PUBLIC BOARDS AND CORPORATE DIVERSITY PROGRAMME BOARD
MINUTES OF FIFTH MEETING HELD AT 2PM ON WEDNESDAY 4 MARCH 2015
IN CONFERENCE ROOM D, ST ANDREW’S HOUSE, EDINBURGH
In attendance:
Board Members:
 Alyson Stafford, Director General Finance – Chair
 Barbara Allison, Director of People – SRO
 Helen Cameron, Deputy Director, People Directorate – Programme Manager
 Annie Gunner Logan, Non-Executive Director
 Graeme Dickson, Director General Enterprise, Environment and Innovation
 Catherine Dyer, Crown Agent and Chief Executive at Crown Office and
Procurator Fiscal Service
Officials
 Evie McLaren, Head of Public Appointments and Diversity
 Kelly Wilson, Programme Secretariat
 Carol Robb, Head of Programme Office
 Eileen Flanagan, Equality, Human Rights and Third Sector
 Fiona Neep, Senior Staff HR Team Leader
 Lesley Irving, Equality Policy Team Leader
Apologies:
 Kenneth Hogg, Director Local Government and Communities
 Lorna Gibbs, Deputy Director People Services
Agenda item 1 – Welcome and Introductions
1. Alyson Stafford welcomed attendees and acknowledged apologies.
2. The Board noted John Connaghan’s resignation as a board member and
thanked him for his contributions to the programme. Joe Griffin, Director for Fair
Work, will be invited to fill the vacant post.
3. It was recognised this is the right time and climate for delivery of the programme
with powerful support being received.
Agenda Item 2 – Approval of minutes from previous meeting
4. Minutes of previous meeting were approved.
Agenda Item 3 – Programme Manager Report
5. Helen Cameron provided the Programme Manager’s report and advised the
programme is on track but there are pressures particularly in terms of resourcing
the strands. This is being kept under review.
6. Helen Cameron provided an update to action point 4.7 ‘Mandatory diversity
objective to be set for Chairs of public bodies’. The Board were informed that
the approach to informing Chairs of Public Bodies of expectations had changed
and that approaches will now be made through sponsor teams to cascade the
information. Kenneth Hogg and Elinor Mitchell are taking this forward. Board
diversity will be discussed at end year reviews with Chairs. The Board requested
a check is done to ensure the message to Chairs conveys that diversity is
discussed as part of end year reviews and that this covers a broader framework
than just 50:50 by 2020 and includes what is being done to broaden diversity
throughout the public bodies.
7. The Board sought clarification on how 50:50 by 2020 would work with joint
Boards, Helen Cameron agreed to explore this issue with colleagues working on
the guidance.
8. Helen Cameron advised the Board work in relation to action point 4.8, ‘Delivery
team to review whether we are doing as much as possible to access talent pool
for public appointments’, has commenced. She reported there is a large pool of
interested candidates and consideration is currently being given to finding ways
to engage the broadest range of individuals, who will all be at different stages of
readiness and experience. Resources to manage this are not yet defined but will
be as part of Strand 2 activity.
9. The Board recommended considering whether there is risk relating to the
development of capability of individuals to be captured on the risk register as
good, strong individuals could be identified but lack the required board
experience for the public or private sector. The Board suggested there may be
development opportunities through pairing up individuals with experienced board
members to mitigate any risk this may pose.
Actions:
 Action 5.1: HC to convey above request to KH before Strategic Board
meeting.
 Action 5.2: EMcL to explore candidate database as part of plan for Strand 2
activity.
 Action 5.3: HC to consider and identify possible risks associated with the
development of interested and suitable board candidates.
Agenda Item 4 – Strand 1 update: 50:50 by 2020
10. Helen Cameron tabled the presentation ’50:50 by 2020’ to provide an update on
Strand 1 work.
11. The presentation introduced the 50:50 by 2020 logo approved by the First
Minister. Materials being developed currently include a website which will go live
with the launch of the voluntary commitment. The website will list early adopters
of the voluntary commitment, allow sign up and present case studies.
12. Helen Cameron advised to date there are over 60 companies signed up to the
voluntary commitment and there are a substantial number who are interested in
signing up. The Board were informed the next focus of priority will be on
increasing the number of private sector companies signing up prior to the launch
in Spring 2015. Currently it is hoped that FM will launch the commitment before
end of March 2015. Post launch events are planned to broaden the reach of the
commitment beyond early adopters. Work with sponsor Directors and DDs will
continue.
13. The Board acknowledged and thanked the programme delivery team for the
tremendous amount of work that has taken place.
14. Director General Enterprise, Environment and Innovation, Graeme Dickson,
recommended using the IOD to make approaches to SMEs and targeting the
financial sector via SFE. Additionally he recommended investigating if using
public domains, such as LinkedIn, could be utilised to encourage people to join.
Actions:
 Action 5.4: LI to speak to Ian Howie in Procurement to see if companies
currently providing services to Scottish Government might be interested in
signing up to 50:50 by 2020.
 Action 5.5: LI to liaise with Business colleagues to target companies and
individuals to sign up.
 Action 5.6: Investigate use of public domains as a means to encourage
people to sign up.
Agenda Item 5 – Strand 2 update: Public appointments test of change
15. Evie McLaren tabled ‘Appointments table’.
16. Evie McLaren advised the Board Ms Hyslop and Creative Scotland are actively
involved in developing the model to be used for defining merit and most able.
Strand 2 has identified the key to taking a different approach is to secure
Ministers contributions early. The strand 2 team have also developed good
practice from the recent health rounds to draw on.
17. Evie McLaren advised she will be working with the Chair of the Scottish Fire and
Rescue Service to test and champion new approaches.
18. The Board was informed that work has commenced to investigate and consider
Board apprenticeships in the future as a means of supporting and developing
individuals. Work is also underway to develop case studies to demonstrate why
diversity on boards works.
Agenda item 6 – Strand 3 update: Diversity Champions
19. Helen Cameron tabled the diagram ‘Diversity Champions’.
20. The Board were advised that Strand 3 work will be progressed to include
engagement with Scottish Government Diversity Champions and in partnership
with members of the People Board, where broader diversity issues for Scottish
Government beyond the senior leadership will be mainstreamed.
21. In terms of progress, Fiona Neep advised the Board that unconscious bias
training has been made compulsory for all Senior Civil Servants (SCS) and is
being implemented as part of the 2015 end year review guidance. In addition, a
trial of executive targeted recruitment for the position of Chief Executive of SPPA
is being conducted by TMP, at our request to test out new ways of attracting a
wide diversity of candidates for senior posts.
22. Fiona Neep also informed the Board the 9 box grid pilot is continuing within
Directorate for People and some other areas within SG, with roll out to C band
across SG being considered later this year. She also advised the Board that
management of mentoring and coaching of C Band staff by SCS will be
transferred to her team to allow early identification of talent across diverse staff
groups.
Agenda Item 7 – Any other business
23. Lesley Irving highlighted the event taking place in VQ on 4 March 1-4pm for
international women’s day.
24. Annie Gunner Logan highlighted to the Board that Mike Fowlis is taking forward
a piece of work relating to people with experience of being in care and
recommended exploring if there is an opportunity to engage with that group to
enrol them into the development of the talent pipeline.
Agenda Item 8 – Date of next meeting
2 June 2015 St. Andrews House.