Diversity and Inclusion Week: Message from the Chief Executive and Clerk

The senior team and I are wholly committed to ensuring that as an employer and parliamentary organisation, we are an exemplar in our promotion of diversity, inclusion, equality and provision of accessible services. In order to deliver this, we have developed our Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and accompanying action plan which will help us deliver our diversity and inclusion vision and values: Vision We want to continue to be an exemplar organisation in valuing diversity, promoting inclusion and embedding equality, both as an employer and parliamentary organisation. Our organisation is accessible and engages with and respects the people of Wales and beyond. Values From our corporate values which define the way we work, we have identified our Diversity and Inclusion values and we:

• ensure diversity, inclusion and equality are embedded throughout our organisation and informs our approach to how we deliver services, recruit and manage staff, support Assembly Members and engage with the people of Wales;
• challenge and strive to eliminate harassment and discrimination;
• recognise and address barriers to inclusion, access and participation;
• behave as an inclusive employer and accessible parliamentary organisation;
• aim for our workforce to be representative of our diverse society, including at a senior level;
• encourage and widen participation in Assembly activities and engagement with the Assembly from people across Wales; and
• promote positive attitudes towards diversity and inclusion and foster good relations between different groups of people.

The Strategy sets out how our staff deliver and promote inclusive, accessible services and achieve positive outcomes for people. It will also help us plan how we comply with the duties placed on the Assembly Commission by the Government of Wales Act 2006 and also by the Equality Act 2010, covering each of the protected characteristics^[1] and other issues such as caring responsibilities, social mobility and other inequalities. As an employer and service provider, our organisation is committed to ensuring that no-one is disadvantaged or discriminated against on these grounds: discriminatory behaviour will be dealt with via our disciplinary procedures. Also, as an employer, we encourage flexible working practices whilst accommodating our business needs. In line with the Assembly Commission’s strategic goals, it is important to us that the Assembly continues to be accessible to the people of Wales and beyond: making it relevant, easy and meaningful for people to interact with it and contribute to its work. It is also important to us that we behave as an inclusive employer, attracting and retaining talent, enabling everyone we employ to realise their full potential. I will ensure that our staff understand the part they play in helping our organisation deliver on our diversity and inclusion objectives and realise our diversity and inclusion vision and values. We aim to achieve the best possible equalities outcomes for both our workforce and everyone who interacts with the National Assembly for Wales. I hope you will do all you can to work in a way that continues to achieve real, measurable diversity and inclusion improvements of which we can be proud. Manon Antoniazzi Chief Executive and Clerk [1] Protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex, sexual orientation