Diversity and Inclusion Award Shortlist

A Skilled Civil Service

Anti-Racist Plan Policy Team Image

Anti-racist Wales Plan Policy Team

Welsh Government

Usha Ladwa-Thomas, Ayanna Mathurine and Nashima Begum are three female civil servants in the Welsh Government who identify as ethnic minority. In the context of the Anti-racist Wales Action Plan – they brought a diversity of lived experience which added immeasurable value to the formulation of policy and in enhancing their professional, civil service values. Usha drew on community experience gained in the third sector as well as from working long term on environmental public policy. Ayanna brought legal skills and an experience of being a first-generation migrant. Nashima is a policy professional with a lived experience of a cross cultural family. 

DHSC Logo

DHSC Fertility Policy Working Group

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)

DHSC’s Fertility Working Group are a passionate group of individuals who have been leading change in the department to support individuals and line managers, and increase awareness around fertility issues. Since its inception in late 2021, the group has grown from a handful of volunteers to a group of fifteen. 

Fertility issues affect 1 in 7 heterosexual couples in the UK, but this topic is still taboo and rarely spoken about. The group have been changing this and have organised multiple awareness raising initiatives as well as other inclusive changes like improvements to offices and developing tailored DHSC fertility guidance.

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The Respect at Work Programme

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)

HMRC initiated the Respect at Work programme to respond to recommendations from an independent external review into HMRC’s culture. 

The programme established projects to review and improve: 

  • HR policies and processes 
  • the support provided centrally to managers and colleagues 
  • recruitment processes 
  • our learning offer to support the delivery of this cultural change 

The programme embedded these new, enduring capabilities and changes through structured business change activities, senior leadership buy-in and by involving our people throughout the entire journey. 

The programme contributed to HMRC’s strategic objective – Making HMRC a great place to work – evidenced through the Civil Service People Survey.