The League of Nations was the first international organization that opted to create a career civil service in order to service its secretariat. Although the League has since dissolved, the civil service of the United Nations explicitly incorporated its standards and formation. At the time of the formation of the United Nations, the United Nations Preparatory Commission decided that the organization needed one united international civil service between all the agencies and departments of the UN. The primary goal was to eliminate competition for recruitment, and to facilitate easy mobility between different areas of the United Nations.
The United Nations is an international organization founded after the Second World War by 51 countries committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights.
Decision was made to have a united civil service - the first step towards a common system
In 1948, the International Civil Service Advisory Board (ICSAB) was formed to advise the United Nations on standards of international civil service, including issuing the first Standards of Conduct and the first salary scheme to equalize purchasing power of all employees. However, the devaluation of the U.S. dollar followed by the oil shock of 1973 led to an increase in the frequency of adjustments in the cost of living for civil servants around the world. The technical needs to perform the adjustments led the various agencies within the United Nations to request the General Assembly to create a group dedicated to the task of regulating the international civil service of the United Nations.
The report on Standards of Conduct in the International Civil Service by the International Civil Service Advisory Board (ICSAB), which preceded the ICSC, is issued.
ICSAB creates first salary scheme to equalize purchasing power for employees around the world.
In 1972, the General Assembly requested that the Secretary-General create an International Civil Service Commission.
The General Assembly adopted the Secretary-General’s proposal and established the International Civil Service Commission by resolution 3357-XXIX. Since its founding, the responsibilities of the International Civil Service Commission have only grown with the Common System. Today the United Nations common system comprises 28 organizations. The ICSC remains committed to its statute to regulate and coordinate the conditions of service of the common system.