merit-based processes, there are more favorable conditions for ensuring that it is impartial and perceived as such, by understanding and taking ownership of the control function by the open publication of vacancies available and the managers and, as a result, for effective accountability. process, for example, as well as the design of decision- making systems that reduce the possibility of arbitrary An integrity culture can be consolidated where every member of or discretionary decisions, the mandatory declaration an organization takes charge of managing the risks of fraud and of family ties at the time of the recruiting, and the corruption and where a system geared to preventing them from management of conflicts of interests when procurement materializing is mainstreamed. Thus, education and training of next-of-kin and relatives, among others. public servants must also focus on a full understanding of their responsibilities and the ethical conduct that is expected of them, • An approach ensuring better performance and as well as on the technical capacity to fulfill their duties. The reducing risks of corruption, for which it recommends codes of ethics must guide them to participate in protecting their investing in capacity building of public employees, organization’s tangible and intangible assets and ultimately the ensuring that they are driven by ethical values when rights of their beneficiaries. in their decision making, and developing a structure of incentives with clear benefits and aligned performance From a macro perspective, the OECD has a broad vision evaluations that include ethical performance. of integrity which makes it possible for it to propose public policies for integrity, best practices, and the use of tools for • Investing in measures that comprehensively promote the development and amplification of a culture of integrity that ethics and public values in public management, such encompasses the diverse sectors of society. It also proposes as the provision of guidance and training to identify a vision of public administration that provides an environment and manage situations of conflicts of interest and to that makes it possible for civil servants to build up and benefit resolve ethical dilemmas. And although the OECD’s from the necessary capacities and resources to design and vision is preventive rather than punitive, it also points implement public policies and services allowing them to tackle to the need for the effective penalization of violations the challenges of the future. The MESICIC is also the extension by public servants, as well as sanctions through of an international treaty and proposes statutory frameworks disciplinary codes. and mechanisms arising from the standards agreed upon in the IACAC and developed throughout its review process. Taking this into account, it is possible to visualize how dynamic aspects pertaining to public policies and the structural aspects inherent to Furthermore, the OECD identified certain aspects directly related an international statutory baseline complement each other. to the culture of integrity in public organizations pointing to a preventive approach. One of those aspects is risk management, including the risk of corruption and fraud, where one of the most important challenges of the countries is to ensure that the administration takes ownership of its risk management and uses it for decision making. This challenge becomes clearly relevant every time acts of corruption appear in public institutions, especially when it is confirmed that said events could have been avoided on time, that is, before they actually happened. According to the OECD, public institutions are better prepared to avoid corruption scandals that undermine the public’s perception when they can count on prepared staff who take over risk management and when policies and instruments for corruption risk management are used for decision making. As pointed out by the OECD in the above-mentioned study, in those Latin American countries where 5 Further information at: http://www.summit-americas.org/i_summit/i_summit_ dec_en.pdf the system of recruting services and admitting new staff into the 6 Further information at: http://www.summit-americas.org/i_summit/i_summit_ administrative career stream favors transparent and competitive poa_en.pdf Cultivating a culture of integrity in the civil service in times of crisis 24