Ethics- Four Core Principles of Public Service

From ICMA


During an audioconference sponsored by ICMA University, Martha Perego, ICMA’s director of ethics, provided these four core principles of public service to help local government managers guide their conduct and decision making.

1. Seek no favor. As public officials, we should only receive the stipends and salaries provided to us, and should never leverage our official position for advantage or prestige, take or solicit gifts related to our official position, or use any organizational resources for personal use. One standard to use with regard to gifts is to consider whether the gift is significant enough that a reasonable person would assume it was a reward or intended to gain favor, suggests Perego. Remember: Your professional reputation is at stake when you accept a gift, a special invitation, or favors offered by vendors that do business with your local government. Your independence and objectivity could be called into question.

2. Build trust through transparency and honesty. This means doing the right thing and taking responsibility for our actions—always telling the truth, says Perego. Share information openly and generously, using Web sites, meetings, newsletters, and other communications. Make sure you are complete, fair, and accurate in all information that you publish, most notably in your financial statements. Make sure that your procurement and budget decisions serve the public interest.

3. Have a commitment to treating all equitably. As public officials, we have made a commitment to serve all—not just those who are vocal. We need to find the right balance between fast and fair, says Perego. A commitment to democracy and ethical principles means we need to respect the roles of residents and voters, elected officials, and staff. And we must have a commitment to unbiased, fair hiring and treating staff fairly.

4. Build great communities through good stewardship. What does it mean to be socially responsible? It means going above and beyond what is required by law, says Perego. It means we have responsibility to be proactive in addressing problems—an affirmative duty to eliminate corruption, irresponsible or unethical behavior that might bring harm to the community or environment before the behavior happens. We need to be a custodian of the public trust, says Perego.