Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada

Part I. Values and ethics training plans

Question 1

Has your organization developed department-specific values and ethics training plans down to the divisional level?

• No

If not, to what level have department-specific values and ethics training plans been developed and what is your target time frame for completing this work?

N/A

As a small organization, the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada (hereinafter the OIC) mainly promotes training programs that have been developed by other organizations, including the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS).

Since the OIC does not have the human and financial resources to develop such programs, it plans to continue promoting training prog

Question 2

Has your organization fully implemented department-specific training plans?

• No

If not, what is your target time frame for completing this work?

N/A

(Same answer as above.)

As a small organization, the OIC mainly promotes training programs that have been developed by other organizations, including the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS).

Since the OIC does not have the human and financial resources to develop such programs, it plans to continue promoting training programs that have been developed by other organizations.

Part II. Codes of conduct

Question 3

Has your organization reviewed its code of conduct?

• Yes, my organization has reviewed its code of conduct.

Question 4

If your organization is in the process of reviewing its code of conduct, what is your target time frame for completing the review?

N/A

Question 5

If your organization has completed the review of its code of conduct, did this review lead to updates?

• Yes, my organization updated its code of conduct.

Please briefly describe the nature of any updates made (e.g., to clarify expected behaviours, to align with the emerging context, to include emerging risks) or explain why no updates were deemed necessary.

The OIC conducted a complete review of its Code of Values and Ethics (Code) in 2022. To do so, it worked with several key partners, including employees, unions, managers and directors, as well as senior management and internal committees (e.g. the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion [EDI] Committee). After several consultations with the key partners, the OIC undertook a major update of its Code. The update focused on the following main points:

• Clarifying roles and responsibilities;
• Updating values and expected behaviours to make them more concrete and ensure that they align with the OIC’s 2020–2025 Strategic Plan and today’s reality;
• Clarifying the “Breach of this Code” section; and
• Creating three new sections:
  • Social media (digital presence or other)
  • Alcohol, cannabis, drugs and certain medications
  • Resources (information sources)

To facilitate the transition to the new Code, the organization distributed information capsules through its newsletter over several weeks. The capsules addressed important items that the organization wanted to highlight.

Although the OIC has already completed the review, it remains attentive to the thoughts and concerns shared during ongoing discussions with its employees in order to modify its Code as needed or in light of the emerging context.

Lastly, as part of recent discussions on values and ethics, the OIC set out to improve its values and ethics Intranet page. It added material related to the discussions, including messages from the Clerk and the Deputy Ministers’ Task Team on Values and Ethics Report.

Part III. Discussions on personal accountability in upholding public service values and ethics

Question 6

What activities or actions has your organization undertaken to foster a conversation at all levels on personal accountability to uphold our public service values and ethics?

• Dedicated discussions at executive and management committee meetings
• All-staff engagements (e.g., town halls)
• Focused engagement sessions for specific functional areas (e.g., operations, finance, communications, policy, human resources)
• Focused engagement sessions on specific topics (e.g., conflicts of interest, social media, emerging technologies)
• Engagement sessions with equity groups, employee groups, networks and communities
• Inclusion in employees’ performance and talent management cycle discussions
• Specific values and ethics communications campaigns

Please provide additional details on activities that you have undertaken, including those not listed above.

The OIC has taken various measures to foster a conversation at all levels on personal accountability to uphold the public service values and ethics. Concretely, the OIC has held discussions at various levels in the organization (through functional team meetings, with internal committees, senior management, etc.).

Another significant measure was a mandatory workshop for all staff that took place in May 2024. During the workshop, several important elements from values and ethics codes were discussed, including the legal foundations, the possible consequences of not complying with the codes, a reminder of values, the definitions of conflicts of interest, employee obligations and available resources. The workshop proved to be a major success and prompted discussions and action among all employees.

Moreover, the OIC has implemented measures to regularly reiterate the important aspects of values and ethics codes to its employees, including the personal accountability of all federal public servants. In addition, each year at the beginning of the performance management cycle, managers must discuss codes with the members of their team, after which employees must sign a confirmation form.

Lastly, initiatives were also created by functional area. For example, the finance directorate created a contract review committee to ensure ethical, transparent and consistent decision-making throughout the organization.

It plans to continue with this. 

Question 7

Has your organization taken any actions to ensure that conversations on personal accountability to uphold our public service values and ethics occur on a continuing basis?

