Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group Action Plan 2022
Published 20 December 2021
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1. Action on priority areas
In 2022 the Steering Group intends to:
- conduct a further R3 member survey
- establish a multi-year action plan
2. Cross-cutting actions
During 2022 the Steering Group will take forward actions to:
- Build a network of Champions across the profession who can engage, inform and inspire others to develop diverse and inclusive working practices for those working within the profession and for those using the services of insolvency practitioners.
- Provide a library of resources demonstrating the case for diversity and inclusion; acting as a repository for helpful material for those taking action to address barriers.
- Develop a Charter for insolvency firms on diversity and inclusion so that they can demonstrate their commitment to this critical issue.
- Continue work to develop our understanding of barriers by conducting qualitative interviews with current and past members of the profession and employees of firms to understand challenges and barriers, impacts and opportunities; examining data from comparative professions (legal, accountancy, audit, etc); and engaging in dialogue to understand where initiatives and action to address barriers has had greatest impact.
3. Entry into the profession
During 2022 the Steering Group will take forward actions to:
- Boost awareness and understanding of insolvency as an attractive career and profession, including by providing resources for use by the profession in schools’ outreach, university career days, and careers’ fairs.
- Provide information and other support materials to insolvency firms about apprenticeship schemes, and other mechanisms to bring in a broad range of talent.
4. Progression from junior to associate levels and to partner level
During 2022 the Steering Group will take forward actions to:
- Identify successful talent management programmes and career pathway initiatives already used, or used in other professions, and raise awareness of those.
- Identify any barriers to progression from junior to associate level, particularly where the data show disparities in representation from different ethnic minority backgrounds, and identify action that could be taken to address those.
- Identify any barriers to progression to partner level, particularly affecting women, and identify action that could be taken to address those.
5. Taking insolvency qualifications and becoming a licence-holder
During 2022 the Steering Group will take forward actions to:
- Build dialogue with exam providers to better to understand the make-up of the student pipeline.
- Identify any barriers to seeking to become qualified, particularly affecting women, and identification of action that could be taken to address those.
- Identify any barriers to becoming licence-taking, particularly for women, and identify any action that could be taken to address those.