The OECD's work on public sector ethics and corruption aims to help countries review and reform their "ethics infrastructures" (the institutions, systems and mechanisms they have for promoting ethics and countering corruption in the public service) and exchange experience on recent initiatives.

Bribery, corruption and misconduct have become a vital challenge for governments in many OECD member countries. Consequently they are experiencing a general decline in confidence, fuelled by well-publicised scandals. Others note growing pressures between traditional values and the roles public officials play in a modern results-based public management environment.

Responses have included campaigns to "clean up" public life and fight against corruption; reviews of the rules and regulations applying to public officials; attempts to redefine public service "values" and new codes of conduct.

A recent OECD report, Trust in Government: Ethics Measures in OECD Countries , presents the first-ever comprehensive database of integrity measures in OECD countries and includes an analysis of common trends and good practices. An OECD Policy Brief, Building Public Trust , outlines the main findings of the report and suggests policy directions to build further trust in public institutions.

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