Promoting an ethical culture is a key leadership responsibility. ICMA promotes the highest standards of ethical conduct in the local government management profession by providing advice, education, and training to members and enforcing the ICMA Code of Ethics through a peer review process. In addition, ICMA provides training and technical assistance to promote ethical conduct.
Ethics Workshops or Briefings for State Associations
ICMA’s relationship with state associations reflects a partnership on ethics. ICMA offers the executive board of state associations a virtual briefing on the state association’s role in ICMA’s ethics review process or an in-person briefing in conjunction with a state conference. Contact Jessica Cowles, ethics director, at jcowles@icma.org to request an ethics session.
Ethics 101 e-Course
The ICMA Ethics 101 e-Course is a self-paced, online program strengthen your jurisdiction’s ethical culture by making sure your staff has a proper grounding in your organization’s values and can navigate ethics issues that arise on the job. Invest in your employees and your organization's future.
Learning Lab
ICMA promotes the highest standards of ethical conduct in the local government management profession and offers training for staff at every level. ICMA members and non-members can visit ICMA's Learning Lab for a full listing of online courses, programs and webinars (searchable by topic).
Coaching Webinars
ICMA offers six yearly webinars on various topics as a complimentary resource for local government staff looking to develop, advance, and strengthen their communities.
Download ICMA Resources on Ethics
- Read PM magazine's Ethics Matter! monthly columns.
- ICMA Model Employment Agreement (editable): An employment agreement between the chief executive/administrative officer and a municipality is an effective tool in ensuring a stable relationship between the governing body and the manager.
- Check out the updated guidance to common ethics questions and ethical issues/challenges ICMA members face.
ICMA Bookstore
Visit ICMA's bookstore for print and digital publications, datasets and more.
- ICMA’s e-book (free for members) provides practical guidance to help public managers make ethical choices for themselves and instill an ethical culture in their organizations.
ICMA's Effective Supervisory Practices, 6th edition. Be sure to join the accompanying training series where ethical leadership is discussed.
Contact Us
For more information, or to schedule ICMA state association ethics training and technical assistance services, contact Jessica Cowles, ethics director, at jcowles@icma.org.
