In this short film, Doug Chalmers, Chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, talks about the Committee’s new report, Recognising and Responding to Early Warning Signs in Public Sector Bodies, to be published on 25 March 2025.

Our report is intended to help public sector leaders to get better at recognising emerging problems at the earliest possible stage, acting to address them, identifying the wider lessons to be learned and ensuring that those lessons are embedded fully within the organisation. The report brings together common themes that have emerged in recent public sector failures and offers practical insights and ‘points for reflection’ to help leaders think about the processes and culture in their organisation and consider whether improvements can be made.

Recognising and Responding to Early Warning Signs in Public Sector Bodies