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WT/BFA/W/664  
 
11 March  2024 
(24-2179) Page: 1/5 
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration    
 
  
STATUS REPORT  ON THE WTO SECRETARIAT TRANSFORMATION EXERCISE  
AS OF 11 MARCH  2024 
FOR CBFA MEETING ON 25 MARCH  2024 
PHASE 1: Launch key initiatives and capture quick wins  
 
➢ Reinforce Secretariat talent management practices  
➢ Strengthen Secretariat 's ways of working to optimize efficiency and impact  
➢ Leverage the opportunities of data, technology and innovation to secure long -term 
relevance  
 
 
FIRST WAVE  
 
• Talent management  
• Ways of working  
 
1. Establish reward schemes (outside promotion) for Secretariat staff  
 
a. Non-monetary rewards for staff : 
Changes to be made : Launching new or redesigned non -monetary rewards to 
recognize teamwork, innovation, and excellence in management  
 
b. Awarding annual performance bonuses for staff: 
Changes to be made : Redesigning the annual performance -related bonus (without 
increasing the amount allocated in the budget) by splitting into two categories:  
i. Outstanding performers, to receive a somewhat higher bonus  
ii. Very strong performers  
 
c. Buildin g a stronger culture of ongoing "recognition and praise" within the 
Secretariat : 
Changes to be made : Designing and implementing training for supervisors, 
managers, and staff; highlighting good practices and role models  
 
Status : Most of  the desired changes are now in place. The Human Resources Division 
(HRD) has taken over administration of the revised system of staff recognition and 
rewards. In December 2023, the new DG Awards for Innovation and Teamwork, as well 
as the Excellence in Management Award, were presented for the first time. The 
Secretariat is also applying the new policy to award annual staff performance bonus es 
in the ongoing cycle .  
 
2. Improve key internal Secretariat systems  
 
a. Risk management : 
Changes to be made : 
i. Development and implementation of a comprehensive and tailored 
Secretariat -wide risk taxonomy  
ii. Development of an overarching risk management process with clearly 
defined responsibilities  WT/BFA/W/664  
 
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  iii. Strengthen risk awareness and the recognition reporting and managing of 
risk across th e Secretariat  
iv. Fill the risk officer position  
 
Status : The new Chief Ethics, Risk and Compliance Officer joined the Secretariat in 
January. The development of a modern and robust risk management system for the 
Secretariat is being  undertaken under her lead ership.  
 
b. Procurement : 
Changes to be made : 
i. Updating monetary thresholds for procurement process es involving low -
value procurement  
ii. Strengthening capabilities and culture across the Secretariat by requiring 
more training about use of the procurement process  
iii. Standardizing internal processes  
iv. Increasing use of digital tools to boost efficiency and transparency  
 
Status : The majority of the desired changes are now in place . The Procurement 
Section continues to work with ITSD on increased digitization of the procurement 
process , focusing on  the development and implementation of a digital contract 
management solution. We also anticipate introducing a new Procurement Manual in 
2024 to support and guide Secretariat staff in implementing the new Procurement 
Policy  and processes.  
 
 
SECOND WAVE  
 
• Talent management  
• Ways of working  
 
Secretariat staff career pathways, mobility, recruitment, and promotions  
 
a. Career Pathways : 
Changes to be made : Move from a rigid system of a single vertical progression track 
to a more dynamic architecture of career pathways , enabling more flexibility and 
opportunities for development. Introduce a split into Expert and Manager tracks at 
more senior grades. Begin to lay the groundwork for the eventual development and 
introduction of caree r/job families as a subsequent step . 
 
Status : A key foundation for this workstream is an updated competency framework  
identifying the  specific behavioral and technical skills needed across the Secretariat . 
Work on the behavioral  skills was largely completed in 2023, and work on the 
technical skills and a cross -Secretariat skills mapping exercise is continuing. Work 
on the Expert and Manager tracks  and career/job families  will commence thereafter.   
 
b. Recruitment : 
Changes to be made : Introduce several measures to make the recruitment process 
faster , more efficient,  more candidate -centric , and more capable of contributing to 
a diverse and inclusive Secretariat , including more advance planning . 
 
Status : A team of staff volunteers and HR experts is currently refining the  first draft 
of the  recruitment policy for the Secretariat . The draft policy is expected to be ready 
for internal consultations in the coming weeks.  
 
c. Mobility : 
Changes to be made : Implement formal mechanisms as well as communications, 
training , and assistance to  encourage  more internal and external mobility , as well 
as a positive perception of mobility . 
 
Status : The internal mobility  exercise to encourage greater compliance with an 
existing requirement for entry -level staff to undertake a temporary secondment to 
another Division within the first seven years of their employment in the Secretariat WT/BFA/W/664  
 
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  has made  some  progress  through a pilot program . Three temporary secondments 
were undertaken  in 2023 , and several more are planned for 2024.   
 
On external mobility, the exchange of staff members with UNEP  has been extended  
for a second year.  Additionally, the Secretariat  is actively exploring the possibility of 
coordinating a  similar exchange with another international organization , starting in  
late 2024.   
 
d. Promotions : 
Changes to be made : Various measures approved that aim to make the promotions 
process more consistent and transparent  and to address the promotions  backlog 
that has led to high levels of staff frustration . 
 
Status : The Joint Advisory Committee (JAC) has nearly completed its examination 
of the revised policy and is expected to present  its recommendations  to the Director -
General in the coming weeks. The policy will then be finalized and should enter into 
force before the next promotions exercise.  
 
