Values and ethics

Enhancing and maintaining public trust in the institutions of government is fundamental to the work of the federal public service. All employees must ensure their actions and decisions uphold the Public Service values and conform to the high ethical standards expressed in the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service.

The Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer is the centre of expertise and leadership on values-based management, which includes workplace well-being and the prevention and resolution of harassment, and we are the policy centre for the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act. We maintain networks and partnerships dedicated to the promotion and continuation of the highest standards of values and ethics in the Public Service.

New Developments – Values and Ethics Code

The Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act requires the Treasury Board to establish a code of conduct applicable to the entire public sector, including separate employers, boards, agencies, commissions and parent Crown corporations.

In addition, subsection 6(1) of the Act requires deputy heads and chief executives of public sector organizations to establish their own organizational code of conduct.

The new Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector must be before the House of Commons and the Senate for at least 30 days before it comes into force. In light of this parliamentary process, we aim to have the Code come into force on April 2, 2012. Once the Code is in force, all federal public sector employees will be required to adhere to the Code as a term and condition of employment. In the meantime, the current Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service is still in effect and will continue to support Public Service employees in their day-to-day work.