Equality, diversity and inclusion at Changeworks
Changeworks signed up to undertake the Investors in Diversity Accreditation, delivered by the National Centre for Diversity in April 2023.
The Accreditation is recognised as a national equality standard and provides a bespoke framework for organisations to improve and embed equality and inclusion practices in the workplace.
The framework is developed around the delivery of ten “destinations” that address equality, diversity and inclusion within an organisation’s workplace culture and practices.
The ten “destinations” are:
- Your organisation is effective in advancing FREDIE
- A workplace culture that makes colleagues of any background feel safe, valued and included
- FREDIE is core to the organisation’s strategy/business plan
- Good mental health and wellbeing are regarded as important in the organisation
- Effective operational and line management of FREDIE
- Demonstration of fair recruitment practices which seek to address underrepresentation
- Retention, reward and progression processes are fair
- Use of performance management systems to improve inclusion, engagement and productivity
- Fair and inclusive procurement practices
- Effective FREDIE communications
Working with FREDIE
This framework is developed around FREDIE, which is our definition of an inclusive workspace culture.
These values form the backbone of our EDI Steering Group’s work with the National Centre for Diversity as part of the journey to gaining the Accreditation. The themes provide goals for Changeworks to accomplish, and a framework that we can apply to our strategic planning, communications, and continually improving our staff benefits.
Equality, diversity and inclusion projects
We aim to have equality, diversity, and inclusion influence everything we do as part of Changeworks culture.
Changeworks is an organisation that is welcoming to all. We offer a safe space to work and ensure we have the infrastructure in place to welcome and support all in the workplace.
To accomplish these objectives an EDI Steering Group was created from volunteers across Changeworks, as well as an EDI Oversight Group comprised of heads of directorates and the deputy chief-executive. The Steering Group is closely linked with ongoing EDI projects, and collaborates with the Oversight Group to bring proposals to forward. An EDI Board Champion from the Changeworks Board is also present during strategic planning.
Projects include:
Working with the Changeworks Learning & Development team and Internal Communications, the EDI Steering Group has created four additional Staff Networks. The proposed networks include Women’s, Ethnic Minority, LGBT, and Disability groups which each have a Chair and Co-Chair selected from within their community. The aim is to provide a community and social space for staff who would like additional support, to share knowledge and experiences, or arrange opportunities for the participation of the wider Changeworks colleagues.
In addition to Changeworks Sustainable Events Checklist, the EDI Steering Group is working on the creation of guidelines that address inclusivity and accessibility for our internal and external events. This is to help ensure that the event spaces, event type, and any accessibility needs are met so Changeworks can host events that are equitable for all attendees.
The EDI Steering Group collaborated with the HR and IT teams to create a pronouns policy, as well as background guidance on terminology and definitions which has helped pave the way for later EDI projects. The creation of the policy is part of an ongoing review of Changeworks policies as part of the Investors in Diversity accreditation. Included in this review is the revision of Changeworks procurement policy to include a modern-day slavery statement, and the creation of a learning and development policy.
Changeworks has created an EDI survey which will join the annual all staff survey, offering an EDI viewpoint and demographic data to better inform future business strategy. This survey asks our staff about their understanding of EDI and FREDIE, the quality of reasonable adjustments offered, and general demographics questions.
This accreditation is part of the work being accomplished for the overall Investors in Diversity accreditation. The HR team is working with the EDI Steering Group for this project, addressing inclusive recruitment, disability equality and awareness training, and a guaranteed interview process for disabled applicants who meet minimum job criteria. Changeworks encourages our partners and contractors to consider the benefits of committing to the Disability Confident Committed or Disability Confident Employers accreditations.
An EDI hub has been created on Changeworks internal intranet to provide project updates, information on trainings, and policy changes to Changeworks staff. This hub includes content about the reasonable adjustments at Changeworks which are available to staff from day one of their contracts. These adjustments include flexible working, occupation health, access to work, and facilites working space requests.
The Learning & Development Team is establishing content on ChangeED, Changeworks learning platform. As part of the Investors in Diversity accreditation, the EDI Steering Group is working with Learning & Development for the creation of an EDI pathway, and content on disability equality and awareness will also be present in the wellbeing pathway. Both learning pathways will be mandatory for all current Changeworks staff and for all future hires.
To ensure that EDI and FREDIE values are embedded in Changeworks strategy and strategic planning, the EDI Oversight Group and Changeworks leadership are working to include EDI into the existing strategic planning framework.