Principle 4: Commitment to Quality

Quality policy is defined and made available to the public. An organisational structure and tools are in place to deal with quality management.

INSEE and the Ministerial Statistical Offices (MSOs) have defined a quality policy that establishes the target to be achieved in terms of quality. It consists of “integrating quality into processes with a view to security and efficiency”. The quality strategy sets out the path to achieving the target set by the quality policy. The quality strategy defined in 2022 following the third peer review is structured around four focal points:

The Strategic Quality Committee, created in 2015, is the governing body responsible for defining the quality policy and strategy of the French Official Statistical Service and for directing their implementation. This body meets twice a year, bringing together representatives of INSEE and the Ministerial Statistical Offices (MSOs).

The INSEE Quality Unit, created in 2012, provides the French Official Statistical Service with a methodological framework and operational support for the implementation of quality approaches. It also supports the professionalisation of the use of statistical metadata in accordance with international standards.

The Quality Unit relies on a network of quality correspondents present both in the INSEE Regional Offices and in the Ministerial Statistical Offices (MSOs). These contacts contribute to the continuous improvement of quality management. The dissemination of a quality culture common to the French Official Statistical Service is also carried out through various training modules set up by the Quality Unit.

Procedures are in place to plan, monitor and improve the quality of the statistical processes, including the integration of data from multiple data sources.

INSEE has created a map of its statistical production processes in order to plan actions aimed at improving their compliance with the principles of the European Statistics Code of Practice as well as possible. Priority is given to the production phases that present significant challenges or high risks.

In addition, the Quality Unit has formalised a process analysis tool in the form of quality approaches. These begin with a descriptive phase based on European tools and standards such as the Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletGeneric Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM), followed by a risk assessment and quality diagnosis (compliance with the principles of the European Statistics Code of Practice), and conclude with an action plan. An annual process review then ensures the subsequent monitoring thereof. These quality approaches are also implemented in the Ministerial Statistical Offices (MSOs).

For new statistical processes related to a structuring project for the evolution of the information system, the quality approach can be coupled with a study of architecture and urbanisation of the IT equipment. This coupling allows for an overview of the statistical, application and technical aspects of the activities of the process.

In addition to these approaches, there are quality actions specific to certain processes, in particular those integrating multiple sources. The National Accounts therefore conduct regular studies to ensure the coherence of the multiple sources that they use and to monitor and improve their quality.

Output quality is regularly monitored, assessed with regard to possible trade-offs, and reported according to the quality criteria for European Statistics.

The quality of statistical output is verified throughout the production process. This monitoring covers the reliability of the data on individuals upstream, then the plausibility and consistency of the aggregate data downstream. This monitoring generally forms part of the framework set by the Generic Statistical Data Editing Model (Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletGSDEM).

Each producer defines the internal monitoring that they apply to their operation and that they continuously improve. They can rely on support from the INSEE Statistical Methodology Department to develop tools and methods adapted to their situation. In addition, this department also performs accuracy calculations for services producing statistics, which provides an important element for the checking of results.

Where established in European agreements, European statistics are the subject of quality reports. Similarly in accordance with the Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletSingle Integrated Metadata Structure – SIMS. These quality reports report on the conduct of the operation (dissemination, methodology, quality, precision, etc.) and are published on the INSEE website.

There is a regular and thorough review of the key statistical outputs using also external experts where appropriate.

For the French Official Statistical Service, internal audits are carried out by the INSEE Internal Audit Unit, which has a monitoring and alerting role. Every mission carried out by the Internal Audit Unit falls within the scope of one of the following cases: evaluation in preparation for changes, evaluation to steer relations between INSEE and its partners or an audit on a specific procedure, unit or statistic. The Internal Audit Unit’s reports on INSEE processes are presented to the Management Committee and include recommendations that the relevant departments are responsible for implementing.

The French Official Statistics Authority (ASP) monitors the reliability of the data produced by the French Official Statistical Service, the transparency of their production and dissemination conditions and their relevance to the needs expressed. Relying on the European Statistics Code of Practice, the French Official Statistics Authority (ASP) issues opinions and observations following investigation of the cases and having interviewed stakeholders. Where appropriate, it can request the intervention of the INSEE Internal Audit Unit to audit or evaluate any service and/or mission of the French Official Statistical Service.

In 2021, INSEE and three Ministerial Statistical Offices (MSOs) were evaluated during the 3rd peer review. The compliance of the French Official Statistical Service with the principles of the European Statistics Code of Practice was assessed by means of a self-assessment questionnaire and a peer visit ordered by Eurostat. The peers found there was a high level of compliance. They submitted a report containing an assessment of the situation and recommendations.

In conjunction with Eurostat, quality monitoring and reviews are also carried out on certain statistics, such as the Consumer Price Index and the National Accounts. The OECD has also conducted studies on revisions to National Accounts.

In addition, pursuant to Article 24 Chapter VI of French Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletDecree No 2009-318 of 20 March 2009, as amended, the population census is subject to regular monitoring within the National Council for Statistical Information (CNIS) by the Ouvrir dans un nouvel ongletNational Population Census Evaluation Committee.