The Dutch Approach to Ethics: Integrity Management in the Military

Abstract

Integrity management in the context of the military relates to due care, to doing justice and decency and to reliability with respect to both soldiers and civilians. This contribution outlines the pillars of the integrity management system of the Netherlands armed forces, in which integrity management is approached as a three-layered framework of individual competencies, ethical climate and organisational design. Integrity management based on these three layers promotes that decisions are made professionally, prudently and in such a way as to do justice to all parties involved. This Dutch approach is not put forward as a one-size-fits-all solution, but as a discussion starter within the field of military ethics on how integrity management can be carried out in environments that are highly demanding.