What is it?

The Ethics and Good Governance Mailbox, as an intern information channel, is one of the pieces making up the Internal Information System at Barcelona City Council and the linked organisations sharing it.

It is governed by the Ethics and Good Governance Mailbox’s Regulatory Rules as well as Act 2/2023, governing the protection of whistleblowers and the fight against corruption.

The Ethics and Good Governance Mailbox is a secure e-participation channel which was set up in 2017, as a means of strengthening public management, given the convenience of offering a space for learning of any action or omission contrary to the legal order and/or ethical guidelines of behaviour and which are relevant to general interests. Actions and omissions which therefore include those referred to in Articles 2 and 3 of Act 2/2023, governing the protection of whistleblowers and the fight against corruption.

It includes mechanisms for guaranteeing confidentiality of all information and anonymity if requested. It offers a secure communication space for maintaining contact with the managing body and finding out processing statuses, even in anonymous cases. If you would like to ensure that any individual or public servant can provide information without suffering reprisals.

This is a means of preventing and detecting irregularities which protects the identity of the individual whistleblower. And it also incorporates tools for guaranteeing the rights of the individuals accused of misconduct.

To prevent misconduct in the mailbox’s use, strict criteria will apply for admitting communications and with the requirement of civil, criminal and administrative liability for anyone reporting information out of an abuse of a right or aware of its falsehood.

The Ethics and Good Governance mailbox, in guaranteeing confidentiality and anonymity, is the priority channel for admitting communications relating to misconduct in Barcelona City Council and its subsidiary bodies. Without prejudice to the admission of communications, through other channels, such as general register (in Citizen Help and Information Offices (OACs)), email, by post or face to face.

Their management falls to the Analysis Services Department, whose director is responsible for the Internal Information System.

In exercising its duties relating to the Ethics and Good Governance Mailbox, the Analysis Services Department acts independently, exempt from any hierarchical orders that may determine its actions.

The purpose of this channel is to enable any individual or public servant to report any form of behaviour adopted by the municipal authorities which turns out to be contrary to law, principles or ethical rules and good governance and administration established in the current legal framework in force. Actions and omissions, including those described in Article 2 of Act 2/2023 governing the protection of whistleblowers and the fight against corruption and which are presented by the natural persons referred to in Article 3 of that same act.

And for such individuals to be able to do so securely, with guaranteed indemnity and protection against any possible reprisals.

The goal is to guide general interests and the use of public resources, the resolution of disputes of interest, the objectivity and neutrality of public management in the exercise of municipal powers in general and, in particular, in the matters of public procurement, public duty, promotional activity, urban planning and so on.

To make any other types of inquiries, report incidents, claims or complaints, you can select the channel best suited to you from "Barcelona City Council’s Citizen Communication Channels".

The Ethics and Good Governance Mailbox’s goals are as follows:

To promote and improve good governance and good practices in public management.
To strengthen the culture of information and framework of municipal integrity
To guarantee the indemnity and protection of whistleblowers
To promote a culture of regulatory compliance as well as the rules of conduct and good governances and administration that have to be followed by elected representatives and the staff at the service of municipal bodies and organisations included within the scope of application of its Regulatory Rules and Act 2/2023 governing the protection of whistleblowers and the fight against corruption.
To contribute to the promotion of the forms of behaviour stated above, prioritising prevention over reactive behaviour.
To promote collaboration between the municipal authority and individuals for cultivating integrity in public management through participation.

The scope of this tool comprises the City Council and the municipal organisations that can be found listed in Barcelona City Council’s Transparency website.

Communications must refer to actions or omissions from the bodies and organisations that are identified as part of the municipal authorities. These include the administrative bodies and units making up Barcelona City Council and the organisations linked or answerable to the municipal authorities, such as independent bodies, local public business organisations and trading companies.

More specifically, communications must affect the municipal area constituted by the action of the bodies and organisations shown below, without prejudice to the fact that the latter can have their own or shared internal information system:

The administrative bodies and units within the Barcelona City Council.
Organisations linked or answerable to Barcelona City Council, such as independent bodies, local public business organisations and trading companies.
Foundations and consortia, where they consolidate their accounts with Barcelona City Council or where, whether directly or indirectly, they have a majority municipal representation.
Companies and organisations that enter into contracts with Barcelona City Council, as stipulated in the corresponding contract or approved by their governing bodies, in their relations with Barcelona City Council and with individuals, in the framework of performing the corresponding contract and, in particular, providing municipal public services.
The individuals who receive municipal subsidies, as stipulated in the agreement or regulatory rules in the framework of the action subsidised by Barcelona City Council or the organisations that are linked or answerable to it.
The other bodies, organisations and companies where Barcelona City Council is present and which voluntarily join in the running of the Ethics and Good Governance Mailbox. The City Council and the individuals representing it within these organisations will promote such joining in.

What is it?

Ethics and Good Governance Mailbox

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