Performance measure 1
Key activity 1
Promote and uphold the high standards of integrity and conduct within the APS
We measure our performance against this key activity using the following performance measures:
1.1 Promote the APS Values, APS Employment Principles and the Code of Conduct through identified promotion activities.
1.2 Provide integrity and employment policy advice and assistance.
Performance measure 1.1
Promote the APS Values, APS Employment Principles and the Code of Conduct through identified promotion activities.
Targets and measurement
| 2026–27 Target | 2027–28 | 2028–29 | 2029–30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1.1 Identified promotion activities are delivered, and if applicable, benchmark metrics are met. | As per 2026–27 | As per 2026–27 | As per 2026–27 |
Type of measure
Quantitative, qualitative and effectiveness.
Rationale
The Commission supports the Australian Public Service to be aware of and understand its obligations to achieve better outcomes across the whole of the service. The Commission upholds the Public Service Act through an integrated program of engagement, education and communication. These activities promote the APS Values of commitment to service, ethics, respect, accountability, impartiality and stewardship, the APS Code of Conduct, as well as APS Employment Principles such as fairness, merit, effective performance, safety and diversity. The Commission supports a strong integrity culture and a mindset of practical and ethical delivery for Government.
Methodology
At the commencement of each reporting period, promotional activities will be selected and documented in performance audit trails for the forward reporting year. We will define the promotional activity, delivery target, data sources and the promotional activity owner.
To achieve this measure, all promotional activities must be delivered. Where the promotional activity has benchmark metrics, the benchmark metrics must also be met for the activity to be ‘delivered’. Benchmark metrics provide us with information about the access and quality of our promotional activities such as reach and engagement, content effectiveness, user experience and impact.
Case studies will be used to provide narrative to support reported results. Case studies will be selected at the start of the reporting cycle.
Identified promotional activities for 2026–27:
- APS Values promotion
- Employment Principles
- Code of Conduct
- Driving traffic to APSC.gov.au
The assessment scale for this target is:
| Achieved | ≥ 80% of promotion activities identified are delivered. Where applicable, benchmark metrics are met. |
|---|---|
| Partially achieved | 60% to 79% of identified promotion activities are delivered. Where applicable, benchmark metrics are met. |
| Not achieved | ≤ 59% of the identified promotion activities are delivered. Where applicable, benchmark metrics are met. |
Data sources
Delivery data is available at the completion of each campaign strategy or promotional activity. Benchmark data is provided through a range of platforms including Google Analytics, Vision6, Sprinklr and Streem.
Caveats and disclosures
Nil.
Changes since previous Corporate Plan
New promotional activities for 2026–27 have been identified in accordance with the methodology.
Assessment scale thresholds have been revised to provide a balanced and proportionate assessment of performance, and to ensure the scale remains meaningful as the number of identified promotional activities varies for year to year.
Performance measure 1.2
Provide integrity and employment policy advice and assistance.
Targets and measurement
| 2026–27 Target | 2027–28 | 2028–29 | 2029–30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2.1 >80% of enquiries are responded to in accordance with the service charter for the Ethics Advisory Service. | As per 2026–27 | As per 2026–27 | As per 2026–27 |
| 1.2.2 >80% of enquiries are responded to in accordance with the service charter for the Employment Policy Advisory Service. | As per 2026–27 | As per 2026–27 | As per 2026–27 |
| 1.2.3 >80% of enquires for SES Code Consultations are responded to within 7 business days. | As per 2026–27 | As per 2026–27 | As per 2026–27 |
Targets are equally weighted.
Type of measure
Quantitative and efficiency.
Rationale
The Commission’s statutory functions include a requirement to provide advice and assistance to agencies on public service matters. In support of this, and the Commissioner’s overarching function to uphold high standards of integrity and conduct in the APS, section 64 of the Australian Public Service Commissioner’s Directions 2022 requires APS agencies to consult with the Commissioner on Code of Conduct matters involving SES employees.
The Commission’s advice lines, combined with Code of Conduct consultation processes, support these functions. Providing advice that is timely and according to stated processes assists in ensuring agencies and APS employees have trust and confidence in the advice and assistance the Commission provides.
Methodology
1.2.1 - To determine the performance results, the Ethics Advisory Service database will be used to determine the percentage of the total queries received for the reporting period that were responded to within the timeframes as outlined in the applicable client service charter.
The assessment scale for this target is:
| Achieved | ≥80% of enquiries are responded to in accordance with the timeframes of the service charter. |
|---|---|
| Partially achieved | 70% to 79% of enquiries are responded to in accordance with the timeframes of the service charter. |
| Not achieved | <70% of enquiries are responded to in accordance with the timeframes of the service charter. |
1.2.2 - To determine the performance results, the Employment Policy database will be used to determine the percentage of the total queries received for the reporting period that were responded to within the timeframes as outlined in the applicable client service charter.
The assessment scale for this target is:
| Achieved | ≥80% of enquiries are responded to in accordance with the timeframes of the service charter. |
|---|---|
| Partially achieved | 70% to 79% of enquiries are responded to in accordance with the timeframes of the service charter. |
| Not achieved | <70% of enquiries are responded to in accordance with the timeframes of the service charter. |
1.2.3 - To determine the performance results, the section 64 SES Code Consultations request database will be used to determine the percentage of requests responded to within 7 business days of receipt of all required material.
The assessment scale for this target is:
| Achieved | ≥80% of enquiries are responded to within the timeframe of 7 business days. |
|---|---|
| Partially achieved | 70% to 79% of enquiries are responded to within the timeframe of 7 business days. |
| Not achieved | <70% of enquiries are responded to within the timeframe of 7 business days. |
Data sources
1.2.1 - Ethics Advisory Service database.
1.2.2 - Employment Policy database.
1.2.3 - Section 64 SES Code Consultations request database.
Caveats and disclosures
1.2.1 - Data does not include spam, but it does include ‘out of scope’ contacts as provision of service may be partially if not wholly required for Commonwealth public sector stewardship and reputational risk management reasons. Multiple contacts with an enquirer on the same issue is counted as one contact, discrete contacts with the same enquirer are counted separately.
1.2.2 - There have been no changes to the methodology for collecting data. Updates to the information included in the database have been made to improve reporting for understanding trends in the types of queries received but does not change or impact on the data collected to record response times.
Changes since previous Corporate Plan
1.2.1 & 1.2.2 - Response timeframes within service charters have been extended.
1.2.3 - Target timeframe has changed from 5 business days to 7 business days.