Reflecting on 30 years of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, we were delighted to host a Chairs’ Challenge on 06 February 2025 with guests Doug Chalmers and Sarah Smart.
Marking 30 years of the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL) and of the Nolan principles, for this Chairs’ Challenge, public body Chairs and Non-executive directors were invited to reflect on the achievements of the past looking ahead to the challenges in maintaining and enhancing standards in public life.
Drawing from the CSPL 2023 Leading in Practice report, which examined the role of leadership at all levels in embedding the Seven Principles in the culture and practices of public sector organisations, members engaged in a conversation on share good practice across the public sector to support staff to think about the Principles of Public Life and to integrate them into all aspects of how the organisation operates.
Our contributors, Doug Chalmers CB DSO OBE, Chair, CSPL and Sarah Smart, Chair, The Pensions Regulator engaged the audience in a meaningful conversation about transparency, the application of the Hillsborough Charter and the Nolan principles in the training of junior staff.
Members shared insights on how the standards in public life could evolve, through a dynamic and adaptive ethical culture, to address rapid technological developments, including AI, and broader societal changes.
With thanks to our contributors:
- Keith Fraser, PCF Chair and Chair of the Youth Justice Board (host)
- Sarah Smart, Chair of the Pensions Regulator
- Doug Chalmers CB DSO OBE, Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life
Chairs’ Challenges are online sessions operating with Chatham House Rule, providing a safe space for leaders to convene and discuss challenges they are facing and key issues of interest to leaders of ALBs. These sessions are hosted by Keith Fraser, PCF Chair and Chair of the Youth Justice Board.