• Included as part of the onboarding process for new employees
• Incorporated in employees’ professional development and mandatory learning plans

Please provide details on activities that you have undertaken, including those not listed above.

The OIC has already taken various measures to ensure that conversations on personal accountability to uphold our public service values and ethics occur on a continuing basis. For example, in its onboarding process for new employees and its performance management cycle, the OIC included a form to be signed to confirm that the values and ethics codes have been read, including a commitment to continue with mandatory training. Both of these opportunities allow managers to talk to their employees about personal accountability as public servants and expected behaviours, and to follow up on mandatory training.

In addition, the OIC plans to continue these conversations within the work teams, the EDI Committee, and the Senior Management Committee. The OIC also included this requirement in its Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Integrated Plan.

Part IV. Additional information

Question 8

What recurring themes (e.g., social media, emerging technology, conflicts of interest) have emerged from conversations with employees (e.g., students, new public servants, front-line service providers, managers, executives, members of functional/horizontal communities/employee networks) across your organization?

Several themes emerged during conversations with employees across the organization. These themes included the use of social media, the impact of hybrid work and the importance of continuing to have constructive discussions at all levels of the organization, taking concrete action, and having access to values and ethics training.

In addition, the discussions highlighted the importance for OIC employees to apply the values of the organization and the public service to their everyday work. Given that transparency is central to the OIC’s mission, employees have made it their duty to adopt values and ethical conduct.

Question 9

How have you adjusted your learning activities to address recurring themes (e.g., adjusted training plans, developed specific case studies, invited expert speakers to focus on emerging themes)?

Although the OIC plans to continue using training programs developed by other organizations, including the CSPS, it has still implemented certain measures internally. For example, it plans to hold other workshops throughout the coming year that will allow for discussions with all employees. These future discussions will cover theoretical components related to recurring themes by using case studies from situations related to employees’ operational tasks. The OIC also plans for discussions to continue in each business line in order to cover specifics and ethical issues based on specific fields. 

Furthermore, through its EDI Committee, the OIC regularly organizes conferences for all employees that address topical issues affecting equity-seeking groups. These conferences provide significant opportunities for awareness that generates rich and compassionate discussions.

Question 10

Are there any actions or learning activities that have been particularly successful in fostering conversations within your organization (e.g., new tools, creative approaches that have resonated well with employees and managers, meeting with small groups, equipping managers to lead conversations, equipping values and ethics office/practitioners)?

The OIC held an all-staff workshop including subgroup discussions that was particularly good for fostering rich and authentic discussions within the organization. These discussions revealed the degree to which OIC employees were engaged and how seriously they took their responsibility to uphold public service values and ethics. That is why the OIC wants to hold other similar activities in the future.

Question 11

What indicators will be used to measure increased employee awareness of the role of values and ethics in their daily work (e.g., Public Service Employee Survey, pulse surveys, engagement with focus groups)?

The OIC plans to use various indicators to measure its employees’ increased knowledge. In addition to the Public Service Employee Survey, the OIC plans to use feedback questionnaires that it will send after the future values and ethics events it organizes. However, the data gathered through these methods have certain limits, given the need to respect privacy and confidentiality. Because of the OIC’s small size, it is often impossible to break down its data to find specific information.

Lastly, the ongoing discussions within the work teams will allow managers, and ultimately the organization, to get a sense of OIC employees’ knowledge and to gather data. 

Question 12

Will these indicators be disaggregated by identity factors?

• No

Question 13

Is there any additional information that you would like to share regarding your organization’s work on values and ethics (e.g., to advance particular recommendations of the Deputy Ministers’ Task Team on Values and Ethics Report)?

Regarding the recommendations stated in the Deputy Ministers’ Task Team on Values and Ethics Report, the OIC can proudly say that it has already started implementing recommendations, including continuing the dialogues to ensure that “engagement be inclusive, maximize employee participation at all levels, and ensure psychologically safe spaces for open and honest reflection on real issues and challenges.”

Its first workshop on values and ethics followed those recommendations, and the OIC will continue to do so. In addition, the Information Commissioner was thrilled, and her enthusiasm was shown on the first page of the OIC’s weekly newsletter, which followed the event, to maintain an ongoing dialogue.

As a result, there will be other discussions at various levels and with the various internal committees, such as the EDI Committee and the senior management committees, or certain working groups.