As we come to the end of National Ethics Awareness Month, Martha Perego, ICMA director of Ethics and Membership, took some time to explain how the ICMA Code of Ethics relates to students and early career professionals in a discussion about “Ethics in the Real World.”

Why focus on honor and integrity? We have three reasons.

What’s your ethical style? Different people have different premises, different ways or arguing, different ways of doing the right thing.

For nearly 100 years, ICMA has rigorously enforced a set of principles that guide the personal and professional behavior of appointed local government managers.

During National Ethics Awareness Month in March, ICMA urges local government leaders to develop a strategy for building an integrity-based culture within their organizations that promotes ethical behavior.

For local government organizations, compensation costs are still a significant portion of overall costs and for that reason, are constantly under public scrutiny.