CIHR Code of Conduct

Contents

• Purpose of the CIHR Code of Conduct
• Application
• CIHR's Mandate
• Achieving Our Mandate
• Bringing Our Values to Life
• Principles for this Code of Conduct
• Responsibilities
• Guidance
• Failure to Comply
• Avenues for Resolution
• Appendix A
• Appendix B

Purpose of the CIHR Code of Conduct

This Code of Conduct flows from and is inspired by CIHR's mandate and organizational values. The President, along with the Extended Executive Management Committee, has approved this Code of Conduct and it now constitutes a condition of employment at CIHR.

CIHR's Code of Conduct aligns with the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service. It reflects consultations with CIHR employees, other public sector organizations and representatives from the bargaining agent (Public Service Alliance of Canada - PSAC). The Code describes specific behaviours that are expected of all our employees. To this end, all employees and in particular those with Executive Authority at CIHR, have a responsibility to exemplify the actions and behaviours contained in this document.

Application

Compliance with this Code is a condition of employment at CIHR. A copy of this Code will be provided to all new employees with the Letter of Offer and orientation package. Employees must always abide by it, and demonstrate its values in their actions and behaviours.

While this Code does not formally apply to Governing Council members, Scientific Directors, staff hired and located at the Institutes, Institute Advisory Board members and Peer Reviewers, these individuals are asked to consider the spirit of the CIHR Code of Conduct when undertaking activity at the behest of CIHR.

Coming into Force

This Code is effective April 19, 2010.

CIHR's Mandate

The mandate of CIHR is "to excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian health-care system" (CIHR Act, 2000).

Achieving Our Mandate

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada's agency responsible for funding health research in Canada.

CIHR promotes a problem-based, multidisciplinary and collaborative approach to health research. Its unique structure brings together researchers from across disciplinary and geographic boundaries through its 13 Institutes. Currently, CIHR supports more than 13,000 health researchers and trainees in universities, teaching hospitals and other health organizations and research centres across the country. The agency supports health research in a transparent process that meets the highest international standards of excellence and ethics in four research areas: biomedical; clinical; health systems and services; and the social, cultural and environmental factors that affect the health of populations.

Bringing Our Values to Life

The manner in which we achieve our mandate is as important as the results we attain.

CIHR's organizational values (Appendix A) permeate all aspects of our work and will come to life through our actions and behaviours. The behaviours listed in this Code of Conduct are not so much rules as they are principles that are intended to guide us in our day-to-day work. These behaviours have been grouped together under five headings for purposes of clarity:

1. People
   We respect human dignity and the value of every person.
2. Professionalism
   We carry out our responsibilities efficiently and effectively.
3. Public
   We act at all times in such a way as to uphold trust and confidence in the organization and in the government.
4. Processes
   We assist our President and Governing Council in fulfilling our mandate.
5. Partnerships
   We promote openness, responsibility, fairness and mutual respect in working together.

Principles for this Code of Conduct

1. People

We respect human dignity and the value of every person.

1. Treat every person with dignity, fairness and courtesy regardless of differences.
2. Address conflict in a professional manner.
3. Work together in a spirit of openness that encourages participation, allows for creativity and promotes respectful communication.
4. Respect the privacy of others.
5. Foster a safe and healthy workplace for all.

2. Professionalism

We carry out our responsibilities efficiently and effectively.

1. Comply with government legislation, policies and guidelines.
2. Carry out duties in a competent manner.
3. Demonstrate the competencies established for CIHR employees (Appendix B) and meet any professional and occupational standards that apply.
4. Strive to improve the efficiency and quality of services provided.

3. Public

We act at all times in such a way as to uphold trust and confidence in the organization and in the government.

1. Carry out our duties in a manner that bears the closest public scrutiny.
2. Avoid and prevent conflicts of interest or situations that could jeopardize our ability to carry out our work-related responsibilities.
3. Ensure that money and entrusted resources are used in the public interest.
4. Avoid tarnishing the reputation of CIHR and the Government of Canada.

