Initial Verification (all applications)

Countries are free to design application forms that are appropriate for the context however each application must contain

  • Nominator Information including how they know the nominee and comprehensive contact details.
  • Nominee information including contact details, gender, profession and city/ province
  • At least 2 referees
  • Example of Integrity
    • Significance of the impact of the initiatives undertaken.
    • The extent of impact this effort/activity may have had beyond the personal sphere of influence.
    • Extent to which formidable challenges that appear strong and difficult for a person holding such position were overcome.
    • Ability to use the initiative as a benchmark in public service.
    • Extent to which the opportunity provided by the position he/she holds is used as leverage to engage in the initiatives undertaken.
    • It has to be clear that the nominee is being nominated for integrity and not simply for carrying out their duties competently.
1 Screen and Score
  • Read the applications, score each application, at least 2 readers and a third ‘blind’ reading
  • Write out scores and process

Top 30, 10 and 5 winners

  • At least 3 – 7 judges (people of high standing in the community) are presented with single page summaries of the nominees including information on place of employment and relevant testimonials.
  • At least two judges should also have some expertise in the areas in which nominees work (i.e. health/ education/ policing etc). This is important to provide additional context.
  • Judges, preferably in camera, deliberate on the best nominees taking into account where they come from, what they do and the socio-economic environment in which they operate.  
  • AL is particularly conscious about the important role that women and marginalised groups play in shifting norms and challenging behaviours.  As a result, AL is fully transparent about selecting a diverse, representative group of men, women and where possible, people from marginalised groups.
2 Phone Calls
  • Call nominator, ask questions about character, why they are a person of integrity. Ask for details about specific words used i.e. discipline, 
  • Call nominee, ask questions about character, request additional referees. 
  • Contact additional referees via phone, including colleague/ friend/ manager/ family member
3 Online Check
  • Social media check including content check, types of comments, posts etc
  • News stories, check on general news outlets
4 Employment Verification
  • Verify employment, position and record with public service ministry (or in-country equivalent); 
  • If possible/ relevant, check with corruption hotline or conduct a criminal background check;
  • If possible, check with trusted civil servants in the specific department/ministry if there are any in the Lab’s  network.
  • Also check with former colleagues in previous ministries.
  • All finalists complete a declaration and confirm compliance with campaign participation T&C’s
5 Selection
  • Present info page, including stories, to judges
  • Record, if possible, deliberations
  • Selection criteria are amended to context but broadly,
    • Promoting and maintaining high standards of professional ethics; 
    • Providing service impartially, fairly, equitably and without bias; 
    • Utilising resources efficiently and effectively; 
    • Responding to people’s needs; the citizens are encouraged to participate in policy-making; and 
    • Rendering an accountable, transparent, and development-oriented public administration 

Top 5 (2 reserves)
6 Meal/ meeting with Icons and nominator
  • Ideally an AL member of staff/ partner/ friend/ volunteers should meet with Icons and nominators prior to selection.  
  • Where this is not feasible (due to finances/ distance), it is important that staff and film teams meet with Icons prior to filming.
7 Additional verification in community
  • Monitor how Icons engage with community members, colleagues, friends
  • Check with respected journalists in the community on their impressions/knowledge

INTEGRITY ICON VOTING PROCEDURE:

  1. Voting to be offered on at least two channels, including SMS, online (via the Integrity Icon website/ social media) and Whatsapp.
  2. Voting to be limited to one per person, per platform.
  3. Voting will close at least 24 hours before the Integrity Icon Awards are handed out publicly.
  4. The voting period for the campaign will remain open for at least two weeks and no longer than four weeks.
  5. The final tally of votes for each Network Lab will be verified by at least 2 staff members as well as externally by two members of the Lab’s jury/panel of judges.
  6. The final tally of votes for each Network Lab will be made publicly available after the Awards Ceremony.
  7. Voter fraud is not permissible and neither are Icons allowed to campaign publicly for votes. If voter fraud is discovered by any Icon, s/he is liable to be expelled from the competition.

Note: Nepal does not conduct voting to select Integrity Icon winners. Instead, the top 5 selected by the judges are all recognized as the winners.