Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz
Theme is “Re-centering Ethics”; County employees urged to place ethics first, continually cultivate ethics in government
EC Board of Ethics establishes Trust and Integrity Garden for employees to reflect on the crucial role of ethics in society
ERIE COUNTY, NY— Erie County government is joining the Erie County Board of Ethics in observing Global Ethics Day 2026. Global Ethics Day, which was instituted by the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs 13 years ago, spotlights the critical importance of ethics across the globe byinviting individuals, governments and organizations to reflect on the role of ethics in their daily decisions and in wider society. This year, the official theme of Global Ethics Day is “Re-centering Ethics”, the idea that ethics should no longer sit on the edge of what we do but rather be the core of and catalyst for what we do.
“Ethical government is essential to serving the community, providing programs and services in ways that follow ethical standards, promote honesty and transparency and elevate the greater good in demonstrable ways,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “Elected officials in particular should keep ethical behavior at the core of their actions and statements, as their constituents deserve an honest and ethical representative in office. I encourage everyone to reflect on their own behavior and how they do their job and always keep ethics at the center.”
Global Ethics Day is held on the third Wednesday of October each year.
Poloncarz joined county Commissioners and department heads today to emphasize the importance of ethical behavior in their county roles. County employees are also encouraged to reflect on professional ethics and learn how the county’s Code of Ethics applies to them. Elsewhere, the Erie County Board of Ethics has established a Trust and Integrity Garden for employees and the public to reflect upon the crucial role of ethics in society and the need to continually cultivate ethics in government.
For more information:
On the Erie County Board of Ethics, visit https://www3.erie.gov/ethics/
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