Corporate report

Inclusion & Diversity Annual Report 23-24

Published 17 December 2024

Foreword from Penny

At the Intellectual Property Office (IPO), we are committed to creating safe spaces for our people to thrive. People have been at the heart of our organisation for more than 170 years, and prioritising inclusion has been woven through our cultural aspirations for a long time. We value the individual skills and experience our people bring to our community and in our new strategy, people remain key to our success.

Our IPO Strategy for 2024-2027, IP for a creative and innovative UK, outlines our commitment to being a high performing organisation with skilled people connected by shared purpose. When our people feel accepted for who they are and are confident being themselves, they are more innovative, provide even better services to our customers, and are more likely to want to continue working with us to deliver great things.

Diversity and inclusion are also vital for the IP environment more broadly. The UK can only achieve its goals for innovation if we draw on the talents of all parts of our society and consider the needs of our country’s diverse range of customers and consumers. Diverse inventors, creators and entrepreneurs play an essential role in shaping the world through their imagination, ingenuity, and hard work.

At the IPO, the inclusive environment we create for our people will make the most of everyone’s skills and contributions, helping us play our part in accelerating innovation and supporting creativity. All this will aid in the goals of economic growth for everyone across the UK and supporting the government’s ambition to make the UK a science and technology superpower.

Our Culture

At the IPO, we pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation. In addition to the external validation from awards mentioned later in this report, we are proud to run several internal initiatives. For example, in 2024 we saw our ‘Men’s Support Monday’ campaign nominated for a CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) Wales award for Inclusion & Diversity initiative of the year. Our culture is one of the reasons that this inclusive environment has been possible.

We do not take this for granted though. The world around us is changing and so are the expectations of our customers and our people. At the IPO, we need to understand these changes, and adapt, to continue to be successful.

Our IPO Strategy for 2024-2027 sets a clear, collective direction for the next three years, with a common mission to unite us. Our people have, and always will be central to our success as an organisation, and how our culture develops will influence our success in achieving our new goals. Because of this, we have been intentional about the culture we want, and have articulated this in our culture statement:

“We are adaptable, we value ideas and take opportunities to make the IPO better.

We are accountable for our experience, development and performance and build effective relationships with colleagues. Together we carry out our strategy, share our successes, and are connected to each other and our organisation.”

Our culture is evolving. Whilst we are committed to keeping what was good, we will leave behind any things that might hold us back. We will emphasise the opportunities that our new culture offers, whilst acknowledging the strengths of our cultural history that came before. The language we use to talk about our culture will help us be clear about what we want from our people:

Adaptable

We are curious and ask the questions that help us continually improve how we perform in our roles. We inspire others are open to change, challenge, and to taking pragmatic risks that help us to grow and continue to be high performing.

Accountable

We take responsibility for our actions, and those of our teams. We own our experience and performance, and we do what we say we are going to do to be at our best. We invite and offer feedback to help us improve and feel safe and supported to own and learn from mistakes.

Connected

We achieve our Strategy together and are connected to each other through our IPO community. We are respectful of and kind to others, and are aware of the difference we make. We take time to understand each other’s needs and will compromise when it benefits the organisation and its aims.

It will take time for us to see changes to our culture, and we are extremely fortunate that the culture we have today is a positive one. We are not changing the things that already work well, but we do intend to build on the great things we do and concentrate our attention on what we can do better.

Mark: “The way diversity and inclusion are written bone-deep into the heart of the things that we do in the IPO is something for which I will always be grateful. There is a flexibility at the heart of the manner in which we work, and the culture of the staff here, that allows our careers to flex with our lives.

As a recent graduate I was able to use flexitime to settle into the area and put down roots. After unexpectedly becoming a single parent, I changed my hours and went part-time to do the school drop offs and pick-ups.  The pragmatic way in which the office allows me to work and develop my career, means that I’ve continued to grow in my role, qualifying as a workplace coach and mediator and gaining promotions in my time here. The intrinsic way in which the office policies are laid out means that they can swing in when and where needed, instead of being tokenistic.

This brilliant culture gives me a great sense of pride in the place and the people here and has been absolutely invaluable to me in ensuring that, however unconventional life got, I didn’t feel disadvantaged or sidelined in my work.”

Inclusion and diversity

Creating a high-performing organisation, with skilled people connected by shared purpose is one of three pillars in our strategy. Woven throughout this pillar is our commitment to valuing individuality, facilitating meaningful connections, and prioritising inclusion and belonging.

Often when people think of inclusion, they think of the nine characteristics that are protected by the Equality Act 2010. At the IPO we look beyond just these characteristics to think more widely about our people’s experiences as a whole. By doing this, and working with our staff networks and industry experts, we can ensure no one is unintentionally disadvantaged by our environment, policies, practices, services, or culture.

