3.4 Implementing Guidelines

3.4 Implementing Guidelines#

Establish a Legal Framework for Independence

  • Ensure the National Statistical Office (NSO) operates under a clear and up-to-date legal mandate that safeguards professional independence with a view to an evolving data landscape

  • Legislation should define the NSO’s roles, responsibilities, and authority to prevent undue political or external interference

Guarantee Impartiality

  • Develop and adhere to a code of conduct that ensures professional independence and objectivity

  • Implement transparent methodologies and procedures for collecting, processing, and disseminating data

  • Establish data quality management and assurance frameworks to ensure adherence to scientific standards

Prevent Conflicts of Interest and Foster a Culture of Integrity

  • Establish clear policies and guidelines to ensure staff independence, including safeguards against conflicts of interest

  • Require professional integrity from employees, at all levels, through codes of conduct, ethics guidelines, and mandatory training

Provide Equal Access

  • Publish a release calendar for key statistical and data outputs to ensure simultaneous access for all users:

    • Develop a predefined, publicly available calendar for the release of statistics to ensure regularity and predictability

    • Prevent any external influence over the timing or content of statistical releases

  • Develop transparent data dissemination policies that ensure equal treatment of all users

  • Make statistics and data available through various channels, including open data platforms, to maximize accessibility

  • Provide equal and simultaneous access to statistical releases for all users, including government officials, media representatives, and the general public

  • Avoid disclosing or sharing data with political authorities or other groups until after public dissemination

Maintain Public Trust

  • Communicate transparently about statistical methods, data sources, and quality measures

  • Establish mechanisms to promptly address and correct errors

  • Regularly engage with the media and public to explain statistical and data outputs and their proper interpretation

Engage in Regular Peer Reviews

  • Participate in national or international peer reviews or other independent evaluations to assess adherence to professional independence

  • Address feedback from these reviews to improve policies and practices

Secure Adequate and Autonomous Funding

  • Advocate for sustainable, adequate, and independent funding that prevents financial pressures from influencing statistical outputs

  • Develop annual and multi-year statistical programmes of the NSS and corresponding budget plans to minimize the risk of reliance on short-term funding decisions