Introduction

This website provides a central source of information about all aspects of the staff survey being conducted by the ICSC during October 2012.The survey itself has two main components: i) the out-of-area survey and ii) the in-area survey on purchases of organic/biological products.

The out-of-area survey seeks to identify countries where UN common system staff members incur expenditures outside of the country of their duty station. Its purpose is to update the list of countries used in the estimation of the out-of-area index, one of the major components of the Post Adjustment Index. Out-of-area expenditures include purchases outside the country of the duty station, such as payments for direct imports, tuition costs, remittances to dependants and the maintenance of dwellings in the home country.

The second survey relates to expenditures incurred by staff, inside the country of duty station, on organic/biological foods and beverages. The purpose of this survey is to determine the relative importance, in the overall expenditure pattern of UN staff members, of these organic/biological brands relative to the conventional or regular brands of the same items.

Answers to specific questions you may have about the survey can be found by referring to the relevant section of this website, as listed below:

Should you require any further information or assistance, please complete the form available on the Contact Us page.

The results of this survey will be implemented in the 2015 round of place-to-place surveys. As the accuracy of these results depends on the level of participation of eligible staff, you are strongly encouraged to fill out  the questionnaire accurately and completely.