The ambition of the WG was to provide answers to practitioners on how to optimize the organization and how to train and influence their personnel to obtain the best results and impacts in integrity management.

The Integrity WG group collected different existing research papers, practical reports, documentations, examples and presentations in the field of integrity. The Working Group members functioned as an author team, they listed the information from the previous working group meetings and sorted and integrated them to the handbook: "Public Integrity; Theories and Practical Instruments”, Patrycja J. Suwaj, Hans J. Rieger, (eds.)

Background and justification

Administrative malpractice, such as corruption, abuse of power, nepotism and favoritism, are widespread in the public sector, including in CEE countries. At the same time, corruption and ethics have become important issues in the practice and theory of politics, public administration, law, economics and society. This has led to more awareness and knowledge to different target groups within and outside the public service. Practical solutions for ethical dilemmas and successful professional solutions in administrative decision-making can be formulated.

Although rules and regulations are required to address such malpractice, ethical and professional organizational approaches are also required. Bottom-up initiatives must complement top-down activities. In addition, people from outside the public service, especially the public media, have an important role to play in improving integrity. In addition, specialized staffs in anti-corruption offices pay special attention to upright professional public services.

The Working Group on Integrity Management brings together academics and practitioners interested in the ethical dimension and professional work of administrative decision-making.

The group's mission is to establish a long-term network aimed at stimulating research and assistance to practical problems on public service charters in CEE countries. The focus is to measure the results and the impact of different activities and to analyze the implementation of instruments. Also, the documentation of the results in handbooks and other publications is an objective of the group. This includes questions concerning principles and standards of discretionary power, neutrality and legality, and transparency and administrative responsiveness to the regime in office. It also includes questions of organizational optimization and personnel development. The Working Group on Integrity in Public Governance has an opportunity to exercise leadership in the development and implementation of new directions in administrative integrity and professionalism. Our Working group gives answers to practitioners on how to optimize their organizations and how to train and influence their personnel to obtain the best results and impacts in integrity management. We also use good practice on the question of how to train different target groups in Integrity management.