Diversity and inclusion employer strategy for Scottish Government

Foreword

Permanent Secretary

JP Marks

Diverse experience, skills, thinking and background are essential to delivering better policies, services and decisions. We want to enable an empowered and inclusive culture allowing each of us to fulfil our potential and deliver at our best for the people of Scotland.

This strategy puts equality and inclusion at the heart of our workplace. It is for each of us to own these ambitious goals and take responsibility to affect positive change through clear and meaningful action. Our strategy is underpinned and informed by the most comprehensive data and insight ever gathered from our increasingly diverse workforce. It builds on the learning and experience from our previous disability, race and socio-economic diversity action plans. It has also been shaped by our diversity staff networks and their valuable work over many years in building a more progressive and inclusive organisation.

With an iterative supporting action plan we will take forward focused effort to advance key game changer themes, shifting the dial where and when we need it most. I encourage everyone to engage with and champion this work in your area.

We need to attract and retain diverse talent which represents the communities we serve. I am proud of the progress we are making through our graduate programme and in senior appointments. But we still have work to do as we better understand barriers and focus on change where it is needed most.

In a diverse workplace we will have different needs and experiences and it's vital that our systems, processes and behaviours enable all of us to realise our full potential. As we work together to build a dynamic, diverse and connected organisation I want you to feel empowered to raise your voice, challenge with psychological safety and be the change you want to see. I am determined that we measure our success not by ambition but by impact and outcomes as we take the right steps, listening to diverse voices, to build an inclusive workplace that we can all be proud of.