Putting integrity at the core of how public organisations operate
The integrity workplace
The integrity of the public sector is not just about how an individual acts at a particular point in time. It is also about the collective actions of the public sector over the long term. Actions in the present are shaped by an organisation’s history and inform the organisation’s future direction.
This integrity framework is a tool to support the development of an integrity strategy and work programme that can help an organisation to understand its integrity risks and then identify and implement clear protective factors. It is designed to build on a public organisation’s own cultural and ethical values, emphasise the importance of ethical leadership and “tone from the top”, and enhance internal controls and business practices.
Operating with integrity will, in turn, continue to protect and improve the trust and confidence that New Zealanders have in the public sector.
Why integrity matters in the public sector
The public sector in New Zealand is entrusted with wide-ranging powers. It is responsible for providing essential services that directly affect the lives of communities, hapū, iwi, whānau, families, and individuals.
This power comes with a responsibility to act lawfully and ethically. If this responsibility is not fulfilled, the legitimacy of the public sector can be undermined.
For public organisations, integrity is a personal and collective responsibility. People in public organisations are making decisions every day about what actions to take. These decisions can range from the mundane to the most important.
To build organisational integrity, these decisions need to be informed by the organisation’s purpose, values, and New Zealand's constitutional framework. This means that people need to stop and think about whether the decisions they make are aligned with what their organisation stands for.
Components of the organisational integrity framework
A stable foundation
Having a stable foundation means having a clear understanding of the organisation’s purpose and values, which must be informed by the wider constitutional framework in which it operates.
A strong core
A strong core requires the practices, systems, and policies that influence an organisation’s culture to be aligned to the organisation’s purpose and values. When they work in unison, they can directly contribute to the integrity of an organisation and the ethical behaviour of its people.
Visible demonstration of integrity
It is important not only to design, maintain, and lead an organisation that has integrity at its core, but integrity also needs to be demonstrated in ways that are meaningful to everyone involved.