4. Processes

We assist our President and Governing Council in fulfilling our mandate.

1. Respect the authority of the President and Governing Council.
2. Provide leaders at CIHR with sound advice and the best available information to make decisions.
3. Consult with and inform CIHR employees on matters that affect them.

5. Partnerships

We promote openness, responsibility, fairness and mutual respect in working together.

1. Partner with organizations and individuals that are in alignment with CIHR values.
2. Treat all partners fairly and objectively.
3. Dialogue with partners in a timely fashion on issues of common concern.

Responsibilities

The President and all managers at CIHR have a special duty to exemplify our values, complying at all times with the spirit and the letter of the Code. Managers, in addition to their responsibilities as employees, have a special duty to uphold CIHR's reputation for honest and ethical conduct.

CIHR President

The President is responsible for:

• Promoting a culture of values and ethics at CIHR
• Ensuring that employees are aware of their obligations under this Code
• Ensuring that employees can obtain appropriate advice on ethical issues, including potential conflicts of interest

Senior Officer for Disclosures of Wrongdoing within CIHR
(Chief Financial Officer - CFO)

The Senior Officer for Disclosures is responsible for:

• Dealing with allegations of wrongdoing
• Making recommendations to the President on corrective measures
• Advising and guiding employees who are thinking about reporting wrongdoing
• Ensuring that disclosures can be made confidentially and without fear of reprisal

Employees

All persons appointed at CIHR are responsible for:

• Reading and understanding the Code of Conduct
• Complying with the law, this Code and its values, as well as with other CIHR or Government of Canada policies and directives
• Staying informed of any modifications to the Code or related developments communicated by CIHR
• Seeking help in the event of questions or uncertainties about a specific situation
• Raising any concern and reporting any potential violation to their manager or directly to the Senior Officer for Disclosures (CFO) without delay
• Collaborating in internal reviews or investigations of reported violations

Managers

All managers, in addition to their responsibilities found in the employees section, are responsible for:

• Setting an example by their own conduct
• Encouraging employees to ask questions, speak up and get advice before they act
• Answering employee questions or referring them to the appropriate source for additional information about the Code
• Providing timely and sound advice and guidance on ethical or compliance issues
• Reporting potential violations to the Senior Officer for Disclosures (CFO) promptly and confidentially, and without delay

Guidance

Failure to Comply

Failure to comply with this Code and the Principles set out in it may result in administrative or disciplinary actions up to and including termination of employment.

Avenues for Resolution

This Code of Conduct does not attempt to anticipate every situation that might arise in the course of an employee's daily work. When situations arise that are not covered by the Code, employees are encouraged to discuss and resolve them with their supervisor, director or the designated official responsible for values and ethics and disclosures of wrongdoing at CIHR - the Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

If an employee becomes aware of a breach of the CIHR Code of Conduct, or feels that they are being asked to act in a way that violates CIHR values, they should bring it to the attention of their immediate supervisor or director, the Senior Officer for Disclosures at CIHR, or the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner.

When an employee has information that he or she believes could show that there may be a breach of this Code, he or she may make a disclosure in good faith to any of these individuals and be protected from reprisal.

Appendix A

CIHR's Organizational Values

To assure Canadians that their investments in health research are used wisely, CIHR embraces values that permeate all aspects of the organization's activities and relationships with others. These core values are:

• Excellence - In all aspects of its work including research, knowledge translation and organizational services, CIHR strives to meet the highest international standards of excellence.
• Scientific Integrity and Ethics - CIHR upholds and promotes adherence to relevant research and organizational principles with utmost honesty, probity and professionalism. CIHR believes that excellent research, knowledge application and good governance require the development and application of sound ethical principles and processes.
• Collaboration - CIHR promotes, encourages and values collaboration among researchers in Canada and internationally. CIHR engages, collaborates and coordinates research activities with federal and provincial/territorial governments and departments, and non-profit and private-sector organizations. CIHR is committed to openness, responsibility, fairness and mutual respect with all its researchers and partners. CIHR cannot fulfill its mandate without the collaboration and support of domestic and international partners.
• Innovation - CIHR values new ideas and creative approaches to addressing health and health system challenges in Canada and worldwide.
• Public Interest - The public interest is of paramount importance in the creation and use of health knowledge through all research and related activities supported by CIHR.

