CILEx GROUP EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY ACTION PLAN 2016-2020
CILEx GROUP EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY OBJECTIVE AND ACTION PLAN 2016-2020 INTRODUCTION Under the requirements of the Act 2010 the CILEx Group amended its policies and procedures to promote equality and diversity for people with protected characteristics, and ensure they suffer no discrimination. These are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation. Following our first action plan, we will continue to increase accessibility to a career in law through our flexible qualifications and training programmes, offering an alternative route to the traditional higher education process. This will also assist in our regulatory activities, in upholding the regulatory objectives set out in the Legal Services Act 2007, particularly the regulatory objectives to encourage an independent, strong, diverse and effective legal profession; protect and promote the public interest, and improve access to justice. The general duty for public sector and hybrid organisations, arising from the Act, requires the CILEx Group to have due regard to the need to: eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and other prohibited conduct; advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected characteristics; and foster good relations between people from different groups. CILEx can determine how it achieves those outcomes. In line with the specific duty in the Act, to demonstrate our appropriate outcomes, the CILEx Group commits to publish: equality objective(s) every four years; information annually to show compliance with the general equality duty; and information relating to those affected by our policies and practices. Diversity is something which helps us to deliver services which meet the needs of our members and other regulated practitioners, business partners, stakeholders, consumers of legal services, the public and those in the national and local communities irrespective of gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, race, religion and belief, or socio-economic background. RESPONSIBILITIES Responsibility for meeting the and Diversity Objectives and delivering the Action Plan ( the plan ) is held across the CILEx Group.
The CILEx Council, CILEx CEO, Board, CEO, CILEx Compensation Fund, MD of CILEx Law School (CLS), CILEx Group Executive, senior managers and all staff across the group are committed to the actions set out in the Plan. The Chief Operating Officer (COO) for CILEx and the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for are responsible co-ordinating the delivery of the plan. The Human Resources Manager (HRM) will assist with all staff issues. All mentioned are expected to promote fairness and equality and value diversity. OBJECTIVE Our overarching objective is published on the CILEx Group website: CILEx will actively promote equality against the required protected characteristics. CILEx embraces the Act 2010 and will have due regard to advancing equality of opportunity when taking action to achieve the objectives through its Action Plan. We arrange our Action Plan down into key principles. ership. Making a commitment to improve equality and diversity outcomes within the CILEx Group and outside, through monitoring diversity, increasing diversity and setting appropriate objectives for leaders. Policy, procedures and processes. Assessing the impact of new policies procedures and processes, ensuring that equality and diversity is mainstreamed throughout any improvements made following analysis. Service provision. Ensuring that staff understand and are committed to improving equality and diversity outcomes through applying the learning they gain, to all service provision. Membership, partnerships and other key stakeholder results. Providing information on customer satisfaction, taking into account equality and diversity outcomes through monitoring and using those findings to improve access. Identifying and taking into account the diverse needs of business partners and other stakeholders by identifying and establishing new links for potential collaborative working. Staff results. Ensuring that senior managers and managers understand how the organisation is perceived across a diverse range of staff and ensuring that appropriate changes are made where required. Key performance results. Monitoring how equality and diversity contributes to results and outcomes through considering those outcomes and reporting annually.
ership Build equality and diversity into strategic plans In council meetings, standing committee meetings, CILEx Regulation Board, CILEx Compensation Fund Board, and operational meetings consider any equality and diversity issues to include impact on particular diverse groups Review the CILEx Group Objective and Action Plan and diversity on all decision papers. and diversity on operational meeting agendas and diversity on standing committee agendas Review the CILEx Group Objective and Action Plan Council and minutes published online. Group Objectives and Action Plan published online As meet Bi-annually Council, CEO and CMT Board, CEO and Senior Management Team (SMT). Standing committee lead officer COO and Head of Policy and Governance Build equality and diversity into operational plans Ensure that the and Diversity impact is considered in all decision papers proposed to Council, Board, CILEx Compensation Fund Board Ensure that the and Diversity impact is considered in all decision papers proposed to Council, Board, CILEx Compensation Fund Board As meet and ongoing Council, CEO, CMT and staff responsible for papers. CILEx Regulation Board, CILEx Compensation Fund Board, CEO, SMT, Management Team (MT) and staff responsible for papers.
and Diversity objectives for Council, Board and CILEx Compensation Fund Board members. and Diversity objectives should be introduced and embedded in strategic and personal objectives. To amend the terms of reference of Office Holders to include consideration of equality and diversity. Council Diversity Champions are to be appointed by Council, for each of the four standing committees Each Diversity Champion will report back to Council on and Diversity matters Incorporate equality and diversity into the appointment process for CILEx Council, Board, and CILEx Compensation Fund Board members. Staff to keep Council Diversity Champions up to date with information. To be reviewed annually To be reviewed annually and Diversity will be an item on every standing committee agenda. Council Diversity Champions to report to Council annually. CILEx Council, CEO, President and HR and CILEx Compensation Fund Boards, Chairs, CEO and HR. Council, CEO, President and HR and CILEx Compensation Fund Boards, Chairs, CEO and HR. Council Diversity Champions and appropriate staff.
