.
Training programmes are being prepared and will be announced in due course. See also past events and campaigns.
The brochure on "Ethics in the Office" was published in May 2011 and is intended to serve as the very first introduction to the functions of the Ethics Office. It answers some preliminary and general questions on the tasks of the Ethics Office, particularly emphasizing how the Office can be useful and helpful to all staff members of the ILO.
Further, an ILO Ethics e-learning module ILO Ethics e-learning module on ethics has been developed and was made available to all staff members on the website of the Ethics Office in March 2010.
Additionally, with a view to increasing awareness on ethical issues, the Ethics Officer cooperates closely with the HRD Director and her collaborators, to assist with the design and promotion of programmes to inform and educate staff members.
The first stage in this promotional action concerns the knowledge of the relevant standards, which are mentioned in the Office Directive on ethics in the Office, namely Chapter I of the ILO Staff Regulations, the Standards of Conduct for the International Civil Service adopted in 2001 by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), and the rules governing outside activities contained in the Office Directive, IDGS No. 71, Office Procedure, IGDS No. 70 and Office Guideline, IGDS No. 67.
In fact, the first promotional activity was put in place directly by the Office Directive on ethics in the Office, to the extent that one of the measures decided by the Director-General in this context was delivering a copy of the 2001 Standards of Conduct to each official, with a request to sign a statement confirming that they had read and agreed to observe them.
The signature of the Standards is not a condition for their applicability. It simply confirms the fact that ILO staff members have read and understood that they are expected to live up to the standards of behaviour described in the text. The signature is without prejudice to their rights and obligations.
Training programmes are being prepared and will be announced in due course. See also past events and campaigns.
Training and awareness raising material
The Booklet Principles of Conduct for staff of the International Labour Office elaborated by the Ethics Office in 2009, translates and explains ethical standards in accordance with the relevant core instruments as well as various rules and internal governance documents. This booklet can further assist staff members in recognizing the ethical issues present in a number of situations and in responding to them in the correct way, thus maintaining the standard of conduct expected by international civil servants.The brochure on "Ethics in the Office" was published in May 2011 and is intended to serve as the very first introduction to the functions of the Ethics Office. It answers some preliminary and general questions on the tasks of the Ethics Office, particularly emphasizing how the Office can be useful and helpful to all staff members of the ILO.
Further, an ILO Ethics e-learning module ILO Ethics e-learning module on ethics has been developed and was made available to all staff members on the website of the Ethics Office in March 2010.
Reliable and regularly updated financial and results data are an essential component of informing, monitoring, reporting and evaluating progress towards achieving decent work for all and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As a results-driven organization, the ILO uses open data to share progress on performance with its constituents, partners and the broader public. The ILO sees transparency as part of the larger process of informed governance and organizational learning. Transparency makes the ILO a reliable partner and ensures its accountability.
Based on a multi-phase action plan, the ILO is also looking at how it can improve its own systems and address any gaps in its current capacity to collect, manage and publish financial and results data.
The ILO is committed to preventing fraudulent and other proscribed practices and to actively promote an anti-fraud culture among officials, external collaborators, grantees, implementing partners and vendors. The ILO has zero tolerance to proscribed practices. The Office processes for reporting different kinds of proscribed practices and the subsequent investigation, review/recommendation, decision and sanction (where applicable) are shown in the flow chart below:
The ILO's efforts for continuous improvement build on a long-standing history of openness, transparency and accountability in all ILO operations, including:
Improving transparency means:
- establishing an evidence-base for the results achieved;
- providing insights on how, where and for what the ILO uses its resources;
- ensuring value for money;
- enhancing coordination between recipients and contributors to ILO support and increasing coherence in the multilateral system;
- putting in practice internationally recognized principles for effective development cooperation.
Based on a multi-phase action plan, the ILO is also looking at how it can improve its own systems and address any gaps in its current capacity to collect, manage and publish financial and results data.
The ILO is committed to preventing fraudulent and other proscribed practices and to actively promote an anti-fraud culture among officials, external collaborators, grantees, implementing partners and vendors. The ILO has zero tolerance to proscribed practices. The Office processes for reporting different kinds of proscribed practices and the subsequent investigation, review/recommendation, decision and sanction (where applicable) are shown in the flow chart below:
The ILO's efforts for continuous improvement build on a long-standing history of openness, transparency and accountability in all ILO operations, including:
- enhancing and developing external and internal dashboards designed to enhance transparency and accountability as well as provide an integrated overview of activities. These include public platforms on Development Cooperation, i-eval Discovery and Decent Work Results as well as internal tools to enable managers to make data-driven decisions.
- regular and public reporting to the Governing Body on results and the use of resources through the biennial Programme and Budget and the Programme Implementation Report;
- a prominent role for evaluation – managed by the ILO Evaluation Office (EVAL) in alignment with the ILO Evaluation Policy and Strategy – as an accountability and organizational learning tool to help ILO constituents and staff members support decent work and social justice;
- a Public Information Disclosure Policy to ensure that information on ILO policies, strategies and operational activities is available to the widest possible audience;
- an Office of Internal Audit and Oversight (IAO) that evaluates the ILO’s risk management, internal control, and governance processes, providing independent assurance to the Director-General and the Governing Body that those processes are in place and effective, as well insight and advice for improvements where needed. The IAO’s mandate also includes conducting fact finding investigations in support of the ILO’s zero tolerance with respect to fraud and corruption; and responding to allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse;
- a Committee on Accountability and a Vendor Review Committee, that review cases of alleged fraudulent and other proscribed practices involving ILO officials/ex-officials or external vendors, and make appropriate recommendations to the Director-General or the Treasurer and Financial Comptroller for the disciplinary actions or sanctions.
- an Independent Oversight Advisory Committee that reviews and monitors governance, accountability and ethical issues, reporting on them to the Governing Body;
- an Ethics Officer tasked with fostering a culture of integrity and high ethical standards;
- adherence to International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS); and
- collaborating with the United Nations Joint Inspection Unit, the independent external oversight body of the UN system.