Essex County Fire & Rescue Service

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FOI / 3744 / 2018 - Gender equality and diversity

Initial Request:

Please send me information on the following questions:

1. What percentage of your operational workforce is female?

2. How has this figure changed over the last 5 years?

3. Do you adhere to the Equality Challenge Unit?s Athena SWAN Charter?(If ?No?, does the organisation follow an alternative charter with similar principles that recognises and awards commitment to and progress on gender equality and diversity?)

4. What targets does the organisation have regarding increasing the percentage of operational female staff at firefighter level?

5. List and explain any specific initiatives in place during the selection and recruitment process to attract females to the organisation, at an operational firefighting level.

6. How is the organisation addressing the imbalance in the number of females in an operational firefighting role?

7. What percentage of the workforce are female in the following categories of managerial roleso Supervisoryo Middle managemento Senior management

8. What targets does the organisation have regarding increasing the percentage of operational female managerial staff?

9. How is the organisation addressing the imbalance in the number of female operational managerial staff?

10. Does your organisation allow job sharing or flexible working patterns to encourage recruitment and retention of female operational staff?

11. List initiatives in place that encourage an inclusive environment and positive culture within the workplace.

12. State how you evaluate the success/failure of these practices.

Final Response:

1. What percentage of your operational workforce is female?

2. How has this figure changed over the last 5 years?

Please see combined data below, answering Q1 and Q2:

GENDER FEMALE MALE

2012-13 5.9% 94.1%

2013-14 5.8% 94.2%

2014-15 5.7% 94.3%

2015-16 5.3% 94.7%

2016-17 5.9% 94.1%

2017-18 5.6% 94.4%

3. Do you adhere to the Equality Challenge Unit?s Athena SWAN Charter?

No as it is aimed at higher education establishments such as Universities & Colleges.If ?No?, does the organisation follow an alternative charter with similar principles that recognises and awards commitment to and progress on gender equality and diversity?)

More widely, we have been members of employers network for equality and inclusion (enei) for the past year but will become members of Inclusive Employers with effect from May 2018. Each have benchmarking tools similar to the ECU Athena Swan Charter. In addition, we utilise the Equality Framework for Fire & Rescue to assist us to progress inclusivity & diversity within the Service which has peer review options and will form part of Inspection by HMICFRS with effect from 2018.

4. What targets does the organisation have regarding increasing the percentage of operational female staff at firefighter level?

A new quota has just been announced nationally, 30% of all Firefighter recruitment until 2024/25, internally, until now, we have not had a specific target but have had an objective to increase female representation.

5. List and explain any specific initiatives in place during the selection and recruitment process to attract females to the organisation, at an operational firefighting level?

Female only taster days.

Targeted advertising via social media.

Perception Change advertising campaign to myth bust and increase attraction of females. This included a number of FAQs that were compiled with consideration of London Fire Brigade commissioned research regarding female attraction & retention.

Introduction of a Dedicated Contact for applicants that identify that they are from a group that is underrepresented within our workforce to aid communication & answer specific questions raised.

6. How is the organisation addressing the imbalance in the number of females in an operational firefighting role?

By trying to better understand perceived and actual barriers & then dismantling them

By providing training & awareness on unconscious bias and inclusive leadership

By encouraging the sharing of lived experience to assist improvement of an inclusive environment for females in operational roles

By trying to attract more females to the role of a Firefighter

7. What percentage of the workforce are female in the following categories of managerial roles?

FEMALE

Supervisory 14.4%

Middle 34.4%

Strategic/Senior 28.6%

Total 19.6%

MALE

Supervisory 85.6%

Middle 65.6%

Strategic/Senior 71.4%

Total 80.4%

8. What targets does the organisation have regarding increasing the percentage of operational female managerial staff?

None currently.

9. How is the organisation addressing the imbalance in the number of female operational managerial staff?

We introduced a new Talent Pool process in 2017 that we are trying to encourage more females to participate in using positive action.

10. Does your organisation allow job sharing or flexible working patterns to encourage recruitment and retention of female operational staff?

Yes and we will continue to review if we can create opportunities for greater use of flexible working patterns to benefit attraction & retention.

11. List initiatives in place that encourage an inclusive environment and positive culture within the workplace.

Introduction of a new Dignity at Work Policy & Toolkit.

12. State how you evaluate the success/failure of these practices.

Satisfaction of those involved, outcomes, time taken to resolve

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request you have the right to apply for an internal review. Internal review requests should be submitted within two months of the date of your original email and should be addressed to: Internal Review, Performance & Data Team, Kelvedon Park, Rivenhall, Witham, Essex CM8 3HB ,

Please note that the response and data released to you as part of this request will be published on the Essex County Fire & Rescue Service website. The website address is http://www.transparency.essex-fire.gov.uk/ All requests will be anonymised and no personal information including contact details will be disclosed as part of this process.

Thank you for your interest in Essex County Fire And Rescue Service.