Abstract

Beyond the activity of production of european statistics, Insee have exerced some other activities since its creation almost 80 years ago : economic and social studies, including short-term econoic forecasting, gestion of administrative registers of persons and businesses, a strong coordination of other actors of the french system of official statistics.

Unlike a number of NSIs, INSEE has not been entrusted with the task of 'data stewardship' at national level, nor does it claim to be. It does, however, carry out cross-cutting missions in terms of data administration and sharing, for very specific audiences, types of data and fields.

Our institutional and cultural frame allows us to practise Ethics « by design » , in daily work :
• a frame with laws, institutions and values ;
◦ the legal frame is regularly adapted to take into account new opportunities or new exigences (data sharing, transparency, reuse of data) ;
◦ values are more “permanent”, even if behaviours, of course, can adapt to new data, oopportunities, practices,
◦ institution ensure the balance between the activities, the needs of users, the respect of principles
• our organization rely on a responsible for each operation, from conception to dissemination, responsible of quality, ethics, data protection, relying on colleagues, experts, who are aware of their own responsibilities
• tools, procedures, checkpoints as an help
• common culture, and people in charge of an operation, or of a part of an operation can have constant exchanges with their colleagues, especially managers for the younger.

This practise is sustainable because it is by design, and relying on
• a common culture, acquired from the initial training and enriched by frequent mobility within the official statistical service,
• capacities to address new questions,
• an agile organization, with robust frame and reference points.

Some points can be identified to progress : a little more formalization of the value ; a continuous training ; a permanent exchange about ethics and practises with others : public and private. statisticians, other professional communities (media, IT…) ; a particular attention to new challenges (datascience, IA, big data) ; a pro-active policy of communication about ethics.