RESTRICTED  
 
WT/BFA/W/355  
16 March 2015  
(15-1491)  Page: 1/3  
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration   
 
  STAFF LEARNING DEVELOPMENT INCLUDING WTO STANDARDS OF CONDUCT 
 
Further to a request from a WTO delegation, the Secretariat is hereby providing information on 
Standards of Conduct  training offered to staff. 
 1   BACKGROUND 
1.1.  The WTO's "Standards of Conduct", found at Annex A of the WTO Staff Regulations, makes 
clear its expectations of staff. Our fundamental Standards of Conduct derive from the requirement of: (i) integrity, (ii) the need to develop and maintain an international outlook (iii) independence i.e. neither to seek nor to accept instructions in regard to performance of their duties from any 
government or external authority; and (iv) impartiality in the exercise of their duties. 
1.2.  A key issue for the Human Resources division has always been that of ensuring that the 
expected behaviours highlighted in our Standards of Conduct remain uppermost in the minds of 
staff as they undertake their daily tasks. 
1.3.  Given that our Standards of Conduct is based on a 1954 International Civil Service document, 
there was the realization that it was necessary to make this document "live" in the hearts and 
minds of Secretariat staff. 
2  STANDARDS OF CONDUCT TRAINING MANUAL AND TRAINING PROGRAMME 
2.1.  To this end the Human Resources division developed and launched a practical and 
user-friendly training manual which reflected the organization's Core Values as expressed in the 
Standards of Conduct. 
2.2.  In the message to staff which accompanied the launch of the training manual in 
October 2012, senior management made clear that while all staff have a responsibility to uphold 
the core values, the expectation is that supervisors and managers must role model the required 
behaviours. To this end, a management developm ent training programme was launched soon after 
the issuing of the training manual. This programme, addressed not only of what is expected of 
WTO managers regarding people and performance ma nagement in general, but more specifically 
the programme served to remind managers of the need to be exemplary in their behaviour regarding the organization's Standards of Conduct. 
2.3.  Training programmes were conducted for managers from October to December 2012 and the 
session on the WTO's values was facilitated by a staff member from the Human Resources division. 
Those present were of the view that all levels of  staff need to embrace and demonstrate the core 
values through their day-to-day activities. 
2.4.  Via its interaction with staff, Senior Management as well as the Human Resources Division 
continue to remind staff of the importance of being role model, international civil servants. 
3  LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME - 2015 
3.1.  In additional to behavioural training, in 2015 the WTO Learning Service will continue to 
ensure that staff members perform at their peak and can therefore provide you, Members, with the best support possible. WT/BFA/W/355 
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  3.2.  It should be noted that further to the Director General's recent address to the CBFA and his 
subsequent address to staff, even greater emphasis will be placed on people and performance management development in the future. 
3.3.  Indeed based on a number of needs analyses undertaken last year our key aims for 2015 are 
to: 
a. revisit and communicate the expectations of people managers in the Secretariat; 
b. enhance the people and performance management capability of managers in the 
Secretariat; 
c. provide developmental support in the areas of trade economics, trade law and trade 
policy; 
d. continue to enhance interpersonal efficiency and effectiveness (including Standards of 
Conduct) of Secretariat staff. 
3.4.  The list of learning and development activities for 2015 can be found at Annex 1. 
3.5.  The Learning Service continues to provide not just internal / external training courses but 
actively promotes on-the-job, bespoke, developmen tal support in the form of mentoring, coaching, 
action learning (peer learning networks) and divisional retreats. 
3.6.  In the interest of broadening staff members' knowledge and skills, the Learning Service is 
also currently embarking on staff exchange programmes with organizations such as the Institute 
for International Trade, University of Austra lia as well as Geneva-based international 
organizations. 
3.7.  Our aim remains that Secretariat staff are equipped to deliver the WTO's priorities and to 
ultimately best support you, our Members. WT/BFA/W/355 
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  ANNEX 1 
2015 Learning and Development Programme 3.8.  The 2015 Learning and Development Programme will consist of the following training / 
developmental initiatives: 
Executive / Management Development 
 Revisiting expectations of WTO People Managers (to be incorporate in managers' PER 
objectives); 
 Upward Feedback; 
 Bespoke Performance Management coaching programme for divisions / departments; 
 Management Retreats; 
 In-house modular, advanced coaching skills programme for managers; 
 1:1 Executive coaching; 
 In-house Leadership Masterclasses (delivered by various European business schools); 
 In-house courses ("Technical Expert to Manager" and "Introduction to Supervision"); 
 OECD "Emerging Leaders" programme. A week -long programme developed by OECD in 
conjunction with Wharton School, Pennsylvania; 
 Action Learning Sets (peer le arning networks) for managers. 
Trade - Related Development 
 Foundation programme in trade economics for lawyers; 
 Foundation programme in trade law for economists; 
 Trade policy programmes; 
 Community Forum (internal briefings for staff on topical trade / cross-organisational / 
divisional issues); 
 Advanced Training Skills for Technical Assistance trainers; 
 Action Learning Set (peer learning network) for Committee Secretaries; 
 Bucerius "Global Governance" programmes (Spring, Summer, Autumn). 
Personal Development / Interpersonal Skills 
 
 Standards of Conduct (on-line workshop); 
 Cross-cultural Communication; 
 Mentoring (as part of the Induction process); 
 Managing Yourself and Influencing Others; 
 Email Management; 
 Boost your Career 
 Resilience / Stress Management; 
 Emotional Intelligence; 
 Project Management; 
 Note Taking; 
 Soft Skills for Hard Talk (C hallenging Conversations); 
 Speed Reading Masterclasses; 
 Language courses. 
 
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