Appendix B

Competencies for CIHR Employees

A) Organizational Awareness

Committing to Excellence
To meet or exceed internal and external standards for products and services through:

• showing awareness of organizational goals and standards of excellence;
• demonstrating high quality standards and striving for continuous improvement in one's own work;
• expecting high standards of performance from others;
• viewing products and services from a global perspective with worldwide standards as the benchmark for quality.

B) Self-Management

Demonstrating Flexibility
To adjust one's behaviour to meet the demands of a changing work environment by:

• remaining productive through periods of transition;
• adapting quickly to deal with emerging opportunities or risks;
• working effectively with a variety of situations, individuals or groups;
• accepting ambiguity and uncertainty in the environment;
• embracing new methods of working.

Being Proactive
To pursue new opportunities that are beneficial to the organization and to achieve desired results through:

• acting in a decisive and committed way to ensure that specific objectives are met on time;
• establishing priorities, identifying critical tasks and pushing projects forward;
• remaining accountable throughout a project and delivering on commitments;
• evaluating the arguments for and against a new endeavour;
• trying out new ideas that might possibly fail;
• supporting others when they take calculated risks.

C) Work Relationships

Communicating
To solicit and provide work-related information to increase clarity and understanding by:

• readily sharing information;
• demonstrating a genuine interest in receiving information from others;
• encouraging others to offer their ideas or opinions;
• adapting the content and style of communication to the audience;
• employing discretion and respecting confidentiality and personal privacy.

Building Partnerships
To interact with clients, suppliers, stakeholders, employees and other groups in a manner which furthers the organization's ability to provide products and services through:

• sharing information with all relevant groups;
• treating stakeholders and employees as partners with common goals;
• elucidating the common ground between potentially rival groups in order to gain their cooperation in mutually beneficial endeavours;
• setting personal agendas aside when participating in cross-functional or inter-organizational projects.

Being a Team Player
To contribute to group objectives in a team environment through:

• cooperating and interacting well with others;
• contributing actively and fully to team projects;
• working collaboratively as opposed to competitively with others;
• acknowledging diverse opinions, addressing relevant concerns and working towards consensual solutions that enhance the output of the team.

D) Managerial Roles and Responsibilities

Employees with staff management responsibilities are expected to demonstrate these additional competencies.

Organizing Resources
To plan and organize resources for maximum efficiency and effectiveness by:

• setting clear and challenging performance objectives;
• identifying, acquiring and organizing the resources needed to meet performance objectives;
• clearly defining individual responsibilities, performance expectations and timelines;
• monitoring and adjusting resources as required.

Developing Others
To maximize team members' performance and development through:

• modelling appropriate behaviour and fostering a climate of trust and accountability;
• providing clear, thorough and timely feedback on work performance;
• recognizing and rewarding performance that meets or exceeds performance standards;
• taking appropriate action to deal with performance that does not meet standards;
• providing opportunities for team member learning and development.

Executives are furthermore responsible for the following competencies.

Leading Change
To initiate change and capitalize on emerging trends through:

• championing change and viewing it as an opportunity to launch new initiatives rather than as a problem;
• creating an environment that anticipates change and promotes and supports innovation;
• encouraging others to embrace change;
• developing or adjusting organizational systems to facilitate the transition;
• balancing the need for change with the need for continuity to avoid creating a chaotic situation.

Developing a Vision
To develop and shape a vision for the future of the organization by:

• grasping the meaning of trends and interrelationships between the organization and its environment at the local, national and international level;
• identifying fundamental values and beliefs to guide the organization into the future;
• generating excitement, enthusiasm and commitment for the vision;
• gaining interest and support for strategies which realize the vision.

For further information about this publication, please contact:

Lynn Frappier
Labour Relations
Human Resources Branch
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
lynn.frappier@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Date modified:

2017-06-13