Integrity and anti-corruption
The Federal Ministry provides essential services for the Austrian population in the cities and in rural areas. For a Ministry with a broad range of tasks and with direct contact to the population it is all the more important that all executives and employees are aware of their responsibility to behave in a service ethically and legally correct manner.
In 2023, the Austrian Federal Government adopted the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (Website in German only), the purpose of which is in particular to set strategic and sustainable preventive measures in the fight against corruption. The Federal Ministry is expressly committed to the National Anti-Corruption Strategy and participates in its implementation within the scope of its competence.
In 2020, the Austrian Federal Government adopted the Code of Conduct of the Austrian Civil Service (Website in German only). It provides the basis for correct conduct in the entire administration of the Federal Government, the Federal Provinces, and the municipalities. In this sense, it is also a basis for prevention work and awareness raising at the Federal Ministry.
The Federal has a compliance management unit which forms part of the HR Directorate and which is responsible for sensitising, training and informing the employees of the Ministry.
Tip
The Whistleblower Protection Act is intended to ensure that reports of certain unlawful conduct can be submitted to reporting offices anonymously and easily, and that whistleblowers do not suffer any disadvantages. For this purpose, the Federal Disciplinary Authority has set up an online tool on its website.
Read more in the article Internal Reporting Office – Whistleblower Protection Act (Article in German only).