The Corporate Responsibility Sheet
Our Work, Our Responsibility, Our Accountability
Last Updated: 11-20-2019
The IMF’s staff of highly qualified economists and other professionals are dedicated to the goals of the institution to promote global economic growth and stability, and raise living standards and employment.
The institution strives to be a strong and dynamic organization so that we can keep pace with the relevant (and evolving) macroeconomic and financial issues of the day, and continue to meet the needs of our 187 member countries for years to come. To do our job effectively, we also have access to large amounts of privileged and confidential information.
Integrity and diversity—in terms of culture, gender, and nationality—are therefore vital to the effectiveness of our work. We, the IMF’s 2,400 employees from more than 160 countries, are expected to observe the highest ethical and workplace standards of conduct.
Comprehensive ethics framework
The IMF has a comprehensive ethics framework that includes:
- An independent Ethics Office and Ethics Advisor to provide advice and guidance to IMF employees, and investigate allegations of unethical behavior and misconduct;
- An independent Ombudsperson to provide impartial and independent assistance in resolving employment-related problems in a manner that helps improve the overall working environment of the IMF; and
- An Integrity Hotline that enables staff and the general public to report misuse of IMF resources or staff misconduct securely and anonymously.
“The IMF's ethics framework is consistent with best practice and compares well with that of other organizations,” says the IMF’s Ethics Advisor, Virginia R. Canter. “The staff has a variety of channels to report misconduct, and each incident of misconduct is investigated and dealt with independently, rigorously, and fairly.”
Read the Ethics Advisor’s Annual Reports.
The highest standards of staff conduct
Upon joining the IMF, all staff sign an agreement committing them to the IMF’s ethics rules, which include a Standard of Conduct and rules for financial disclosure. The Fund also has a zero tolerance policy on harassment, including sexual harassment, which subject to strict disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
The Fund’s strengthened standards of staff conduct—approved on May 6—also require that close personal relationships between a supervisor and subordinate must be reported. Failure to do so is also grounds for disciplinary action.
A separate Code of Conduct applies to IMF Executive Directors.
Promoting diversity and inclusion
Staff diversity is a top priority for the IMF, its Management, and the Executive Board. An IMF staff that reflects its membership enables us to more effectively understand and meet the needs of our member countries.
It’s not just about gender, color, religion, sexual preferences, but also about culture… academic background … we need to draw on the resources and the intellect developed in many corners of the world, because that will make us better and richer. Christine Lagarde, IMF Managing Director.
We have made progress on diversity and are working to make further improvements. In considering the 2010 Annual Diversity Report, the Executive Board committed the IMF to a new target of recruiting 50 percent women at all levels going forward.
Read the Annual Reports on Diversity at the IMF.
Giving back to the community
The IMF Giving Together Program guide our humanitarian and community outreach efforts. We strive to help our neighbors in greater Washington and around the world by providing donations, volunteering, and supporting community initiatives.
We also regularly mobilize funds for humanitarian and disaster relief efforts around the world. The IMF matches employee and retiree donations for developing countries at 50 cents to the dollar. Since this matching program began in 1998, over $1.2 million has gone to assist the victims of floods, earthquakes, famine, and disease, and to support other humanitarian needs.
