Question 1

Objective 1: Knowing our people

Accepted Answer

The first objective is about knowing our people, be they colleagues, volunteers, service users or residents.

The story so far

Under the first EDI strategy we updated our monitoring systems to align with the Office of National Statistics' 2021 census, to be able to benchmark our performance against national standards.

We were also able to improve our understanding of the make-up of MHA's workforce in terms of protected characteristics, and this is in no small part thanks to you! We asked you to volunteer information about your gender, race, disability etc. on mymha and your response has been overwhelmingly positive: our completion rates for equality monitoring data have jumped from 33% in 2020 to 68% by 2023.

So what's next?

Now we want to further develop our processes for data collection and analysis, and produce regular EDI reports or "health checks". These can be used to inform planning and policy decisions across the charity and further embed EDI into the MHA way.

We also want to get our equality monitoring data as close to 100% completion as possible. The more we understand the make-up of our people, the better can plan how we deliver our services and respond to the needs of people from different backgrounds, be they colleagues, volunteers, residents or members.

We want to know precisely where our challenges lie and address them head on. We also want to know where we are performing above average and take the opportunity to celebrate.

By the end of this strategy we want everyone at MHA to feel recognised and understood at MHA.

Question 2

Objective 2: Educating, empowering and supporting

Accepted Answer

The second objective is about educating, empowering and supporting our people.

The story so far

Back in 2019 we made a commitment to ensure that all our colleagues are aware of their own responsibilities and those of MHA for advancing a culture of equality of opportunity. We approached this in a variety of ways, from general training to targeted development activities, including:

Mandatory awareness modules on the Learning Zone, which have completion rates of over 95% (as of April 2024)
Cultural awareness training to support the integration of our overseas recruits, aimed at both our international colleagues and those working with them
Face-to-face training for colleagues and some residents focusing on behaviours and how these relate to EDI and protected characteristics
An EDI module to be included within MHA's Deputy Managers Programme to ensure that our future leaders are equipped with the skills to manage a diverse workforce

We have also developed a rigorous Equality Impact Assessment process to support our policy developers and ensure that all new and existing policies are reviewed from an equality perspective, for which training will begin in the coming period.

So what's next?

Building on the positive reviews our EDI training continues to receive, we are going to expand the training portfolio with new modules that further develop our knowledge and understanding of key issues affecting our workplace, e.g. online modules on unconscious bias, inclusive leadership, etc.

We will also roll out the EDI behavioural framework developed under the previous strategy, which will set the standard for what we should all expect from those around us while working, volunteering or receiving a service at MHA.

By the end of 2028 we want everyone to feel supported to be a role model for MHA's values.

Question 3

Objective 3: Effectively engaging and involving our people

Accepted Answer

The third objective is about effectively engaging and involving our colleagues, volunteers, residents and members.

The story so far

The big success story of the past three years are our five EDI networks. Made up of colleagues and volunteers, these networks have led awareness building and celebration of diversity across our charity. They devoted time and energy to developing resources and supporting services up and down the country to hold events that honour the milestones, key figures and achievements of the communities they represent (see gallery). Their webinars spark in-depth discussion of the issues at the heart of EDI, with internal and external speakers lending their personal stories and expertise to the debate.

We have also developed an LGBTQ+ befriending service, rolled out in June 2022. That same year we created an annual EDI Award for the MHA OSCARs to recognise those who embody the values of EDI and bring us closer to our goals.

So what's next?

Key among our plans going forwards are the Diversity Champions and the EDI kitemark.

We are looking to develop a network of colleagues out in our homes, schemes and communities who will champion EDI issues in their local setting. These Diversity Champions will be supported by the networks and central EDI team to be MHA's voice of engagement with residents, members, family and friends. We also want to develop something similar for residents, members, family and friends, so that they too can help us further embed EDI values into the services we provide.

Meanwhile the EDI kitemark will allow us to benchmark performance across the charity in the things that matter to equality, diversity and inclusion. It will allow us to see what we're doing well and where and celebrate that, while also signaling where we need to focus our efforts to effect real change.

By the end of this strategy we want everyone to feel celebrated for who they are.

Question 4

Objective 4: Promoting inclusive behaviour

Accepted Answer

The fourth objective is about promoting inclusive behaviour across the charity.

