About us

Goals and values

Impartiality, integrity and professionalism run through the heart and soul of our members.

In addition to offering help at work and fighting for better pay, pensions and working conditions, the FDA champions the values that have made our civil service one of the best in the world.

For over 100 years, the FDA has been at the forefront of defending the integrity and impartiality of the civil service, as well as civil servants – providing a public voice for our members who cannot speak out themselves.

We are proud of our history. We have championed equality and fought discrimination; we have promoted civil service values, and we were fundamental in the establishment of the Civil Service Code.

Standing up for civil servants

In recent years we have seen an unprecedented period of attacks from political commentators, MPs or even some ministers on our values. It has felt at times that the FDA has been the lone voice pushing back against these attacks. A strong and permanent civil service is too important to the UK and its nations to let these ideologically-driven attacks permanently undermine trust in it.

The FDA is a non-partisan organisation, but we regularly engage with stakeholders across the political spectrum and work with a variety of politicians to influence and shape the conversation about public service.

We are robust in defence of our members. We are pragmatic, but unafraid to challenge. The FDA ensured that it has always, and will always, stand up for the impartiality, integrity and professionalism of civil servants and the civil service.