Financial Consumer Agency 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?

The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC or the Agency) is a small separate agency that numbered 234 indeterminate and term employees as of March 31, 2024. Given our small size and the strong emphasis we are putting on values and ethics this fiscal year, we are developing our training plan at the agency level.

All employees will be required to complete agency-specific training on our Policy on Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention. With our values serving as its foundation, this training will augment other mandatory training that employees, supervisors and Occupational Health and Safety Committee members, as well as designated recipients have completed through the Canada School of Public Service.

We will also be reviewing and updating our Code of Values and Ethics in 2024-2025. Mandatory training will be provided to all employees once the code is updated to clarify expectations and foster meaningful conversations.

Question 2

Has your organization fully implemented department-specific training plans?

• No

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

Our target for reviewing and updating our code and providing training is March 31, 2025.

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?

Our target for reviewing and updating our code and providing training is March 31, 2025.

Question 5

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

No response submitted.

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.

Our target for reviewing and updating our code and providing training is March 31, 2025.

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?

• 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 corporate objectives of all performance agreements include a measure that speaks to consistent demonstration of our values. In addition, the corporate objectives of supervisors, managers, and executives include measures to ensure that employees are aware of and comply with their responsibilities including those related to values and ethics.

We have pages dedicated to values and ethics and resolving conflict and preventing harassment on our intranet, and timely communications are posted regarding topics such as political activities.

Our Interim Commissioner highlighted our planned work on values and ethics for this year at our town hall in April. He will also be speaking about the fundamental role values and ethics play in public service at another all-staff event during National Public Service Week.

The approach to reviewing our Code and providing training will include dedicated engagements for executives and managers, as well as for employees.

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?

No response submitted.

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

As described above, measures related to values and ethics are included in all performance agreements at commensurate levels of accountability.

Our new online onboarding guide will also include values and ethics reminders. A future phase of this process will include development of an orientation session, which will provide another opportunity for meaningful conversation.

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?

Feedback received through our Public Service Employee Survey (PSES) engagement sessions recommended that the Agency provide training about creating a safe workplace beyond preventing harassment and discrimination. 

As we embark on the review and update of our code and delivery of the complementary training, we will be monitoring for other recurring themes and adjusting as appropriate.

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)?

To respond to the feedback received through the PSES engagement sessions, the agency-specific training on our Policy on Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention will include topics such as incivility, conflict resolution and microaggression.

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)?

We do not have activities to share at this time. Our target for reviewing and updating our code and providing training is March 31, 2025.

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 PSES is a key source of indicators for assessing all aspects of our People Management Framework and will continue to be used to measure employee awareness of values and ethics. Our PSES engagement sessions will provide another opportunity for us to take the pulse and continue the conversation.

Question 12

Will these indicators be disaggregated by identity factors?

• Yes

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 do not have additional information to share at this time.