About the Integrity Awards
Genesis - A New Milestone in Government Integrity
The “Integrity Awards” was inspired by the Concluding Observations of the Review Meeting of the ROC’s Initial Report under the United Nations Convention Against Corruption in 2018. International anti-corruption experts recommended that Taiwan establish an “Incentive measures for the mechanism of conducting integrity evaluations on public institutions.” Following this recommendation, the Agency Against Corruption , Ministry of Justice (hereafter referred to as the AAC) has been promoting the tentative Integrity Awards since 2019. During the Review Meeting of the ROC’s Second Report under the United Nations Convention against Corruption in 2022, the Integrity Awards received high praise from the Review Committee of International Experts, who regarded it as a worthwhile initiative to recognize good practices. The origin of the award was the integrity risk assessment, which proposed a systematic approach by each government agency to regularly undertake an integrity risk assessment. From 2019 to 2022, 61 public institutions participated in the tentative Integrity Awards program, accumulating practical experience. With support from the Executive Yuan, the Integrity Awards were officially promoted as national awards starting in 2023.
Incentives - Establishment of National Awards
To encourage various public institutions to strive for better integrity governance, actively promote information and administrative transparency, and implement robust risk prevention and accountability measures, the government annually organizes the "Integrity Awards" recognition ceremony. At this ceremony, the Executive Yuan presents trophies, certificates, and award money to administrative teams that demonstrate exceptional performance. This initiative aims to set exemplary models for other institutions to follow, fostering a culture of integrity governance, driving improvements across public institutions, and ultimately enhancing public trust in governmental institutions.
Participation - Impartial Evaluation by Third-Party Experts
Through a rigorous process involving written reviews and on-site evaluations by external experts and scholars, including presentations and Q&A sessions, documentary reviews, examinations of key measures, individual employee interviews, and exchange and discussion forums, outstanding agencies are selected for the awards. The evaluation criteria for the awards include “chief's determination and continuous acts of integrity,” “information and administrative transparency,” “risk prevention and accountability,” ”demonstration of the effectiveness of integrity,” and “clean and competent innovation and diffusion.”
Impact – Legacy and Paragon of Integrity Governance
The “Integrity Awards” serves as a powerful testament to the success of integrity and transparency initiatives across government agencies. Inspired by this recognition, public service teams prioritize integrity in policy implementation, bolstered by ongoing leadership support. These teams make substantial strides in enhancing administrative transparency and proactively identifying integrity risks. By fortifying risk prevention mechanisms and integrating innovative integrity practices, institutions distinguished as integrity benchmarks share their insights, fostering a culture of learning among government institutions. This exchange of positive practices significantly reinforces public trust in governmental integrity. Looking forward, increased participation in the “Integrity Awards” is anticipated, fostering a shared commitment to integrity among leaders and public servants and collectively advancing integrity within the government.