Ensuring public appointments are fair and open
We regulate and monitor the system used to appoint board members for many public bodies that play an important part in Scottish life. The Scottish Ministers make these appointments and the selection process is run on their behalf by Scottish Government officials. The Commissioner and their team play a key role in ensuring appointments are made on merit, using methods that are fair and open, and reflect the diversity of Scottish society today.
Right people, right roles
We provide guidance on good practice in recruitment and selection.
It’s intended to help selection panels design appointment rounds that are welcoming and accessible to people from all backgrounds, and that identify the right people for the right roles.
Applying for an appointment
The Scottish Government has a dedicated Public Appointments website for people to find out more, search for vacancies, and apply. The application process will vary from organisation to organisation, but they will all be run in accordance with the Code of Practice developed and monitored by the Ethical Standards Commissioner and their team.
Recent good practice case studies
View all case studiesNHS Grampian Appointment Round - Good Practice in Planning and Publicity (2023)
A case study illustrating the creative steps taken by NHS Grampian, particularly in their outreach activity, during an appointment round that commenced in August 2022.Good Practice in Public Appointments - Publicity
There is no one size fits all to producing diverse and effective boards, and the 2022 Code encourages new and innovative ways of running appointment rounds. It is important that approaches taken are tailored to the specific posts being advertised for, and where new ways of working have proven to be effective, good practice case studies can aid selection panels faced with similar circumstances – to use, learn, adapt and improve upon. The current ‘snapshot’ case study aims to review good practices coming out of the publicity of appointment rounds, and provide examples of what selection panels have done well within it. The case studies use appointment rounds concluded within the last 12 months and their associated end of round reporting material to inform their content.Good Practice in Public Appointments - Planning
There is no one size fits all to producing diverse and effective boards, and the 2022 Code encourages new and innovative ways of running appointment rounds. It is important that approaches taken are tailored to the specific posts being advertised for, and where new ways of working have proven to be effective, good practice case studies can aid selection panels faced with similar circumstances – to use, learn, adapt and improve upon. The current ‘snapshot’ case study aims to review good practices coming out of the formal planning stage, and provide examples of what selection panels have done well within it. The case studies use appointment rounds concluded within the last 12 months and their associated end of round reporting material to inform their content.The Poverty and Inequality Commission members appointment round - Good Practice in planning, publicity and assessment - 2019
This report summarises an exercise in planning, attraction and assessment. The combination of good practices helped to attract a quality field of applicants from a wide and diverse pool of people not normally attracted to apply for board roles.Reflecting the diversity of Scottish society
The most successful boards are made up of people from all walks of life – with a blend of skills, knowledge, experience, personal qualities and perspectives. To achieve this, all positions on public body boards must be accessible to people from across the communities they serve – regardless of age, gender, disability, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.
As part of their role to promote diversity within public body appointments, the Ethical Standards Commissioner has published Diversity Delivers – a strategy for enhancing equality of opportunity within Scotland’s public appointment process. We help Scottish Government officials implement the recommendations in the strategy, and engage in outreach activity to encourage successful applications from people in under-represented groups.
Complaints
If you think someone in public office has not behaved properly, you may be able to complain to the Ethical Standards Commissioner. The Commissioner and their team investigate complaints against MSPs, local authority councillors or board members of public bodies when they’ve breached a code of conduct which applies to them. We also look into how people are appointed to the boards of regulated public bodies, and investigate complaints about lobbyists. You can even complain about us – or the Commissioner – if you don’t think we’ve followed proper procedure.