Transportation Safety Board 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?

As a small department, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has not developed values and ethics training plans down to the divisional level; rather, the following courses related to values and ethics are mandatory for the indicated groups of employees across the department.

All employees

• Values and Ethics Foundations for Employees (Canada School of the Public Service (CSPS))
• Conflict of Interest - This learning activity provides participants with a better understanding of what constitutes a conflict of interest, particularly pertaining to their work at the TSB.

All investigators, and recommended to all employees

• Indigenous Awareness & Intercultural Competency - This reconciliation-focused training helps participants better understand Indigenous communities, how the work of the TSB impacts them, and how TSB employees engage with them as part of our operations.

All managers

• Values and Ethics Foundations for Managers (CSPS)
• Additionally, at the 2023 TSB Annual Managers’ Conference, an adapted version of the Conflict of Interest course was provided to all managers to maintain currency and awareness of recent events and the current environment as it relates to values and ethics. Further to this, relevant updates were also made to the course in early 2024 to reflect the current context.

Question 2

Has your organization fully implemented department-specific training plans?

• Yes

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

Not applicable – see Question 1.

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?

Not applicable – see Question 5.

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.

As a best practice, the TSB Code of Values and Ethics is updated annually, shared with, and acknowledged by all staff. These annual updates clarify expected behaviours (as required based on emerging trends); ensure alignment with any applicable modifications to central agency policies; and communicate to employees the current avenues for resolution of conflicts and resources to support well-being.

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 on specific topics (e.g., conflicts of interest, social media, emerging technologies)

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

As a small department, the TSB undertook Associate Deputy Minister (ADM) level Townhalls under the leadership of the Chief Operating Officer (COO). These sessions included increased awareness and encouragement to read the Deputy Ministers’ Task Team on Values and Ethics Report to the Clerk of the Privy Council and the sharing of CSPS learning resources such as the videos below:

• Want a quick refresher on the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector and its origins? Check this short video out - A short video entitled Building a Strong Public Sector Through Values and Ethics.

Additionally, this year’s Chair’s message announcing the updated TSB Code of Values and Ethics effective April 1, 2024, also included an anonymous employee survey seeking employee views on both the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector and the TSB Code of Values and Ethics. It also included a personal invitation for staff to embark on a comprehensive learning journey to thoroughly understand and exemplify the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector by exploring the New Values and Ethics learning path.

With regards to the anonymous employee survey, overall, the response rate was low, representing approximately 15% of staff, therefore only capturing inputs from a small subset of individuals.

Responses regarding awareness as to the application of the Code of Values and Ethics for the Public Sector predominantly emphasize personal commitment to upholding its principles, ensuring excellence in work, prioritizing colleague well-being, and fostering a culture of trust and accountability. While some express adherence to the code as a matter of personal integrity and common sense, others highlight its importance in guiding behaviour and decision making, particularly in maintaining professionalism and ethical conduct within the workplace.

Responses to the TSB Code of Values and Ethics largely reflected similar sentiments but with a stronger focus on the organization's specific values such as openness, safety, and collaboration.

Overall, while both codes are seen as important frameworks for guiding behaviour, the TSB-specific code elicits more nuanced responses regarding its practical application within the organization and its alignment with individual and organizational values.

Finally, as indicated in Question 1, a focused engagement session on Conflict of Interest was provided to all managers at the 2023 TSB Annual Managers’ Conference to maintain currency and awareness of recent events and the current environment as it relates to 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?

• Incorporated in employees’ professional development and mandatory learning plans

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

As indicated in Question 1, the TSB includes the CSPS course Values and Ethics Foundations for Employees as part of its mandatory TSB Essentials learning package as well as a manager version as part of its Management / Leadership learning package.

As indicated in Question 1 and Question 6, focused engagement sessions concerning management accountability are regularly provided to all managers at the TSB Annual Managers’ Conference on a variety of subjects. This past year, particular focus occurred on Conflict of Interest to maintain currency and awareness of recent events and the current environment as it relates to values and ethics.

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?

As indicated in Question 6, responses from the anonymous employee survey, recent Public Service Employee Survey (PSES) results, and townhall conversations with employees at all levels confirm overall awareness of the Code of Values and Ethics for the Public Sector, and the TSB Code of Values and Ethics, including emphasis towards a personal commitment to upholding their principles, ensuring excellence in work, prioritizing colleague well-being, and fostering a culture of trust and accountability. Overall, while both codes are seen as important frameworks for guiding behaviour, the TSB-specific code elicits more nuanced responses regarding its practical application within the organization and its alignment with individual and organizational values.

With regards to the anonymous employee survey, overall, the response rate was low, representing approximately 15% of staff, therefore only capturing inputs from a small subset of individuals. Themes from this exercise included employee concerns regarding the work environment within certain teams; perceived gaps between stated organizational values and actual workplace practices; and perceived pressures, such as timelines, affecting work quality. Suggested actions from this group of respondents included cultural change for openness, fairness, and respect.

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)?

As indicated in Question 1, the TSB has recently amended its course on Conflict of Interest to review learning objectives, modernize course materials, and increase participant engagement in light of recent events and the current environment as it relates to values and ethics.

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)?

As indicated in Question 6, the TSB undertook specific ADM-level Townhalls on Values and Ethics under the leadership of the COO. These sessions were consistent with monthly COO Townhalls that have been occurring since 2020 with all staff on a variety of subject matter such as ongoing departmental operations, workplace modernizations, and to further communicate and dialogue on corporate priorities such as Values and Ethics and the Call to Action outside of written communications from senior management.

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 theme of “Ethical Workplace”, as measured in the PSES results, demonstrate that the TSB compares favorably to public service norms and has made improvements to its own results in recent years. When areas of concern arise in PSES results, action plans and goals are set to monitor and close gaps or areas of concern as required. It is noteworthy that TSB participation rates for the PSES averages 76% versus 59% for the public service over the past 4 surveys. 

Further, as indicated in Question 6 and Question 8, responses from the anonymous employee survey, and townhall conversations with employees, confirm overall awareness of the Code of Values and Ethics for the Public Sector, and the TSB Code of Values and Ethics. While both codes are seen as important frameworks for guiding behaviour, the TSB-specific code elicits more nuanced responses regarding its practical application within the organization and its alignment with individual and organizational values.

This said, given concerns raised by the low number of respondents in the anonymous employee survey, only 15%, results from the upcoming PSES 2024 will be monitored for broader trends and performance in workplace and workforce themes.

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)?

Again, as indicated in Question 5, it is noteworthy that the TSB Code of Values and Ethics is updated annually as a best practice, shared with, and acknowledged by all staff. 

Additionally, as indicated in Question 6, the TSB further invested in employee awareness through the facilitation of 3 ADM-level Townhall sessions under the leadership of the COO (Bilingual – management; English – all staff; French – all staff) and a follow-up anonymous employee survey seeking employee views on both the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector and the TSB Code of Values and Ethics as well as a personal invitation for staff to embark on a comprehensive learning journey to thoroughly understand and exemplify the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector by exploring the New Values and Ethics learning path.

Finally, as indicated in Question 1, the Conflict of Interest course provided to staff by the Director General Corporate services includes open discussions on matters of values and ethics such as the appropriate use of social media.