Integrity Tests, which are always covertly filmed, are a powerful tool and should not be used lightly.

 

We seek to follow the model used by many UK police forces and the armed forces and in most circumstances will only test somebody if the intelligence exists that they may already be behaving inappropriately.

 

Even then, the test will revolve around the behaviour they are thought to be displaying. It is not acceptable to try and entice staff into acting in a way they otherwise would not simply to ‘test their integrity’.

 

The exceptions are businesses where the staff understand that the nature of their work, for example within financial services, allows for integrity tests to be used and ideally should be included within their contract of employment.

 

We can offer guidance on the circumstances where a Covert Integrity Test would be the appropriate and necessary.