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Swiss Charter for Public Statistics
The Charter serves as a professional code of ethics for Swiss statistical
institutions and their employees.
Here you find the
full text (PDF)
Swiss Ethics Board for Public Statistics
The Swiss Ethics Board for Public Statistics fosters the enforcement of the
charter.
Acting through the Swiss Conference of Regional Statistical Offices
(CORSTAT), the regional statistical offices have agreed to work with the
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (SFSO) to create an independent private
body known as the Ethics Board for
Public Statistics (hereinafter referred to as the Ethics Board). Its
mandate will be to promote the Swiss Public Statistics Charter and
facilitate implementation of the fundamental principles contained
therein. To this end, the Ethics Board's role will be to make observations,
offer suggestions and provide information. It will not have the power to
apply sanctions.
Here is its
role and functioning (PDF)
and its rules
in German /
in French
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Misuse of Public Staistics: Overview
The Swiss Public Statistics Charter is intended to ensure that public
statistics are used in a transparent, comprehensible and honest
manner. Over the past few years, however, the Swiss Statistics Ethics Board
has witnessed cases where statistics were presented to further personal
interest, were falsified, were shown in a non-transparent manner and were
used to draw misleading conclusions. In order to prevent such cases from
happening in the future, the Swiss Statistics Ethics Board has decided to
present these cases to provide information and greater clarification. The
Swiss Statistics Ethics Board places considerable emphasis on ensuring that
public statistics are presented in an honest, factual, transparent and
comprehensible manner. The Swiss Statistics Ethics Board will update this
list over time and asks the general public to notify us whenever such cases
of abuse occur.
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Date
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Principles violated
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Misuse of statistics for
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Description of the problem
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Sep 2004
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Accountability, Reliability
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Election campaign: Advertisement, "Muslime bald in der Mehrheit?" (Population soon to be overrun by Muslims)
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The chart shown in the advertisement suggests to the viewer that
the proportion of Muslims in Switzerland doubles every ten years. The
chart was misleadingly presented as being based on official
statistics. The facts in this case show that an attempt was made to
deceive.
--> More info
|
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May 2005
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Accountability, Reliability
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Election campaign: Handout, "Immer mehr Arbeitslose?"
(Unemployment on the rise)
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The chart shown in the handout suggests to the viewer that there is a
correlation between the unemployment rate and the number of cross-border
workers in Geneva Canton. The chart was misleadingly presented as being
based on official statistics. The facts in this case show that an attempt
was made to deceive.Die im Prospekt
--> More info
|
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Jan 2006
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Accountability, Reliability
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Election campaign: Advertisement, "Sozialmissbrauch?"
(Abuse of the welfare system)
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The chart shown in the advertisement suggests to the viewer that the
increase in welfare expenditure in Zurich Canton in 1990-2004 was the
result of abuse of the welfare system. The figures published were correct
but the conclusions drawn on the basis of those figures were
unfounded. The chart was misleadingly presented as being based on official
statistics. The facts in this case show that an attempt was made to
deceive.
--> More info
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Jan 2006
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Accountability, Reliability
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Election campaign: Advertisement, "Bezahlen, bezahlen,
bezahlen?" (Taxes on the rise, when will it stop?)
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The chart shown in
the advertisement suggests to the viewer that tax revenues have been
steadily increasing in Zurich Canton since 1999. The figures indicated
were interpreted in a misleading manner. The chart was misleadingly
presented as being based on official statistics. The facts in this case
show that an attempt was made to deceive.
--> More info
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Sep 2010
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Responsibility, Credibility
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Advertisement of a political nature: how many foreigners really live in Switzerland?
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A flyer delivered to
households condemns the manipulation of statistics aimed at under-estimating
the number of foreigners living in Switzerland. The figures quoted in this
document are incorrect and founded on misconceptions. There is an attempt
to mislead the public.
--> More info
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Petitions submitted to the Ethics Board
Here is a list of all cases treated by the Board
in German (PDF) /
in French (PDF)
Cases documented on this website:
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Leistungserbringerstatistik von santésuisse, Aug 2006 /
Statistique des fournisseurs de prestations de santésuisse, aug. 2006
(PDF)
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Wahlwerbung: Inserat "Sozialmissbrauch", Jan. 2006 (PDF)
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Wahlwerbung: Inserat "Bezahlen, bezahlen, bezahlen", Jan. 2006 (PDF)
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Volunteer work in Switzerland, June 2005 (in German, PDF)
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A public vote on the Schengen/Dublin treaties, May 2005 (in French, PDF)
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Article entitled "Switzerland soon to be overrun by
muslims", Nov 2004 (in German, PDF)
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Recommendations
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How to submit a petition to the Ethics Board
Natural persons and legal entities may submit petitions, position papers or
complaints to the Chairman of the Ethics
Board.
Petitions must be relevant in terms of
how the fundamental principles of the Charter are applied. The Ethics Board
keeps all correspondence strictly confidential. Complaints submitted to the
Ethics Board should be presented in the following manner
- Presentation of facts,
- Concise presentation of problems arising from 1. and damage caused,
- Name and address of parties submitting the complaint,
including e-mail address (optional)
Contact address
Ethics Board
c/o Federal Statistical Office
Espace de l'Europe 10
2010 Neuchâtel
<ethikrat@bfs.admin.ch>
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Board Members
| Chairman:
| Heinrich Brüngger
Dr. rel. pol., ancien Directeur de la division statistique de la CEE ONU
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| Secretary:
| Stéphane Maillard
Verantwortlicher Nationale Zusammenarbeit,
Direktionsstab
Bundesamt für Statistik, Espace de l’Europe 10, 2010 Neuchâtel
www.statistik.admin.ch
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| Members:
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Regula Stämpfli
Dr., Expertin Wissenschaft und Politik
www.regulastaempfli.ch
Hervé Montfort
Chef du service de la production et des études statistiques, Membre de la direction
Office cantonal de la statistique (OCSTAT), 82 route des Acacias, 1227 Acacias
www.ge.ch/statistique
Georges-Simon Ulrich
Direktor
LUSTAT Statistik Luzern, Burgerstrasse 22, 6002 Luzern
www.lustat.ch
Jean-Claude Wagnon
Chef der Abteilung Aussenhandelsstatistik
Eidgenössische Zollverwaltung, Monbijoustrasse 40, 3003 Bern
www.ezv.admin.ch
Philippe Eichenberger
Chef Statistische Methoden
Bundesamt für Statistik, Espace de l’Europe 10, 2010 Neuchâtel
www.statistik.admin.ch
Jürg Furrer
Abteilungsadjunkt
Bundesamt für Statistik, Espace de l’Europe 10, 2010 Neuchâtel
www.statistik.admin.ch
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Activity Report
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Documents
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Signatories of the Charter
Here
is a list of subscribing institutions.
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Links
Links in relation to ethics in statistics:
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