CABINET OFFICE News
Release (CAB084/08) issued by The Government News Network on 17 July 2008
The Government
launched a new strategy today to drive forward its commitment to
promote diversity and equality within its workforce.
Promoting equality, valuing diversity: a strategy for the civil
service builds upon learning derived from 10-Point Plan on
Delivering a Diverse Civil Service, the first Civil Service
strategy aimed at improving diversity launched in 2005. Since
then, the Cabinet Office has worked in partnership with government
departments to develop their own action plans and in particular to
strengthen accountability for diversity at leadership level.
The new strategy will continue to support this ongoing work and
in addition will embed diversity deeper across all levels of the
Civil Service, linking diversity to every aspect of Civil Service
business. The Civil Service is committed to improving the delivery
of public services for everyone in society and the strategy is
launched in recognition that to do this we need the richest
possible mix of talent and a workforce that is truly reflective of
the public we serve.
In light of these aims, the new strategy will focus on:
* Culture change and behaviours - creating a fully inclusive
culture and effectively measuring progress.
* Leadership and accountability - including continuing to hold
Permanent Secretaries to account for their department's
performance on diversity.
* Talent management - recruiting and progressing the most
talented people from all different backgrounds.
* A diverse workforce at all levels - setting out our aspirations
for representation in the longer term through service-wide targets
and departmental targets that widen the focus beyond only the
Senior Civil Service.
Launching the new strategy Sir Gus O'Donnell, Head of the
Civil Service said:
"I am delighted to announce the launch of Promoting
equality, valuing diversity, a vital initiative for the future of
the Civil Service. We have made significant progress in this field
and our workforce is now more diverse than ever but we must not be complacent.
"I want the Civil Service to lead the way, among employers,
in the way we value our people, invest in their development and
create an inclusive culture. A diverse Civil Service which
reflects the society we serve will enable us to deliver better
public services. "
The strategy will be driven forward across the Civil Service with
the help of the Diversity Champions' Network - bringing
together board level diversity champions to support action plans
within departments. Sir Bill Jeffrey, the Civil Service Diversity
Champion and Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence
welcomed the new strategy and said:
"Promoting equality, valuing diversity broadens important
work begun at departmental level through the 10-Point Plan. We
know that we need to work together - and to learn from best
practice inside and outside the public sector - to turn our
commitments on diversity into actions that make a real difference
to all staff in the Civil Service."
Minister for the Civil Service Tom Watson MP said:
"We have long recognised that there is no such thing as a
typical citizen. The Civil Service needs to be reflective of the
diverse communities it serves and to become better at developing
and delivering policies that include everyone in society. This new
strategy is challenging and I look forward to seeing the results
from the implementation of the plan across all departments."
Notes to editors:
1. The 10 Point Plan was launched by the Cabinet Office in
November 2005. It focussed on supporting the delivery of the 2008
targets for diversity in the Senior Civil Service (SCS) included
in the Cabinet Office's SR04 PSA target. The plan committed
to 10 key points to accelerate progress towards increased visible
diversity in the Civil Service at all levels.
2. Promoting equality, valuing diversity: a strategy for the
civil service builds on what has already been achieved, and
focuses on the drive to mainstream equality and diversity into
every aspect of the Civil Service's business. It is also a
framework of commitments that will help the Civil Service prepare
to fulfil its duties under the Government's new
'Framework for a Fairer Future - the Equality Bill'
which for the first time includes age, sexual orientation and
religion and belief.
3. The new strategy can be found on the Civil Service website at
http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/diversity/index.asp.
4. The Diversity Champions' Network, lead by Bill Jeffrey
(Permanent Secretary, MoD) brings together board level diversity
champions to advise, inform and support efforts to improve its
diversity both within and across departments.
5. The Diversity Champions' Network is complemented by the
Diversity Practitioners' Network, composed of the heads of
diversity in each department.
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