The Ministry of Justice recognises that making progress can be challenging and that there is no single factor or easy solution. We look to support groups, particularly black and minority ethnic (BME), female and disabled staff, through building a positive culture and environment, and encouraging and developing talent.
For example, we worked with Race for Opportunity and Opportunity Now to better understand whether there are barriers and obstacles that BME and female staff need to overcome to reach senior levels in the department.
The MoJ participates in a programme called Coaching Squared, a pioneering approach designed to boost the confidence and career prospects of participants over a nine-month period of development and thorough co-coaching.
The programme brings together candidates with similar levels of experience and allows them to meet and select a coaching partner from another organisation, in order to offer guidance and support. It is also an opportunity to exchange employment experience, knowledge and views in a safe and confidential environment, with someone from outside their parent organisation.
The approach behind Coaching Squared was developed jointly by MoJ and Price Waterhouse Coopers, but is now independent having rapidly gained momentum, with almost 500 participants from 22 organisations completing the programme. It was shortlisted for an Opportunity Now award in 2009 and a Race for Opportunity award in 2012.
In addition, the National Offender Management Service, an agency of the MoJ which manages prisons and the probation service, is participating in the Step Forward pilot project, a career progression scheme designed for BME staff working within the criminal justice system (CJS). The scheme aims to empower BME staff to utilise and transfer their skills, knowledge and understanding in order to realise their potential to progress within the CJS. The project involves an intensive training course; the development and implementation of personal action plans for career progression; one-to-one coaching and mentoring sessions; shadowing, attachment and secondment opportunities. We are encouraged by the very positive feedback we have received so far.
More generally, MoJ has encouraged the establishment of staff networks across its business areas which can provide valuable peer support, along with insight, advice and expertise within the department, and welcomes their continued development.
Ann Beasley is MoJ's board level diversity champion responsible for ensuring diversity and equality issues are represented at the highest level. She chairs a senior-level equality forum, which oversees, monitors and, where necessary, challenges performance on equality and diversity, as MoJ strives to be a confident, diverse and inclusive organisation.
Ursula Brennan, MoJ's permanent secretary, sees equality, diversity and inclusivity as an important component of the transformation work within the department. After the MoJ was included in Business in the Community's top 10 list for ethnicity and gender diveristy, Brennan said it was a reflection of the great work that has been done in MoJ in this area, and the importance attached by the department to diversity. "A rich and diverse workforce is key to delivering good service throughout the justice sector."
Rob Moore is head of corporate equality at the Ministry of Justice
• To respond to this, or any other article on the Guardian public leaders network, email public.leaders@guardian.co.uk. You must be a member of the network to submit articles for publication.
• For the latest public leadership updates, follow us on Twitter
Why not join our community? Becoming a member of the Guardian public leaders network means you get sent weekly email updates on policy and leadership. You can sign up – for free – online here.