Our Inclusion and Diversity ambition is to be one of the most universally accessible employers and service providers in the UK. To do that, our plan focuses on:

• creating an environment where people feel a sense of belonging and feel valued and safe to be themselves in the workplace
• equipping Leaders and Managers with the confidence, clarity, and capability to capitalise on the benefits of a truly diverse organisation
• developing pipelines which enable diversity at all levels of the organisation creating a true sense of belonging
• developing robust and rich data which allow us to target the right support in the right places at the right time
• driving improved representation in IP, working right across the IP Eco System, not just in the UK but globally

Creating Safe Spaces for everyone

At the IPO, we have a zero-tolerance approach to bullying and harassment. Our ongoing Respect at Work campaign, tailored to each department, reinforces this commitment. With support from our central HR team, we provide learning opportunities to help staff understand and embody respectful behaviour. This approach fosters an environment where people feel safe and confident to challenge inappropriate conduct, which is crucial to our success.

Recognition and partnerships

To ensure we remain a diverse and attractive employer, we partner with a number of external organisations such as Business Disability Forum, British Dyslexia Association, Neurodiversity in Business and Carers UK to ensure we are up to date with best practices. The challenge and scrutiny these partners provide ensure that we continue to develop and keep our people at the heart of what we do.

We have been recognised by several external organisations for being a fair and inclusive employer, including:

• Race at Work Charter Signatory from Business in the Community
• Inclusive Employers Standard - Bronze status
• Carers Confident Level 3 Ambassador
• Gold Award Cycle Friendly Employer by We Are Cycling UK
• British Dyslexia Association SMART Award
• Business Disability Forum Bronze Disability Standard
• Investors in People - Gold
• Corporate Members of Neurodiversity in Business
• Achieving Excellence from MIND Workplace Wellbeing Index, Gold
• Disability Confident Leader
• Menopause Friendly Employer
• Charter signatory of IP Inclusive

Helen: “I am grateful for the unwavering support and inclusivity that have been integral to my journey at IPO. The flexible working policy has been instrumental in enabling me to strike a harmonious balance between my professional commitments, personal responsibilities and wellbeing including parenting, caring responsibilities, and bereavement.

Moreover, the trust placed in me to execute my autonomously and how I best manage my work, while contributing meaningfully to team and organisational goals, is empowering. I know my perspectives are valued, and it’s great to be in an environment where it’s safe for other to share there’s too. There’s always an opportunity to work with, challenge, cooperate and learn from each other. Diverse perspectives are not only valued but actively sought after here. Initiatives like Communities Week and staff networks really do create an environment where every voice can be heard and considered – you just need to get involved. I’ve able to take lots of opportunities to do this.

This inclusivity extends to other aspects of my work life, including learning and development. Encouragement to engage in self-directed and social learning underscores the IPO commitment to combining individual growth and make progress. I’ve been supported to learn and grow in a way that suits me, my work-life balance, and my learning style. The culture of inclusion at IPO has reinforced my sense of belonging and I’m proud to be part of an organisation that champions diversity in all its forms.”

Networks

A diverse workforce is an authentic and innovative workforce. Our connections with each other are a critical part of the IPO culture, and we are proud of the integral part our staff networks play in creating an environment where people feel safe to be themselves and do their best work.

We are proud of our networks here at the IPO and the positive impact they have on the workplace. They are the heart of our approach to inclusion.

Carer’s Network

The IPO’s Carers Network supports the wellbeing of employees juggling demanding caring roles outside of work. This year, the network has seen increased membership and engagement through various events and supportive articles. Key achievements include a rise in the number of people feeling supported to balance their caring and work responsibilities, as reflected in the people survey data. The network has enhanced support and mentoring through a dedicated Microsoft Teams channel, where carers can share experiences and seek advice. Regular virtual drop-in sessions have provided a safe environment for carers to discuss their challenges and receive support.  

The network has also organised professional presentations from organisations such as Carers UK, Charity for Civil Servants, and the Alzheimer’s Association. Looking ahead, the Carers Network plans to continue providing a safe space for carers to share experiences and feel supported, while focusing on community activities that help carers and raise awareness of the network and available support.

Multicultural Ethnicity & Racial Inclusion Network (MERI)

The MERI Network has made significant strides this year in fostering a more inclusive workplace culture, aligning closely with our organisation’s diversity and inclusion objectives. By celebrating a wide range of cultural events and milestones, such as Juneteenth, the anniversary of the Windrush generation’s arrival, and the International Day of Indigenous Peoples, MERI has broadened awareness and understanding across our workforce. These initiatives, along with the celebration of World Afro Day and the comprehensive Black History Month programme, have created opportunities for education, reflection, and dialogue, supporting our aim to build an environment where different views, backgrounds, and experiences are not only welcomed but valued.

Looking ahead, MERI’s plans to support Trademark examiners in handling applications with themes of race, culture, or religion demonstrate a practical application of inclusivity in our core business functions.

Accessibility Champions Network

Since the last report, the Accessibility Champions network at IPO has continued to expand its influence and impact across the organisation. Significant improvements have been implemented for both staff and customers, including the introduction of an accessibility feedback form, enhanced customer templates, and targeted improvements to website forms based on user feedback. The network has also focused on raising awareness through initiatives such as the ‘accessibility experience lab’ and promoting the use of assistive technologies like ‘read aloud’ and ‘immersive reader’.

