Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and inclusion is at the very heart of the Public Service. It’s more than just a ‘nice to have’; it’s essential to providing better policies and services to improve the lives of all New Zealanders. We’ve made good progress, but we know there’s more to do. We are redoubling our efforts to meet our goals and aspirations of a Public Service that will be unified, reflective of, and responsive to our communities, now and into the future. Our Public Service legislation strengthens and supports our diversity and inclusion commitments. The legislation explicitly requires chief executives to pursue fairness and diversity and to foster a workplace that is inclusive for all. Our Public Service aims to be an exemplar employer. We want all our people and the people that we work with, and for, to feel valued, supported and respected. And we want our Public Service to reflect, value and understand the communities we are here to serve in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Papa Pounamu

Papa Pounamu sets the diversity and inclusion work programme for the wider public service. The work programme is designed to help our public service achieve our diversity and inclusion goals and obligations. Papa Pounamu is led by two senior chief executives who are also the Functional Leads for Diversity and Inclusion in the Public Service. For more information on Papa Pounamu and their work follow the link to Papa Pounamu – driving diversity and inclusion across the public service.

Addressing Bias and Building Inclusion

There is a range of resources and tools to help agencies to address bias and build inclusion. This includes guidance and advice on meeting the diversity and inclusion Papa Pounamu requirements and the Gender Pay Gap Action Plan milestones. For more information on these tools and resources and how they work together see Addressing Bias and Building Inclusion navigation map.

WeCount 2019

As a first step towards formally understanding our broader public service rainbow community, the WeCount 2019 survey was developed and implemented by the State Services Commission and the Cross-Agency Rainbow Network (CARN). For more information on the work, survey and findings, follow the link to Inclusion and our Rainbow Public Service.

Using pronouns

Getting peoples’ pronouns and names right is one way to make our workplaces and delivery of services more respectful and inclusive. We acknowledge the impact that using pronouns in email signatures, on LinkedIn or in introductory meetings has on making more respectful and inclusive environments for everyone. For more information on how to use pronouns correctly and how to add them to your email signature follow the link to ‘Pronoun use in email signatures’.

Supporting disabled people in the workforce

Collecting data about disabled colleagues helps us understand and meet people’s differing needs in the workplace, helping ensure our workplaces are inclusive and equitable. Consistent and quality data collection helps agencies and the system track progress over time, contributing to a greater understanding of the total workforce, so we continue to value, reflect and understand the communities we serve. In consultation with disabled people, State service agencies and the Heads of HR working group, SSC developed guidance for collecting disability information on the State services workforce. For more information follow the link to Information Standards and Guidance.

Resources

As part of our work towards ensuring a more diverse and inclusive State sector, we have developed a number of resources, often in collaboration with others.

These resources include:

• Workforce Data - This annual report provides a snap-shot of the people who make up the Public Service. There is also some additional information on timely topics, including diversity and inclusion, flexible working, and leadership development.

• Accessibility Charter - The Ministry of Social Development has introduced an Accessibility Charter for the Public Service. The Charter follows the Chief Executives’ Disability Masterclass held in early 2018 and is part of the Papa Pounamu Diversity and Inclusion Work Programme. By signing the Accessibility Charter, chief executives confirm their agencies’ commitment to ensuring that all information is accessible and interactive for everyone, regardless of their needs.

• LEAD Disability Toolkit - This toolkit has been developed by the Ministry of Social Development, with the support of SSC. It aims to assist Public Service employers to create more inclusive environments for employing more disabled people.
  • Mental Health Foundation: mental health in the workplace toolkits
    • Mental Health in the Workplace – Employee
    • Mental Health in the Workplace – Manager
    • Mental Health in the Workplace – Organisation

This toolkit has been developed by the Mental Health Foundation with support from SSC and other Public Service agencies. It aims to improve the capability of agencies when it comes to working with mental health issues.

• Positive Workplace Behaviours - The Positive Workplace Behaviours guidance has been developed in collaboration with the Public Service Association (PSA) and provides good practice examples to State services on how the standards of integrity and conduct should be applied at agency, leadership and staff levels.
• Annual reports - Information about reporting on diversity and inclusion in annual reports can be found here:
  • Guidance for Public Service
  • Guidance for Crown Entities

Diversity & Inclusion Community of Practice

We lead a diversity and inclusion community of practice to connect, innovate and co-create with D&I practitioners and responsible leads from core public service agencies. Our members have a critical role in advancing initiatives that make tangible progress towards inclusion in their respective agencies and across the public service. The community of practice is a space for our members to collaborate, share resources and ideas, celebrate successes, recognise challenges and find ways to overcome system challenges together. For further information please contact us at DiversityandInclusion@publicservice.govt.nz

Our key partners

We partner with a range of lead agencies from across the Public Service, as well as organisations from beyond the Public Service to progress our work on diversity and inclusion:

• Office for Disability Issues - The Office for Disability Issues is the focal point within government on disability issues.

• Office of Ethnic Communities - The Office of Ethnic Communities is the focal point within government on valuing and including ethnic communities.

• Human Rights Commission - The Human Rights Commission responds to and resolves human rights complaints.

• Ministry for Women - The Ministry for Women is the government’s principal advisor on achieving better outcomes for women in New Zealand.

• Ministry for Pacific Peoples - The Ministry for Pacific Peoples is the Crown’s principal advisor on policies and interventions that improve outcomes for Pacific peoples.

• Te Puni Kokiri - As the name implies, Te Puni Kokiri seeks to harness the collective talents of Māori to produce a stronger New Zealand.

• Office for Seniors - The Office for Seniors is actively promoting a society where people can age positively, be supported in their communities, and have the same opportunities as everyone.

• Statistics New Zealand - Although Statistics New Zealand does not have a direct focus on diversity and inclusion, the information they steward informs better decision-making around diversity and inclusion.

This webpage will develop over time as our work on diversity and inclusion in the Public Service progresses.