Equality and diversity

We are developing an organisation where all our visitors, service users and employees are treated fairly, with respect and not put at a disadvantage by any of the following protected characteristics:

• age
• disability
• gender reassignment
• marriage and civil partnership
• pregnancy and maternity
• race
• religion or belief
• sex
• sexual orientation

Strategic Equality Plan 2015 to 2020

We have published our Strategic Equality Plan, which outlines our commitment to being an organisation that embraces equality and human rights and how we will achieve this. 

In 2018 we reviewed our 2015 to 2019 plan to ensure it remains ‘fit-for-purpose’ if extended by one year, to 2020. The plan was found to still be relevant and allow us to continue to pursue our aim of furthering our work on equalities, diversity and inclusion. 

We have extended our original plan to 2020 to align ourselves to other public bodies so that we can work collaboratively on our new objectives, take onboard the findings in “Is Wales Fairer” and consult together before publishing our new 2020 to 2024 plans.

Pay Policy Statement March 2018

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) recognises the importance of a pay system that is equal to all, appropriate, transparent, provides value for money and rewards staff fairly for the work they perform. This policy statement sets out NRWs approach to pay and the relationship between the employee’s pay and the remuneration of senior management.

Equality Action Plan

Our is a living document that focuses on eliminating discrimination on the grounds of age, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender Identity, gender, ethnicity, marriage and civil partnership, disability and pregnancy and maternity.

See our equality, diversity and inclusion action plan 2019-2020

Equality and Diversity Forum

We have an Equality and Diversity Forum group made up of representatives from our Board, Executive Team, each of our 8 Directorates, our Staff Networks and our Trade Unions. This group meets every three months to discuss equality and diversity issues and any actions arising are taken away and embedded in all that we do.

The forum members have Terms of Responsibility to adhere to.

Equality Annual Report

Our Equality Annual Report demonstrates the work we have undertaken to drive forward the equality agenda. The report outlines the different activity progressed over the previous year, our next steps and a summary of our workforce profile.

View the Equality, diversity and inclusion annual report 2019-20

Equality Impact Assessments

Equality Impact Assessments support the delivery of our aims and values and is systematic and promotes evidence based consideration of how our work may impact upon different groups, communities and the Welsh language.

Through these impact assessments, we can look for positive impacts that can be strengthened, while potential adverse impacts can be eliminated or mitigated.

Natural Resources Wales is looking for feedback from visitors to our main visitor sites as part of its Equality Impact Assessment which it has a duty to carry out under the Equality Act 2010.

Equality and Diversity Assessment Report

We have undertaken an assessment of our main visitor sites to find out whether we provide fair and equal services and facilities for all, what we are doing well and what we can improve on.

Many of the recommendations from the report are about keeping up the effective work we are already doing. Other recommendations are being used to improve signage, path surfaces, communication with visitors, and the information and guidance we provide to staff to ensure we consider all protected characteristics at sites we manage.

Read the executive summary of the Equality and Diversity Assessment Report

Find out how the assessment was undertaken in Rachel Parry’s blog

Staff Networks

Our staff are encouraged to build and join internal networks that receive full support from the organisation. We value the input from our networks and listen closely to recommendations. We currently have 6 networks which are:

• Assisted User (IT and Telephony) Group
• Calon (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) Network
• Christian Fellowship
• Dementia Friends
• Gender Equality and Women’s Network
• Muslim Staff Network

If you have any equality enquiries, please feel free to email us at: equalities@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

Gender Pay Gap

Our gender pay gap calculation complies with The Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties and Public Authorities) Regulations 2017 methodology.

Our staff split by pay quartile consists:

Top quartile                        325 Men        158 Women
Upper Middle Quartile        260 Men        222 Women
Lower Middle Quartile        243 Men         240 Women
Lower Quartile                   254 Men         228 Women         

Natural Resources Wales do not pay bonuses.

To be compliant with the regulations, we have also published our data on the GOV.UK reporting portal.

It has been identified that there has been a discrepancy with our method of reporting the GPG figures historically on the ONS website. Whilst the figures themselves were correct, they were however previously placed in the incorrect quartiles. 

We have now corrected this and as a result, the information suggests that the profile split of men and women within NRW has vastly changed. This is not the case and solely due to this discrepancy.