DND reports how it is advancing values and ethics across the Defence Team
August 26, 2024 – Defence Stories
In June 2024, the Department of National Defence (DND) submitted a self-assessment report to the Clerk of the Privy Council on actions DND and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) have taken regarding values and ethics initiatives. The submission responded to 15 recommendations made by the Deputy Ministers’ Task Team on Values and Ethics Report on a range of issues to help reinvigorate the public service, bolster public trust, and increase accountability and responsibility. The DND/CAF submission, as well as responses submitted by all Government of Canada Deputy Ministers, can be found on the Privy Council Office’s section of Canada.ca.
Earlier in March, the Deputy Minister and Chief of the Defence Staff sent a message to the Defence Team about the importance of making values and ethics a real and practical part of each member’s daily work. The DND/CAF June report provides specifics about the Defence Team’s strategic approach, actions taken, timelines, and metrics for success – collectively providing a comprehensive overview of ongoing and future efforts.
The Defence Team – uniquely comprised of both military members and public servants – already has several foundational elements in place to foster ethical behaviour:
- The Defence Ethics Programme, established in 1997, the Statement of Defence Ethics, the DND and Canadian Forces Code of Ethics and Values, and the Canadian Armed Forces Ethos: Trusted to Serve outline expected principles, values, and behaviours by public servants as well as both on- and off-duty conduct and performance by CAF members.
- More than 56,000 Defence Team members have taken DND’s online Introduction to Defence Ethics course, which is managed by Chief, Professional Conduct and Culture (CPCC) .
Ongoing and newly created initiatives build on our strong values and ethics foundation in addition to a network of qualified Ethics Coordinators that help continue to foster a safe, supportive, and adaptive work environment. Here are a few examples:
- The DND/CAF Professional conduct scenarios web page has more than 152 scenarios to help explore issues and spark discussions – both critical to reaching decisions that consider various points of views and align with ethical principles.
- ADM (Review Services) is leading a department-wide exercise to help DND employees and CAF members proactively screen for potential conflicts of interest.
- Initiated this year, CAF members are being encouraged to discuss ethical conduct with their immediate supervisors, which will be documented in the CAF’s performance management platform.
- Planning is underway for an onboarding module for all new employees that highlights ethics and culture.
All Defence Team members are encouraged to read DND’s response to the Clerk, to consider how values and ethics can impact attitudes and behaviours, and to look for opportunities to incorporate them into daily workplace activities.