Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

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?

Additional information on Treasury Board Secretariat’s (TBS) departmental Values and Ethics (V&E) training plan:

• TBS has developed and is currently offering training sessions to managers to facilitate conversations about the V&E Code, its Departmental Code of Conduct, and Conflict of Interest.
• TBS had already included the Canada School of Public Service (CSPS) courses on V&E on its list of mandatory training for employees and managers. Once the new training is available, TBS will promote the training through a campaign to ensure all employees are aware of the requirement to complete the training, and we will track progress through reporting mechanisms. 

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?

TBS is reviewing its Code of Conduct with a target date of early 2025.

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.

Review and update the Code of Conduct to update with emerging context, as well as clarify and refresh the Application Guide associated to the Code. 

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
• Focused engagement sessions on specific topics (e.g., conflicts of interest, social media, emerging technologies)
• 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 Associate Secretary and Head of Human Resources completed a Roadshow exercise to all executive tables in May 2024 to reinforce importance of dialogues within their sectors.

Training sessions for managers to facilitate dialogues at all levels have taken place. Armchair series will take place between now and the end of 2024.

Toolkit and scenarios will be shared with managers in order for them to facilitate discussions with their own organizations starting mid-June.

Feedback mechanisms are being developed to assess our departmental progress on these dialogues.

Engagement, through the feedback mechanisms, will also allow to gather input into the code of conduct, application guide, and other resources. Additional activities such as town halls are being planned for the fall. 

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.

Reminders to managers about the obligations to hold those conversations at onboarding and during performance management agreement (PMA) discussions. 

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?

Information not yet available – should be available by Fall 2024.

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)?

Specific scenarios around use of social media are being used/promoted and will be used by managers, in our context.

TBS included the feedback received from executive tables across the organization to improve its training and tools, such as but not limited to: best practices to create a safe space to hold dialogues, starting with simple scenarios, have access to resources, how to address conflicts between values, effective and ineffective behaviours, etc. 

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)?

Information not yet available – should be available by Fall 2024.

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)?

Feedback mechanisms being developed will be used to assess our departmental progress on these dialogues as well as the Public Service Employee Survey.

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)?

N/A