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Ethics are subjective standard of rights and wrong. For a civil servant, acting ethically is of utmost importance. A matrix of ethical traits can be helpful in performance evaluation of civil servants as discussed below:
| Ethical trait | Reason for inclusion |
| Integrity | Integrity is important for elimination of corruption; Best utilization of public resources; Pursuit of professional excellence; Leadership quality to act as a role model for others. |
| Selflessness | Helps in resolving conflicts of interest; Countering nepotism and cronyism; preventing misuse of entrusted public resources and authority. |
| Compassion | Brings empathy towards weaker section; Self-motivation to work for weak; Outcome and effectiveness orientation; An element of Emotional Intelligence |
| Objectivity | Makes a civil servant impartial and non-partisanship; Decisions based on merit without personal bias; Fairness in action; Efficiency orientation; Tolerance towards opposing views |
| Accountability | Makes civil servants answerable for their conduct and decision; Makes administration transparent and public oriented; Build public trust; Deter unethical conduct. |
These five ethical traits form the ethical foundation of a civil servant and other values like non-partisanship, tolerance, responsiveness can emanate from them. These traits ensure that a civil servant fulfils his professional obligation even in adverse situations.
