The Victorian Public Sector Commission (VPSC) is hosting its annual Values Week from 14 to 18 October 2024, incorporating World Values Day on 17 October. This year’s theme, “Working with Pride in the Victorian Public Sector,” invites public servants to reflect on how they embody core values in their daily work. Values Week is an opportunity to recognise the contribution of these values to delivering effective and ethical public services across Victoria.

In this blog, we explore how VPS personnel can embody these values  with confidence and commitment to ensure probity in procurement.

Why Values Matter in the Victorian Public Sector

Public sector values form the foundation of ethical decision-making and ensure that government employees serve the community with trust, transparency, and respect. These values are not just theoretical principles but serve as practical guides for everyday behaviour.

The seven Public Sector Values are:

1. Respect
2. Responsiveness
3. Impartiality
4. Integrity
5. Accountability
6. Leadership
7. Human Rights.

The Victorian Public Sector Commissioner Brigid Monagle states that the values:

“…are not just lofty ambitions or nice to have, but tangible, practical and apply to all of us in every part of our working lives. They are a legally binding condition of our employment law through the Public Administration Act 2004 which requires we act consistently with the Public Sector Values.

“The Code of Conduct expands on these values. The Code guides the way we work with the government of the day, community and colleagues and describes the behaviour that is rightly expected of us.”

The 2024 Values Week Theme

This year’s theme, “Working with Pride in the Victorian Public Sector”, underscores the importance of demonstrating these values with confidence and commitment. Pride in public service comes from knowing that each action contributes to the collective good and aligns with the sector's core values. The theme also highlights the role of public sector employees in a work environment where everyone can take pride in the ethical and inclusive nature of their contributions.

Commissioner Monagle also encourages “you to reflect with pride on your contribution to the Victorian community and the privilege it is to work in these roles.”

To participate in the VPSC Values Week celebrations, you can:

• send a Values Thank You card to a colleague you admire
• take the values quiz or attend a team gathering to mark the occasion (VPSC staff only)
• join any of the events being organised here (VPSC staff only).

Probity and the VPS Values

In our role as probity advisors to government, CourtHeath provides briefings to VPS personnel about probity principles, including the practical application of the three VPS values that most directly relate to probity:

1. Integrity
2. Impartiality
3. Accountability.

The Victorian Government Purchasing Board (VGPB) guide on Probity in Procurement lists these three values as its first probity principle due to their importance in achieving probity in procurement:

In a procurement process, these “probity values” are demonstrated through:

Integrity

• being fair, honest, open and transparent in all dealings;
• using powers responsibly;
• addressing and managing improper conduct;
• managing any real, perceived or potential conflicts of interest;
• striving to earn and sustain a high level of public trust;

Impartiality

• making decisions and providing advice based on merit—without bias, unpredictability, favouritism or self-interest;
• acting fairly by objectively considering all relevant facts and criteria;

Accountability

• ensuring all personnel involved in the project know their responsibilities and are accountable for their actions: and
• being aware of and complying with any government laws, policies and frameworks and organisational requirements e. g. gifts, benefits and hospitality, fair payment policy.

When involved in procurement, you can embody these core values by demonstrating integrity, impartiality and accountability. Whether your role is as an evaluator, endorser or approver, considering the probity values and ensuring the records of your procurement process align with those values is essential. Join us in recognising the role these values play in delivering effective and ethical public procurement in Victoria.

Resource

• Values week 2024

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A participant in the UN Global Compact, CourtHeath seeks to raise awareness about the sustainable development goals and the principles of the Global Compact with business and government organisations in Victoria. The elimination of all forms of discrimination in respect to employment and occupation is Principle 6 of the Global Compact. The Global Compact repudiates labour discrimination internationally.

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IMAGE: Values week 2024