Invest in 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?

• Yes

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

Question 2

Has your organization fully implemented department-specific training plans?

• Yes

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

N/A

Part II. Codes of conduct

Question 3

Has your organization reviewed its code of conduct?

• My organization is in the process of reviewing 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?

This review will be complete by October 2024. 

Question 5

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

• My organization is in the process of updating 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.

N/A

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

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

We conducted an organization-wide engagement about existing values and the revision of unique organizational values.

Our executive team has had extensive conversations at their weekly meetings regarding our values, conflict of interest, ethical decision making and open and accountable government.

Each Chief had discussions with their business unit on how our organizational values exist in their work.

The Chief Operating Officer had function-specific discussions with Human Resources, Finance and Procurement.

Internal consultations were completed with employees who self-identified as an employment equity (EE) group during the creation of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Strategy which included alignment with our values.

Values and Ethics has been added to each executive, manager and employee performance objectives. 

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.

Values and ethics training is a part of our mandatory training program and is refreshed on an annual basis. 

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?

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) within the framework of values and ethics in the public sector has been brought up by employees and we hope to continue to explore the possible use of this emerging technology in our organization. 

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)?

We will be introducing training for procurement (as it relates to the potential for conflict of interest) next year to the organization. 

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)?

Each business unit had discussions regarding the actionable ways our organizational values come to life in their work.

Additional resources on our values were introduced to all-staff via our internal SharePoint page. 

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)?

We leverage the Public Service Employee Survey and our own employee survey to measure values and ethics awareness. 

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)?

We recognize the public service values as our foundational values and have introduced three additional values as a result of employee consultations and focus groups. These values were defined in collaboration with our employees including the actionable ways the values are implemented in our work. In February 2024, we introduced the final version to all staff along with a SharePoint resource page to help to socialize the renewed application of our values. We added values and ethics to executive, manager and employee performance objectives as follow through to this introduction, along with a series of business unit and function specific discussions. This year we look forward to continuing the discussion on the tactical application of our values, formalize these changes in our Values and Ethics Code and introduce function-specific training.