Office of the Auditor General 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?

• 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?

• Yes, my organization has 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?

A first review of the Office of the Auditor General of Canada (OAG)’s Code of Values, Ethics and Professional Conduct was completed in 2023. A second review is anticipated once the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat publishes its revised Code.

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.
• 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.

The first review of the OAG Code of Values, Ethics and Professional Conduct was mostly dedicated to updating the expected employee behaviours under each statement of values. 

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)
• Specific values and ethics communications campaigns

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

The OAG has developed and/or implemented the following activities related to values and ethics:

• The OAG Culture Compass on the OAG’s values was launched across the organization in October 2023. This initiative, starting with a visual, was supported by a series of 5 videos and a discussion guide addressing each of the OAG values. There was a call to action to managers to hold conversations with employees, starting in January to March 2024, on the Code of Values and to discuss how the values apply in their daily work. These videos will be integrated into the OAG onboarding for new employees by July 2024. A voluntary survey was conducted in May 2024 to assess whether the campaign has increased awareness of the values, and survey feedback will be used to inform follow-up actions.
• Specific awareness sessions were provided to the Chief Information Officer group in the fall of 2023 to raise awareness on values and ethics in the context of outside employment.
• In April 2024, all financial auditors were invited to register for a webinar that explored the links between ethics, technology, and accounting during major upheavals. 
• The internal awareness mandatory training on values and ethics for all OAG employee is planned for June 2024.
• The mandatory training for new Directors and Principals includes a dedicated module on values and ethics.
• All OAG professional auditors are strongly recommended to attend an annual 1- to 1.5-hour training session on ethics offered by the office, above and beyond the mandatory training for all employees on values and ethics.

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.

As part of the annual conflict-of-interest process, launched every summer, all OAG employees must declare that they have read and understand the OAG Code of Values, Ethics and Professional Conduct, commit to observing it in its entirety, and disclose all reportable assets, liabilities, or other interests that could jeopardize or call into question their judgment or objectivity. This exercise often results in employees initiating conversations with their manager and/or internal specialist on values and ethics. The next annual conflict-of-interest process is scheduled to be launched in July 2024.

The OAG Culture Compass on the OAG’s values was launched across the organization in October 2023. This initiative, starting with a visual, was supported by a series of 5 videos and a discussion guide addressing each of the OAG values. There was a call to action that all managers hold regular conversations with employees on the code of values, starting in January to March 2024, and discuss how the values apply in their daily work. These videos will be integrated into the OAG onboarding for new employees by July 2024.

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 most common themes of interests in recent conversations have been related to outside activities and employment, duty of loyalty, and use of social media.

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)?

Ethical workplace-themed presentations have been launched in June 2024 to inform employees of key obligations under the OAG Code of Values, Ethics and Professional Conduct (particularly those relating to outside activities and employment, the duty of loyalty, and the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act).

The following courses recommended by the Deputy Clerk will be promoted in June 2024:

• A dedicated values and ethics learning path on the Canada School of Public Service learning platform, which will be updated throughout the year with tools to support employees’ work
• An updated version of the document Values Alive: A Discussion Guide to the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector, from the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer
• A short video entitled Building a Strong Public Sector Through Values and Ethics
• A short video on Navigating Social Media as a Public Servant

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)?

In 2023, the OAG launched its Culture Compass awareness campaign that included a lock screen visual deployed organization-wide and 5 videos, along with a call to action for managers to hold regular conversations with employees on the Code of Values and how the values applied to their daily work. This campaign provided a unique opportunity for exchanges between managers and employees. It is also expected that the ethical workplace-themed presentations, beginning in June 2024, will create further momentum in these exchanges.

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)?

In May 2024, all employees were asked to answer a few short questions to see if the Culture Compass campaign helped them better understand the office’s values and make them part of their daily life at work. Results are currently being analyzed and will be used to inform future activities.

The results of the Public Service Employee Survey related to the ethical workplace will also continue to be monitored.

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)?

The OAG is currently finalizing the appointment of its first Values and Ethics Champion.