20 October 2023

The data we collect provides insights that support our work to improve public service diversity and inclusion.

Improving diversity and inclusion

Diversity and inclusion are at the heart of the Public Service. They’re about reflecting and valuing the communities that we’re here to serve.

The Public Service has been focused on improving diversity and inclusion for some time now. Papa Pounamu is the comprehensive programme guiding our diversity and inclusion work. The programme has identified 5 commitment areas that will make the most positive difference for all our people across a number of diversity dimensions. Public Service chief executives have agreed to make these commitments mandatory in their workplaces.

Papa Pounamu Diversity and Inclusion progress across the Public Service

Although there is still work to be done, we’re starting to see some positive results from this work. The latest data shows that the Public Service is becoming more diverse, for example:

  • Māori (16.7%), Pacific (10.6%), Asian (13.4%) representation in the Public Service workforce increased over the past year
  • the number of women in leadership continues to rise (55.8%)
  • Gender, Māori, and Pacific pay gaps are continuing to close.

We’ve been reporting on demographic information since 2000. We’ve also got better information on our faith, disability, and Rainbow communities.

Last year for the first time we reported on how our people experience inclusion at work.

  • Just under three quarters (72%) of our people feel they have access to employee-led networks relevant to them.
  • Most of our people feel they can be themselves at work (82%).
  • Having better data helps us to understand our progress, what’s going well and where we need to do more.

Diversity and inclusion