A handbook for public managers and Ethics Officers

A longstanding requirement, public actors’ ethics have been updated by several recent laws, including the Acts of 11 October 2013 bearing on transparency in public life and the Act of 20 April 2016 bearing on ethics and civil servants’ rights and obligations. This latter law provides civil servants and public officials with a new right, that of requesting advice from an Ethics Officer.

Since 2014, the High Authority for Transparency in Public Life has focused on disseminating a culture of integrity. Publication of this practical guide is a concrete expression of its wish to share its expertise in the field of ethics.

This work aims to assist public officials and Ethics Officers in ethical management of their institutions and modernisation of their ethical instruments. Consequently it provides advice and recommendations enabling application of real « ethical knowhow ».

Divided into sheets and practical tools, a range of subjects is covered, including carrying out risk mapping, adoption of a Code of Ethics, institution of an Ethics Officer, implementation of mechanisms for prevention of conflicts of interest, and best use of material and financial resources made available to elected officials and staff.

This guide is also intended for members of local executive bodies who wish to introduce a Code of Ethics, as well as heads of department who need to designate an Ethics Officer, and, of course, Ethics Officers themselves.