UPDATE ON WTO SECRETARIAT'S TRAINING IN STANDARDS OF CONDUCT:

RESPECT&HARMONY@WTO; DIVERSITY & INCLUSION; AND ETHICS@WTO

1  stanDARDS OF CONDUCT / RESPECT&HARMONY@WTO

1.1.  Further to the request by Chinese Taipei for training in "Ethics", an initial Town Hall Meeting on "Standards of Conduct / Ethics" was conducted in November 2017, to address best practice as obtains in international organizations. The session was co-facilitated by the WTO Head of Internal Oversight and the then ITU & WMO Ethics Officer.

1.2.  In July 2018, the Learning Service commenced the design of its first e-learning programme entitled "Respect&Harmony@WTO" based on the policy, "Right to Work in an Environment free from Discrimination, Harassment and Abuse of Authority" (Administrative Memorandum 985). The purpose of the programme is to ensure that staff are able to identify the different forms of prohibited conduct and minimize if not eliminate any possible adverse impact of said misconduct on individual staff members, teams & the organization.

1.3.  The Learning Service worked in conjunction with an external learning provider to produce a four-part, Respect & Harmony e-learning course. Part 1 provides the context for the programme and is underpinned by a video of the Director-General emphasising "zero tolerance" to prohibited conduct in the WTO. Parts 2 and 3 are targeted at all staff and managers respectively, while Part 4 consists of a brief evaluation to test staff members' understanding of the key issues raised in the programme. This e-learning programme was launched in September 2019. To date, approximately 80% of staff members have undertaken the e-learning programme.

1.4.  To accompany the e-learning initiative, briefing sessions with actors were also conducted to raise awareness of the importance of issues highlighted in Administrative Memorandum 985. The use of drama-based training proved to be instrumental in providing staff with a safe space to explore work-related issues pertaining to prohibited conduct. The briefing sessions with the accompanying catchphrase, "Never Turn a Blind Eye", featured (i) a video message from the Director-General on the importance of zero tolerance to prohibited conduct; (ii) the dramatization of scenarios on harassment and abuse of authority followed by Q&A; (iii) an explanation of the reporting procedure which accompanies the above-mentioned policy; and (iv) the importance of being an "active bystander" should one witness colleagues being adversely impacted by prohibited conduct.

1.5.  The Learning Service is currently in the process of creating short video clips of scenarios regarding how to address prohibited conduct in the workplace. These videos will be featured on the Secretariat's Intranet site.