Accountability
The fact of being responsible for what you do and able to give a satisfactory reason for it or the degree to which this happens
For example, holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.
Bias
The action of supporting or opposing a particular person or thing in an unfair way, because of allowing personal opinions to influence your judgement.
Disinformation
Deliberate creation and/or sharing of false information with the intention to deceive and mislead audiences.
Ethics
The study of what is morally right and wrong, or a set of beliefs about what is morally right and wrong.
For example, ethics can be defined for communicators as how we ought to decide, manage, and communicate.
GCS
Government Communication Service
Honesty
The quality of being honest, being truthful and open.
Impartiality
Is acting solely according to the merits of the case and serving governments of different political persuasions equally well.
Impropriety
Improper or unacceptable behaviour.
Integrity
Putting the obligations of public service above your own personal interests.
For example, holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.
Leadership
The set of characteristics that make a good leader
For example, holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour and treat others with respect. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.
Misinformation
The inadvertent sharing of false information.
Morality
A set of personal or social standards for good or bad behaviour and character.
Objectivity
Basing your advice and decisions on rigorous analysis of the evidence, not on your opinion or how you feel.
Openness
Honesty and frankness, lack of secrecy or concealment.
For example, holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.
Polemical
Of or involving strongly critical or disputatious writing or speech.
Pre-election sensitivity period
The period between the time an election is announced and the date the election is held.
Propriety
Correct moral behaviour or actions. Also acting ‘properly’, by following accepted standards of behaviour.
For example: For communicators, it is how civil servants can properly and effectively present the policies and programmes of the government of the day. Propriety is the application of the 4 principles of the Civil Service Code.
Selflessness
The quality of caring more about what other people need and want than about what you yourself need and want
For example, holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.
Whistleblower
A worker who reports certain types of wrongdoing, in the public interest. Also known as whistleblowing. This will usually be something you’ve seen at work - though not always.