ETHICS ETHICS of labour inspectorsof labour inspectors

In 2008, the General

Assembly of the International Association of Labour Inspection formally endorsed its Code of Integrity as an appropriate set of principles to support, encourage and promote the professionalism of labour inspection worldwide.

The Code is intended to

provide a framework designed to stimulate each country to discuss and adopt its own code reflecting these common principles and suited to local conditions.

The development of the Code of Ethics is consistent with the International Labour Organization’s commitment of November 2006, to a new series of measures designed to ‘reinvigorate’, modernise and strengthen Labour Inspectorates worldwide. A key initiative included in the measures is the development of global codes of ethics and professionalism.

Ethical issuesEthical issues

Unethical behaviour and corruption happen in all countries and come in many varied forms. For example, unethical behaviour could include accepting small gifts from the factory production line during a visit by the inspector; providing interest-free loans; not divulging conflicts of interest resulting in material gain for inspectors, their family or friends; providing a service denied to others; allowing queue jumping, etc.

Key principlesKey principles

The Code provides an ethical framework based on six broadly defined values:

1. knowledge and competence,2. honesty and integrity,3. courtesy and respect,4. objectivity, neutrality and fairness,5. commitment and responsiveness,6. consistency between personal and

professional behaviour

1. Knowledge and

competence

2. Honesty and integrity

3. Courtesy and respect

4. Objectivity, neutrality and fairness

5. Commitment and responsiveness

6. Consistency between personal and professional behaviour

Code of ethics of a labour Code of ethics of a labour inspector in Polandinspector in Poland Entered into force by means of the Regulation of the Chief Labour Inspector of 7 February 2014

Good practiceGood practice

After a year of application of the Code of Ethics of the National Labour Inspectorate in Poland, it has become an important part of operations of the modern institution and made our activity more transparent.