Celebrating Ethics: The Fair Way

County employees came out in droves Thursday to celebrate their commitment to ethics. The Office of Ethics and Compliance held a lively Information Fair at the County Operations Center plaza with music, prizes, free goodies and resources for employees. Participants included several County departments, employee resource groups, and health care providers Kaiser Permanente and Anthem Blue Cross.

The fair was part of a larger celebration—Ethics Awareness Month. OEC Director Joe Cordero explained that the month is an opportunity for County employees to reaffirm their commitment to do no harm, treat others appropriately and do the right thing.

“Every day we make decisions to do something, not do something, to take action, to not take action, and as such every day we get the opportunity to gain or maintain the public trust—which is, of course, is at the core of what public service is all about,” Cordero said.

In addition to the fair, OEC hosted a forum at the County Operations Center earlier this month. The event sparked employee conversation on what it means to have integrity as a public servant and opened up dialogue on our commitment to Live Well Communities.

The forum—“Our Ethical Responsibility in Advancing Live Well Communities”—was moderated by Harold Tuck, former deputy chief administrative officer and current Live Well Communities Task Force co-leader.

The task force aims to address the disparities in communities across San Diego County. The mission of Live Well Communities is to create the opportunity for all residents—regardless of geographic location, age group, gender, race, ethnicity or socioeconomic level—to achieve the Live Well San Diego vision by engaging the community, strengthening existing services and serving for results. The effort was the topic of CAO Helen Robbins-Meyer’s recent InTouch column.

“We have a moral obligation to ensure that every resident has the opportunity to achieve the highest possible quality of life,” said Cordero.

The forum and information fair were just two ways the County celebrated Ethics Awareness Month. But anytime is a good time to make ethics your personal cause and to actively seek out opportunities to strengthen our ethical culture.

Read 5 Ways to Keep Ethics Front and Center.

Also, take a short survey about the County’s Ethics Program and related topics. The survey will be open through this Friday, March 25. Your answers will help the OES understand how effective the program is and how to make sure it best serves County employees. All survey results will be kept confidential.