The Diverse Leadership Taskforce
The Diverse Leadership Taskforce held meetings between February 2018 and February 2019. From March 2019, its responsibilities have been transferred to other Boards.
Role
The Diverse Leadership Taskforce has been established to accelerate our progress on increasing the representation of disability and ethnic diversity within the Senior Civil Service, especially at the most senior levels. This is in support of the Civil Service Diversity & Inclusion Strategy (2017), which aims to establish the Civil Service as the most inclusive employer in the UK by 2020.
The long-term aim is to have a Civil Service which is representative of diversity in wider society at all levels. The taskforce is intended to be the single point for assuring the progress in increasing the representation of people with disabilities and those from ethnic minority backgrounds at all levels of the Senior Civil Service (SCS) in line with targets published in June 2018. The taskforce has agreed four work strands, supported by robust management information, to structure their work:
- Internal Supply - Developing a pipeline of diverse talent
- External Supply - Identifying, attracting and supporting external leaders
- Demand - Robust intelligence on future vacancies
- Branding and Engagement – Raising the profile of the Civil Service as an employer of choice for diverse
Meeting dates
The taskforce was established in February 2018 and meets approximately every two/three months.
Membership
The group is made up of 15 senior leaders drawn from the Civil Service, the Civil Service Commission and external experts.
The current members are:
- John Manzoni - Chief Executive of the Civil Service and Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office (Chair)
- Rupert McNeil - Chief People Officer (Sponsor)
- Sue Owen - Permanent Secretary, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and Civil Service Diversity Champion
- Lord Chris Holmes of Richmond - Expert Diversity & Inclusion Adviser to the Cabinet Secretary
- Philip Rutnam - Permanent Secretary, Home Office,and Civil Service Disability Champion
- Diane Lightfoot - CEO, Business Disability Forum
- Richard Heaton - Permanent Secretary, MOJ, and Civil Service Race Champion
- Janette Durbin - Director, Civil Service Talent
- Elise Clarke - Director, Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion
- David Williams - Director General of Finance and Group Operations, Department of Health and Social Care
- Karen Blackett OBE - Chair of MediaCom, and Expert Diversity & Inclusion Adviser to the Cabinet Secretary
- Joe Montgomery - Civil Service Commissioner, and Chair of Re.Ltd
- Natalie Campbell - Civil Service Commissioner, and Director of A Very Good Company
- Jacky Wright - Chief Digital and Information Officer, HM Revenue and Customs
- Sandra Kerr OBE - Race Equality Director, Business in the Community
- Kate Headley - Director, The Clear Company