RESTRICTED  
  
JOB/BFA/101  
 
26 March  2024 
(24-2550) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration    
 
  
DDG ELLARD'S UPDATE ON THE SECRETARIAT'S TRANSFORMATION  
AND STRATEGIC ORIENTA TION EXERCISE  
CBFA MEETING  – 25 MARCH  2024 
I turn now to my  update on the  Secretariat's transformation exercise.  As usual, I will provide my 
speaking notes to you in writing after this meeting.  The transformation work will remain on the 
agenda for discussion at our meetings , and I will provide additional updates as needed . 
 
I am pleased to report that our  new Chief Ethics, Risk and Compliance Officer , Natasha Fi elds, joined 
the Secretariat in January. In this role , she will help staff to perform their functions with the highest 
standard s of integrity , including by  promoting a risk-aware, ethical , and compliance -oriented  culture. 
This will be done by developing, i mplementing , and monitoring a coherent enterprise  risk 
management system and an ethics and compliance programme. Risk management and internal 
control measures will be integrated into all aspects of Secretariat operations , and all staff will receive 
training on ethics, risk , and compliance matters . She will be providing a preliminary report at our 
next CBFA meeting.  
 
The Joint Advisory Committee (JAC) has completed its examination of the revised promotions  
policy. The Director -General is now considering the recommendations made by the JAC with a view 
to finalizing the policy so that it can enter into force before the launch of the upcoming promotions 
exercise.  
 
Progress continues on a new recruitment  policy, with key elements se t to be tested with staff in 
the coming weeks. The results of the new 360° review process for Directors launched by HRD in 
January 2024 have now been shared with Directors and will also inform the design of a new executive 
leadership programme.  
 
On extern al mobility, the staff exchange with UNEP has been extended for a second year . We are 
planning a similar exchange of staff with another international organization later this year. Efforts 
to boost internal mobility continue to yield modest results. Three t emporary internal secondments 
were undertaken in 2023, and more are planned for 2024.   
 
As previously reported, m ost of the desired changes under  our new  Recognition and Rewards  
Programme are now in place  and being administered by the Human Resources Divis ion. The new 
DG Awards for Innovation and Teamwork as well as the Excellence in Management Award , were 
presented  for the first time  in December 2023, at a well -attended staff recognition event .  
 
We continue to make good progress on digital transformation . The plan is being adapted to take 
account of developments including  the prominence of Generative AI technology and a growing 
pipeline of products supporting the Member -led "Reform by doing" discussions and initiatives in 
various WTO bodies , which Members agreed to fund through the partial use of the budget surplus 
from 2022. E -agenda will be adapted and deployed for up  to 15 further Committees by the end of 
2024. The new e -Delegate application was launched in December 2023 , and more than 700 
delegates had started using it by the end of February . Our Intelligent Search  project  is now moving 
full steam ahead , and we expect to begin internal testing of a pilot by the end of the month . Several 
ongoing projects to upgrade or add new online tools for notifications will yield results in 2024 , 
including the single window for notifications. The final version of the digital "Questions & Answer" 
tool for Trade Policy Reviews is currently under development and, as requested by Members, w ill 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.   JOB/BFA/101  
 
- 2 - 
 
  Lastly, t he development of the Secretariat's Strategy through 2030 is progressing. T he initial 
outputs of the Director -led Thematic Working Groups were presented to the Transformation Steering 
Committee at the end of November 2023  for preliminary reaction . On 19 December, the Secretaria t 
held a technical information session for Members and a consultation session with Secretariat staff. I 
wish to thank those Members who attended this information session and provided feedback and 
suggestions. More recently, t he Director -General engaged wit h her Business a s well as Civil Society 
Advisory Groups in the margins of MC13, where one of the topics covered was the development of 
a Secretariat Strategy.  
 
We are now revising the draft strategy, taking account of all 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.  
 
As I have previously explained, the work will form the basis for the development of 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 mechanisms to ensure 
coordination as well as the alignment of Secretariat planning and op erations with the overall 
strategy.  
 
Thank you for your continuing  interest in and support for our transformation work.  
 
I now invite any comments or questions that you would like to share.  
 
__________