People in organisations that release statistics should be truthful, impartial and independent, and meet consistent standards of behaviour that reflect the wider public good.
What you should commit to
T1.1 Everyone that works in organisations producing official statistics should handle and use statistics and data with honesty and integrity, guided by established principles of appropriate behaviour in public life.
T1.2 The collection, access, use and sharing of statistics and data should be ethical and for the public good. Those producing and releasing statistics should be free from conflicts of interest, including political and commercial pressures, that may influence the production, release and sharing of the statistics and data.
T1.3 No action should be taken, nor public statement made, that might undermine confidence in the independence of the statistics when released.
T1.4 Statistics, data and explanatory material should be presented impartially and objectively.
Guidance and resources
| Description | Link | Source |
|---|---|---|
| How to report a breach against the Code of Practice for Statistics when an organisation fails to meet the standards set out in the Code. Breaches should be reported to the Government Statistical Service’s (GSS) Good Practice Team. Includes guidance on what you need to know, the process to report a breach, the template to complete and submit to the Good Practice Team, and a list of the common breaches of the Code with considerations and corrective actions to take. | Reporting breaches of the Code | GSS |
| Examples of published breach reports. | Breach reports | UKSA |
| The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. These are based on the core values which are set out in legislation: integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality. | The Civil Service Code | Civil Service Commission |
| The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s (UNECE) Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics sets out the standards of official statistics that have been adopted at all levels of the UN. It recognises that reliable and objective information is crucial for decision making. | UN Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics | UNECE |