Build and maintain a diverse CILEx Council, Board, and CILEx Compensation Fund Board and Senior Management personnel Monitor current diversity profile. As vacancies arise, consider the use of positive action to increase diverse applicants for the vacancies Publish details of Council membership diversity profile online. CILEx President, Boards Chairs and CEO Policies, procedures and processes Ensure any policies, procedures and processes introduced or revised across the group are assessed through the Analysis procedure. Carry out Analysis screening on policies, procedures and processes to assess the potential effect on people with protected characteristics Carry out Analysis screening on key policies, procedures and processes to assess the potential effect on people with protected characteristics As new policies, processes and procedures are considered for introduction, or when current policies, processes and procedures are to be revised. CMT, SMG, COO, HRM, and Staff equality and Diversity Champions. If substantial issues are identified, a full equality analysis should be carried out. Publish list of completed Analysis screenings/full equality analysis online, showing the diversity issues which have been taken into account. Staff involved with policy, procedures and processes. Staff diversity Champions
Analysis should be reviewed as necessary Ensure equality and diversity is embedded in all processes For each Analysis, a review date should be given, as appropriate for each policy, procedure or process When policies, procedures or processes change, actively consider where any changes are needed in the equality and diversity outcomes, and how they are embedded. For each Analysis, a review date should be given, as appropriate for each policy, procedure or process When policies, procedures or processes change, any potential changes in equality and diversity outcomes need to be considered. As required CMT, SMG, HRM and and Diversity staff champions and staff as appropriate CMT, SMG, HRM and Line Managers Service Provision/Products and services Ensure and Diversity Training is embedded in staff development To provide mandatory and Diversity training at the induction of new staff Staff behaviours will demonstrate commitment to equality and diversity. To attend training as part of the induction programme.. HRM
Person specifications are to include equality and diversity objectives within job descriptions Membership, Partnerships and other key stakeholders. Increased engagement with different groups where possible Create links with diverse partners Gain information on the level of satisfaction of members and other customers by protected Ensure and Diversity refresher training is provided at appropriate intervals for council members, senior managers and all staff. and diversity objectives are to be included in all person specifications for new roles or positions. Consider groups or organisations or their members that may be affected by actions that are taken, and consult with them if necessary. Consider where existing links with diverse partners exist. Consult with them where possible and necessary. Identify gaps and create new links. To attend and Diversity refresher training at appropriate intervals or when a need arises Consider groups or organisations or their members that may be affected by actions that are taken, and consult with them if necessary Consider where existing links with diverse partners exist. Consult with them where possible and necessary. Identify gaps and create new links Use specific questions on complaints and compliments forms Job specifications included within job applications published on the website Publish examples of partners on website. Publish examples of partners on our website. Publicise any proactive engagement events Publish examples of customer satisfaction information on the At least once every two years To review every six months Annually HRM, CMT, SMG and line managers COO, CMT and SMG COO, CMT, SMG COO, CMT, SMT
characteristics, where they are indicated. Use this information to identify and rectify any gaps website Monitor diversity of customers, CILEx Regulation regulated members and entities Use information gathered to review processes Use satisfaction results and diversity monitoring to identify actions required to improve service, products and activities for people with protected characteristics. Identify key CILEx customers, monitor their diversity using the Legal Services Board (LSB) measures and protected characteristics as appropriate Publish known diversity information on the website Publish case studies of actions taken to improve services, products and activities as appropriate Annually Annually COO, CMT, SMT CEO, Head of Policy and Governance, staff as appropriate COO, CMT, SMT Judicial Diversity Continue to proactively promote events to encourage judicial diversity through our website and other appropriate means. Continue to proactively promote events to encourage judicial diversity through our website and other appropriate means. Communicating events to members Continually, as events arise Appropriate staff
Staff Ensure the staff survey includes perceptions of and Diversity behaviours Monitoring HR processes Modify HR processes if appropriate Monitoring any equality and diversity issues through the Staff Communication and Involvement Forum (SCIF) Maintain and develop the role of Diversity Champions within the staff Include perceptions of treatment as a diverse person within the staff survey, in terms of management behaviours, staff behaviours, policies, procedures and processes. Monitor HR processes by protected characteristics. Such processes include disciplinary and grievance procedures, absence, resignations, promotion, training and recruitment If any issues are identified, ensure that processes are changed to embed equality and diversity fully Management representatives to proactively consider equality and diversity implications of discussions and decisions. Staff representatives to proactively consider equality and diversity implications of discussions and decisions. Staff Diversity Champions to meet quarterly Staff Diversity Champions to consult on action plan and policies To consider and offer Results to be published internally Information to be provided to CEO and CMT Meetings held three times per year, to also be monitored if issues are raised between meetings Staff appreciation survey to be undertaken annually. Periodically As issues arise Staff diversity Champions meeting quarterly and as necessary to discuss the plan and policies. HRM HRM HRM HRM, management representatives and staff representatives.
Key performance results Ensure compliance with standards set by appropriate organisations, for example the General Conditions of Recognition (GCR) from Ofqual, Legal Service Board (LSB) Ensure compliance with the LSB s162 guidance for E&D Monitoring Monitor progress Identify standards required of products and services taking particular account of protected characteristics. Set a regular agenda item for Council meetings, Senior Manager meetings, and others as appropriate to monitor. Take action as required. support with Analysis To assist with internally monitoring performance against the objectives Offer support for reporting purposes to the Council Diversity Champions in each standing committee, and annual report to council. To carry out any actions required, as a result of agenda items. Council, Head of Qualifications, Quality Assurance and Compliance Committee (QACC), Risk Management Group, Stakeholder Consultation Group, Board, CEO,SMT COO, HRM with CMT and SMG
Review performance indicators for and Diversity contribution To monitor how may members complete the equality and diversity details on registration Increase the quality of our equality and diversity data Council to consider equality and diversity contribution, identifying when and how improvements can be made. Take steps to increase the participation in our omnibus survey, by considering undertaking the survey at appropriate times and through appropriate channels Identify those members who have not provided information and follow up via letter to request information Council and CEO. CMT, appropriate staff Take steps to encourage existing members (who were not subject to questions around protected characteristics in the past) to provide such information Ensure the new MIS/CRM system has the necessary capacity to record protected characteristics Head of IT, appropriate staff
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