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According to an intrinsic survey released on Thursday as part of a review of file integrity standards that found “robust mechanisms” for institutional governance, nearly 20% of IMF staff say their work has been “unduly influenced” by supervisors. The IMF’s Executive Board launched the review last year in response to allegations in September 2021 that IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva compelled World Bank staff to alter data to favour China in 2017, when she was the development lender’s CEO.
After a weeks-long investigation into China’s improved ranking in the World Bank’s presently “Doing Business” report, the IMF board decided to retain Georgieva as IMF managing director while continuing an investigation into the Fund’s data integrity.
According to the IMF’s review of institutional safeguards, the Fund “generally has robust mechanisms in designed to guarantee a high standard of governance systems and analytical integrity, as well as well-developed mechanisms to assist IMF members in preparing robust data.”
It stated that the IMF’s dispute resolution system is comparable to that of other international organisations and that it provides “multiple formal and informal mechanisms” for staff members to express workplace concerns.
However, it acknowledged that there were discrepancies in the system, such as the internal review process, which increased the risk that staff would choose topics for country reviews that were important for the Fund but less relevant for the country.
“In general, the Fund’s culture does not sufficiently help encourage staff to express dissent,” the IMF said in the report.
According to the report, a working group on data and analysis integrity recommended that more be done to make clear the role of management and nation executive directors in staff-conducted country analyses and to strengthen the independence of staff analysis.
According to the report, the transparency and documentation of the IMF’s internal review system should be enhanced, with a review from the fund’s Office of Internal Audit.
