GGST - Global General Service Situational Judgement: Ethics Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A staff member is part of a procurement committee selecting a vendor for a new IT system. Their cousin is a senior manager at one of the bidding companies. What is the most appropriate first step for the staff member to take?
- Disclose the potential conflict of interest to the committee chair or their supervisor. (Correct answer)
- Continue serving on the committee but abstain from voting on their cousin's company.
- Resign from the committee immediately without providing a reason to avoid embarrassment.
- Advise their cousin on how to make their company's bid more competitive.
Correct answer: Disclose the potential conflict of interest to the committee chair or their supervisor.
UN ethical standards require staff to avoid any situation that may create a real or apparent conflict of interest. The first and most critical step is transparency. Disclosing the relationship to a supervisor allows the Organization to take appropriate action, which may include recusing the staff member from the process, thereby protecting the integrity of the procurement process and the staff member.
Question 2: A staff member is working late to finish an urgent report. They realize they need to print a 100-page personal document for a university course they are taking. The office printer is available and has plenty of paper. What is the most ethical course of action?
- Wait until the next day and ask their supervisor if they can use the printer.
- Print the document, as it is late and no one will notice.
- Use the office printer but replace the paper and toner used from their own funds later.
- Refrain from using the office printer and find an external printing service for their personal document. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Refrain from using the office printer and find an external printing service for their personal document.
UN resources, including equipment, supplies, and time, are to be used for official purposes only. While some policies may allow for limited personal use with negligible cost, printing a 100-page document does not fall into this category. The most ethical action is to separate personal activities from official duties and resources completely.
Question 3: During a casual lunch with friends who do not work for the UN, a staff member is asked about a sensitive negotiation they are involved in. The details have not been made public. How should the staff member respond?
- Share some general, non-critical details to satisfy their friends' curiosity.
- Politely decline to discuss the matter, explaining that the information is confidential. (Correct answer)
- Create a fictional story about the negotiation to avoid revealing the actual details.
- Tell their friends they are not allowed to talk about it and abruptly change the subject.
Correct answer: Politely decline to discuss the matter, explaining that the information is confidential.
UN staff members have a duty to exercise the utmost discretion with regard to all matters of official business. They must not share confidential information obtained through their duties. The most professional and ethical response is to clearly and politely state that the information cannot be shared, upholding the principle of confidentiality without being rude.
Question 4: A representative from a local partner organization, with whom a UN staff member has worked closely on a successful project, offers the staff member an expensive, handcrafted gift as a token of personal appreciation. According to UN ethical guidelines, what is the most appropriate action?
- Accept the gift but report it to their supervisor to ensure transparency.
- Accept the gift, as it is a cultural gesture and refusing it could offend the partner.
- Politely decline the gift, explaining that UN regulations prohibit the acceptance of such gifts from partners. (Correct answer)
- Suggest the partner donate the gift to the office to be shared among all staff.
Correct answer: Politely decline the gift, explaining that UN regulations prohibit the acceptance of such gifts from partners.
To avoid any real or apparent conflict of interest, UN staff members are prohibited from accepting gifts from persons or entities doing business with the UN. Accepting a gift could compromise, or appear to compromise, the staff member's independence and impartiality. The correct action is to politely decline and explain the policy to maintain professional integrity and avoid any perception of being influenced.
Question 5: A staff member strongly disagrees with a recent public statement made by a senior UN official. They consider posting a critical and strongly worded opinion on their personal social media account, which lists their UN affiliation. Which of the following is the most ethically sound course of action?
- Post their opinion freely, as they have a right to personal expression.
- Post the criticism but add a disclaimer that the views are their own.
- Use appropriate internal channels to express their disagreement rather than public social media. (Correct answer)
- Create an anonymous social media account to post the criticism.
Correct answer: Use appropriate internal channels to express their disagreement rather than public social media.
While staff members' personal views are inviolable, they must ensure their conduct does not adversely affect the interests of the United Nations. Publicly criticizing the Organization can undermine its work and reputation. Even with a disclaimer, a public post can reflect poorly on their status as an international civil servant. The appropriate course of action is to use established internal mechanisms for feedback or dissent.
Question 6: A hiring manager is reviewing applications for a junior position. They notice an application from a candidate who is a close friend of a senior director in a different department. The candidate meets the minimum qualifications, but there are other, more qualified applicants. What is the most ethical action for the hiring manager to take?
- Shortlist the candidate for an interview as a courtesy to the senior director.
- Evaluate the application solely based on the established merit-based criteria against all other candidates. (Correct answer)
- Ask the senior director for their informal opinion on the candidate before making a decision.
- Discard the application immediately to avoid any possible perception of favouritism.
Correct answer: Evaluate the application solely based on the established merit-based criteria against all other candidates.
The core principle of UN recruitment is to secure the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity through a fair, transparent, and merit-based process. The hiring manager must remain impartial and evaluate all candidates strictly on their qualifications and suitability for the role. Allowing personal connections to influence the decision, even to shortlist for an interview, compromises the integrity of the process.
