Meetings

Holly Pembridge was welcomed to the meeting and presented the narrative Report, which would go alongside the workforce, recruitment and pay analysis data when presented to the Commission for approval in the autumn. The Report crossed the reporting period between the outgoing Equality Scheme and the new Diversity and Inclusion (DI) Strategy of the Fifth Assembly.

The DI Team would provide the Board with the data and Action plan for the Strategy during July and were working closely with service heads to define and embed objectives from the action plan into service plans.

The draft Annual Report reflected the breadth and quality of work undertaken across the organisation to ensure an inclusive parliamentary body for staff and those who used the services. Highlights included the campaign to increase awareness of mental health and wellbeing in the workplace, the retention of external awards and recognition (such as IiP, Stonewall, National Autistic Society and Action on Hearing Loss Service Excellence) and high profile work around Equality Impact Assessments (EQIAs).

The Report also recognised areas for continued focus, including the continuing development of the workplace networks, high profile EQIAs and refocus on subsuming BME Action plan into wider work.

Management Board made recommendations on the draft Report including:

·                combine the engagement narrative of outreach and committee work to show the link in service provision;

·                ensure that the Report is aligned with the Commission’s Annual Report and Accounts, and that there is a read across with the recruitment policy and BME Action plan. Craig Stephenson and Holly to discuss a seat on the reference group to further the work of the BME Action plan.

·                Non Gwilym and Holly to strengthen focus on the contribution of DI; and

·                include information on what the organisation already contributes to the White Ribbon campaign, and Diversity and Inclusion week in July.

The Board asked that, when the workforce statistics were available, they might inform some of the actions for the future.

The Board welcomed Holly Pembridge, Head of Diversity and Inclusion, to present the Annual Equality Report 2015-2016 which said that, overall, progress on equalities had been good, giving a strong platform to progress further during the Fifth Assembly.

Due to concerns at the concentration of BME employees within lower graded posts changes had been made, for example, with more posts being advertised externally allowing for a wider audience to be reached, and the Diversity and Inclusion team working closely with the REACH network to identify opportunities to support existing BME colleagues in reaching their potential. Disability statistics had not improved and, therefore, it was necessary to implement an action plan to address the issue through advertising and recruitment practices and the support networks.

Holly also introduced the new Draft Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2016-21, which was more strategically aligned with the Assembly Commission Strategy than previous schemes, also reflecting emerging priorities, e.g. the Digital Taskforce and Youth Parliament.

Feedback on the strategy had been received from Management Board, the equality networks, TUS and external ‘critical friends’, with a general survey on access to the Assembly that would inform the development of an Action Plan. The Assembly Commissioner for equalities, Joyce Watson, had sought views from party groups and AMSS had also been consulted.

The Strategy would be presented to the Commission at their meeting on 5 December and, once agreed, Holly would work with Heads of Service to agree how Service areas will meet the obligations set out in the Strategy through their service plans, ensuring a holistic approach was taken in relation to the other emerging priorities.

The Board thanked Holly for the work done, welcoming the Strategy and the more strategic nature of the document, and the emphasis on Equalities Impact Assessments so that equalities would be embedded into working practices. The Board recommended more narrative up front on how the organisation was doing on equality. The Remuneration Board’s interest in capturing Member and AMSS data was raised and Holly advised that the matter of how the data would be used was being considered.

The Board agreed that it would be useful to have periodic updates on the Action Plan.

Actions: Holly Pembridge would bring an Action Plan, developed with Heads of services, back to Management Board in the New Year.