At MHA we are committed to ensuring that all colleagues, volunteers, contractors, residents, members and the wider community are aware of the effects of their behaviour on others. We also want everybody to feel equipped to challenge and report inappropriate behaviours whether experienced personally or witnessed in others.

The story so far

Under the first EDI strategy we developed an EDI behavioural framework which will set the standard for what we expect from those around us while working, volunteering or receiving a service at MHA.

We also developed an anonymous reporting platform as a safe place to report all EDI related incidents. The "Share your experience" platform specifically invites colleagues and volunteers to share details of incidents related to protected characteristics. The experiences shared help us to build a picture of the issues being faced across the charity, and provide real-life examples (fully anonymised) that we can use in training activities.

So what's next?

There are many actions planned for 2024-2028, all of which aim for a situation of zero tolerance of discriminatory behaviours and confidence in MHA's reporting processes.

For instance we have committed to reviewing our bullying and harassment policies and are aiming for higher number of reported cases as a result of colleagues feeling more comfortable and supported to do so. Our Speak up, Listen up campaign is a direct product of this review.

By the end of this strategy we want everyone to feel empowered to speak up and effect change.

Question 5

Objective 5: Improving policy and practice

Accepted Answer

The fifth objective is about improving policy and practice to address the diverse needs of our people.

The story so far

First and foremost among our achievements so far is our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy. This sets out an organisational framework that protects all colleagues and volunteers against unlawful discrimination on the basis of their protected characteristics. We also recently launched the Menopause Policy.

We have also developed a process for finding out whether our policies, functions or services have an adverse impact on different groups of people within MHA, called the Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) process. EIAs when done correctly will help MHA to consider the needs, circumstances and experiences of people who share protected characteristics, identify inequalities in outcomes and consider alternative ways of delivering a service or achieving the aims of a policy.

So far we have delivered EIA training for policy developers and managers, and applied the process to all new policies and projects.

So what's next?

Having developed this system and put it to the test with a number of policies over the past year or so, we plan to embed EIAs across all future and all existing projects, polices and practices. We will also run training on an ongoing basis to ensure all new colleagues involved in policy work are familiar with the process.

The end goal is to use the findings from the EIAs to improve how we deliver services.

As we progress on our journey we want everyone to feel recognised in MHA's policies and procedures.

Question 6

Objective 6: Reflective and diverse workforce

Accepted Answer

The sixth objective is about achieving a reflective and diverse workforce.

The story so far

From the outset of the first EDI strategy we committed to develop and enhance our approach to recruitment, selection and promotions to positively attract, retain and support the progression of diverse colleagues and volunteers across MHA.

To achieve this we focused on developing systems that give reliable equality impact information and evidence to identify those areas where we need to do more. We are now able to report on the following:

Workforce profile, to identify where there is underrepresentation in our workforce
Recruitment profile, to understand who we attract and how they progress through the journey into employment. This helps us identify groups that are adversely affected by our policies and procedures
Promotions profile, to understand how opportunities to progress within MHA are spread among colleagues with one or more protected characteristic
Leaver’s profile, to understand what groups of colleagues are leaving MHA and why
Bullying and harassment (formal and informal) profile, to understand how our bullying and harassment policy impacts our workforce by protected characteristic
Disciplinary profile, to understand how our disciplinary policy impacts colleagues based on protected characteristic.

We have also produced effective pay data reports that monitor the following protected characteristics: disability, gender, ethnicity, religion or belief, and sexual orientation.

So what's next?

As part of our new strategy, we will be developing EDI dashboards that deliver timely and relevant information about the diversity of our workforce and compare this to local demographic data. These dashboards will allow us to look at MHA as a whole, but also to zoom in to each region or service to get live breakdowns of representation and opportunity.

We want our services to work with this information to support our approach, not only to recruit a diverse workforce reflective of our local communities, but also to identify development opportunities that ensure our rich diversity is reflected at all levels of the charity.

By the end of this strategy we want everyone to feel supported to develop and achieve their potential.

Equality & diversity

What is our approach to equality & diversity?

Our EDI strategy is underpinned by three core values

Our EDI strategy objectives

The story so far

So what's next?

Championing our uniqueness

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Disability

Gender

Race

Religion & belief

Sexual orientation

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