EDI remains a priority concern for leaders of Arms’-Length Bodies; within their organisations and through the diverse range of sectors and public they serve.

In this session, ACE members were joined by Sam Lister, DG Strategy and Operations, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Nicola Dandridge, Chief Executive at the Office for Students and finally Dr. Ros Rivaz, Chair of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has oversight of 45 Public Bodies, the department will shortly release a new Diversity & Inclusion Strategy which will address representation, inclusion and wider understanding. Sam made the case for a robust evidence base to support diversity interventions.

Dealing with disadvantage is a fundamental concern for the Office for Students (OfS), which was established by an Act of Parliament which requires attention to address gaps in student participation. OfS seeks to address socio-economic barriers of access to higher education, alongside side ethnicity and, mental health as a strategic priority. Nicola reflected on the particular importance of diversity to regulators: the need to promote rigour of attention and focus on EDI, concluding that consistency of focus is likely to have biggest impact.

Context and place impact on diversity for Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. Ros encouraged participants of the session to look at diversity as a necessary feature of employer strategy to address the skills gap post-Covid-19.

Summary of considerations for Executives: 

1. Clear and ambitious targets are essential in your strategic drive to improve diversity
2. Lean into what’s working
3. Transparency really matters when tackling difficult and sensitive subjects
4. Listen to and learn from lived experiences
5. Be a visible ally & active sponsor
   

   
   1. Clear and ambitious targets are essential in your strategic drive to improve diversity

   Strategic and tactical use of evidence is considered highly likely to drive change. Setting ambitious targets and use of metrics can seem crude, perhaps even prove unpopular with colleagues. Session contributors noted the importance of using a range of tactics to improve diversity; nevertheless in the early stages of diversity strategy, targets are perceived to be very important mechanisms to motivate and retain leadership and employee focus.

ACE members reflected some success publishing results transparently and reviewing performance on a quarterly basis. Speakers encouraged leaders to consider external review, seeking a robust approach to evaluation.

Transparency is considered to be especially important for regulators, to ensure positive and inclusive behaviours are reflected across the sector.

 2. Lean into what’s working

Strategic and planned interventions matter, but speakers reflected on the importance of being ready to  flex and respond to unexpected opportunities. ‘Working with the grain’ allowed one member to harness rising concern and address attainment gaps for distinct ethnic minorities within their sector.

‘Going with the flow’ allowed another session contributor to use interest in the Levelling Up agenda to access new employer networks and alliances.

 3. Transparency really matters when tackling difficult and sensitive subjects

Transparency of results drives employer and sector focus. Contributors to the discussion felt evidence was particularly important when supporting discussions on the most sensitive issues of diversity.

Leaders have a responsibility to surface the difficult conversations, not ‘to shy away from them’. As one speaker shared, it is important to speak in a measured and strategic way to lead the agenda, to avoid the narrative becoming contorted and attention unhelpfully distracted away from progress.

Here providing a ‘safe psychological space’ becomes essential for leaders and employers. ACE members shared a range of experiences in opening up difficult conversations, sharing advice and resources (see below, available on request to ACE members).

4. Listen to and learn from lived experience

‘Lived experience’, an individual’s representation of experience and choice, is viewed as an incredibly powerful and important feature of leadership focus on diversity.

Arm’s-Length Body leaders, ACE members, were encouraged to listen and share stories with their colleagues, reflecting on the particular value of authentic understanding in politically divisive times.

Attention to context of industry, service and place and lived employee experience are considered to be highly valuable to inform strategic measures to improve diversity.

5. Be a visible ally & active sponsor

Away from the strategic interventions, equally important for leaders, the attention to individuals and the minutiae of employee exchange.

Visibly acting as a diversity ally was viewed by ACE members as particularly important, sometimes requiring courage and sensitivity, to call out behaviours appropriately. This was felt to be a particularly sensitive area, with session contributors considering this would continue to be difficult for leaders for some time to come.

Mentoring appears to be another increasingly popular mechanism to support individuals from diverse range of backgrounds. One speaker urged ALB leaders to be sponsors, not simply mentors, to make the difference for those unfairly disadvantaged.

Sponsorship proactively supports the progression of individuals; finding experiences, new places, networks and actively advocating such that they advance.

Career progression remains a particular challenge faced by ACE members. As one ACE member observed, particularly acute for smaller Arms’-Length Bodies organisations.

Resources:

1. Equality and Human Rights Commission, Impartiality Training (will be sent as an attachment)
2. Social Work England, Clumsy Conversations (will be sent as an attachment)
3. World Economic Forum, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 4.0: A toolkit for leaders to accelerate social progress in the future of work
4. CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion, Discussion Guide

Relevant ACE conversations:

The ACE EDI Forum is led by Lisa Pinney, The Coal Authority and Nicola Williams, Associate ACE member. This special interest groups aims to provide a safe space for leaders to convene and share challenges and best practice from within their organisations.

Meeting bi-monthly, the group are due to meet next on 27 January 2022. 

If you’re interested in joining the conversation with leaders from Arm’s-Length Bodies, please contact secretariat@associationofchiefexecutives.org.uk