 
THIRD WAVE  
 
• Data, technology and innovation  
 
The purpose of this workstream is to leverage the opportunities related to data, 
technology , and innovation  to secure  the long-term relevance of the Secretariat  through 
initiatives focusing on:  
• Developing a roadmap for the digital transformation of the Sec retariat  
• Creating mechanisms to increase external collaboration and partnerships  
• Strengthening the culture of innovation in the Secretariat  
 
a. Digital Transformation : 
  The Secretariat 's digital transformation goals  include increas ing operational efficiency 
and employee experience , bringing untapped value to Members , and unleash ing the 
talent of WTO staff through easy -to-use digital tools and modern technologies . 
 
  Outcomes to date: Work conducted in 2022 generated a  map of all the di gital tools 
already in use, a nd a list of ongoing and future initiatives,  with groupings into different 
prioritization categories —a "roadmap" for the future. Among the prioritized initiatives 
were the d evelopment of an intelligent search  function to revamp DOL  and facilitate 
access to the insights and information contained in the Secretariat's vast repository of 
documents, videos , and databases , as well as the creation of a single window  for 
notifications  that builds on the notifications portal.  With limited budget resources in 
2023, supporting Members "reform by doing" was prioritized, for example with the 
rollout of the e.agenda tool to 5 Committees. Consequently , the intelligent search and 
notifications single window were slightly delay ed. 
 
  Status: Work is advancing on multiple digital transformation initiatives . The initial  
roadmap is being  adapted to take account of d evelopments , including  the targeted  
budget  increase announced in December 2023, the prominence of Generative AI 
technology, and a growing pipeline of products supporting Member -led "reform by 
doing" discussions and initiatives in various WTO bodies . The eAgenda tool will be 
adapted for up to 15 additional Committees by the end of 202 4. E-Delegate was 
launched in December  2023, and more than 700 delegates were using it by the end of 
February 2024. The analysis phase for the new Intelligent Search has been completed, 
and internal testing of a pilot should begin by the end of March . Several ongoing projects 
to upgrade or add new online tools for notifications will yield results in 2024 , including 
the single window . In addition, t he final version of the digital "Question & Answer" tool 
for Trade Policy Reviews  is currently under develo pment , and , as requested by 
Members, will be delivered by the fourth quarter of 2024. The Secretariat also continues 
to conduct and plan pilot projects to test possible uses for Generative AI.  
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    The Secretariat is continuing to reinforce its governance p ractices  relating to digital 
tools. A new cross -Secretariat Digital Transformation Advisory Group was formally 
established in December 2023 . Staff from different Divisions will contribute their 
expertise and on -the-ground experience serving Members to prep are recommendations 
on the evolution of the digital transformation programme.  
 
b. External Partnerships : 
Outcomes to date : Various mechanisms have been identified to strengthen the approach 
to external partnerships across the Secretariat to leverage knowledge and efficiencies.  
 
Status : Full cycle of design work  completed  in 2022 , including a review by the Steering 
Committee . The assessment and outcomes from these earlier efforts have now been 
folded into the work to develop the Secretariat strategy . 
 
c. Innovation : 
Outcomes to date : Various initiatives aimed at creating  a stronger culture of innovation 
in the Secretariat have been identified.  
 
Status : Full cycle of design work completed  in 2022 , including a review by the Steering 
Committee . The assessment and outcomes from these earlier efforts have now been 
folded into  the work to develop the Secretariat strategy.  
 
 
PHASE 2: Set the strategic direction and foundational structure  
 
➢ Define Secretariat values, vision and stra tegic direction  
➢ Optimize Secretariat organizational structure to make it fit for purpose  
➢ Continue implementing Phase 1  
 
Work to define a vision and strategic pillars for the Secretariat  began in late March  2023. Secretariat 
staff and leadership, Members, and external experts  were engaged  in an intensive and  consultative 
process  over a three -month period . H.E. Dacio Castillo of Honduras facilitat ed the collection of  
Member input through Member Information Sessions and consultations1, and an informal session of 
the Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration on this subject was held on 25 April 2023.  
 
On 10 July 2023, the Director -General shared  with Secretariat staff and with Members  the results of 
this work , namely, a "Secretariat strategy house", comprising Vision and Mission Statements, 
strategic pillars , and enablers. She presented this Secretariat strategy house to Members at the 
Informal Heads of Delegation meeting held on 20 July 2023.  
 
The Secretariat is now actively  developing  a Secretariat  2030 strategy.  Seven internal Thematic 
Working Groups  were established , with the participation of all Directors  and many other staff 
members . Each group is focusing  on one of the strategi c pillars or enablers , providing content and 
proposing strategic initiatives for the overall Secretariat 2030 strategy.  
 
The initial outputs of the Director -led Thematic Working Groups w ere presented to the 
Transformation Steering Committee at the end of N ovember 2023 . Subsequently, a technical 
information session for Members  and a consultation session with Secretariat staff  were held  in 
December 2023. The D irector -General  engaged with the  Business and Civil Society Advisory Groups 
in the margins of MC13 , where one of the topic s covered was the development of a Secretariat 
Strategy 2030.  The Secretariat is  now revising the  draft strategy , taking account of feedback 
received . 
 
The work is being led by the Director for Vision and Strategy, supported by the Transformation 
Office. We expect to deliver the strategy for the Secretariat  in 2024.  
 
 
1 Member Information sessions were held on 28 March and 14 April , and Members were invited to 
attend consultations to provide their views. Ambassador Castillo's factual report s on the consultations that he 
held were circulated as document s WT/INF/ 234 and WT/INF/235 . WT/BFA/W/664  
 
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  The outcome of this work will form the basis for the development of specific time-bound action plans 
along with tools for measuring and reporting on progress, such as specific targets and performance 
indicators. Implementation of the strategy will also require m echanisms to ensure coordination as 
well as the alignment of Secretariat planning a nd operations with the overall strategy.  
 
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