These efforts reflect a broader shift in the organisation’s approach to accessibility, moving from a compliance-based mindset to a more comprehensive understanding of the diverse needs of users. The involvement of staff in identifying and making these changes shows how personal experiences can transform perceptions and drive meaningful change in workplace practices and culture around accessibility.

Peer2Peer

The IPO’s Mental Health Peer-to-Peer Support Group has made significant progress this year, celebrating its seventh anniversary and expanding its membership to include diverse perspectives from across the organisation. The group has maintained regular support sessions and online forums and introduced “Walk and Talk” sessions combining physical activity with informal support. The network actively contributes to broader office initiatives on mental health and wellbeing, participating in events like Stress Awareness and Time to Talk Day, and contributing to the IPO Wellbeing Strategy Group. Through these efforts, the group has strengthened connections and improved understanding of mental health issues within the organisation.

iBelieve

The iBelieve network supports conversations about faith, belief, and non-belief in the workplace, helping employees feel comfortable bringing their whole selves to work. This year, the network focused on raising awareness and improving understanding of various religious and cultural topics. We published monthly articles on internal social networks, covering a wide range of beliefs including Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, and Judaism. The network also collaborated with the MERI network to provide guidance on religious terminology in trademark applications. Looking ahead, iBelieve plans to continue exploring and raising awareness about diverse religious beliefs.

Men’s Network

The IPO Men’s Network has revitalised its mission this year, focusing on creating a supportive community for men to learn, reflect, and grow together. With a new vision of “being the best men we can be,” the network has significantly increased its membership and activities. Key initiatives include the award-winning ‘Men’s Support Mondays’ campaign, regular virtual café events, and awareness campaigns on various men’s issues. The network has tackled challenging topics like mental health, grief, and sexuality, fostering open discussions and a supportive environment. By collaborating with other IPO inclusion networks, the Men’s Network has contributed to a more interconnected and supportive workplace culture, enhancing understanding of men’s issues within the organisation.

iPride

The iPride network, celebrating its 7th anniversary this year, continues to support LGBTQ+ colleagues and allies within the organisation. The network has organised a variety of successful events, including talks and discussion panels, to engage the entire office with their work. iPride has also collaborated with other Civil Service networks, sharing events and socials, and Pride events. Looking ahead, the network plans to maintain its support for the LGBTQ+ community, focus on participating in local Pride events, and continue providing opportunities for staff to find support and community within the organisation.

Parents Network

The IPO Parent’s Network, established in 2022, has quickly become a vital resource for working parents in the organisation. Focusing on supporting new parents, developing peer support, promoting career development, and addressing parent-specific health issues, the network has made significant progress in creating a supportive community. Key achievements include publishing relatable articles, hosting informative sessions, and establishing peer support groups. A successful ‘Bring your child to work day’ engaged both parents and children with the IPO’s work. The network has also contributed to policy consultations, ensuring working parents’ perspectives are considered in organisational decisions. By creating safe spaces for open dialogue and fostering a culture of mutual support, the Parent’s Network has enhanced connections among colleagues and contributed to a more inclusive workplace culture.

Capability Action Network (iCAN)

The iCAN network provides a safe space for individuals living with long-term illnesses or disabilities to seek advice and support. This year, the network appointed a new co-chair and steering board member, leading to several new initiatives. Key achievements include launching an iCAN toolkit, collaborating with other networks on user testing and hybrid working assessments, and raising disability awareness through internal blogs. The network has also partnered with the accessibility team to ensure products meet accessibility requirements. Looking ahead, iCAN aims to engage more staff members with health conditions or disabilities, share experiences to understand barriers, and work with business areas to improve policies and procedures. The network’s priority is to ensure the voices of disabled people are heard and understood, striving for equity and continuous improvement in the organisation’s inclusive practices.

iThink

The iThink network supports colleagues with neurodiverse conditions and parents of neurodiverse children in the IPO. This year, the network appointed new co-chairs and a board sponsor, re-established its Steering Group, and refreshed its structure. Key achievements include maintaining peer support meetings, raising awareness through articles and events during Dyslexia, Autism, and Neurodiversity Awareness Weeks, and participating in the ADHD Foundation’s Neurodiversity Umbrella Project. The network has also contributed to accessibility testing of new software and registered for the Neurodiversity Employers Index. Looking ahead, iThink plans to introduce neurodiversity training for all staff, build awareness around reasonable adjustments, improve meeting accessibility, and enhance the recruitment process for neurodivergent individuals. The network continues to provide valuable peer support, as evidenced by positive testimonials from members who appreciate the safe space and understanding community it offers.

Women’s Inclusive Network

The Women’s Inclusive Network (WIN) supports the IPO in creating a workplace where everyone can reach their full potential regardless of gender. This year, WIN updated its vision, purpose, and mission statements, focusing on creating an inclusive environment with equity for everyone.

Key achievements include designing and launching the successful Empowering Women Programme, which is developing over 50 women at all levels of the organisation. The network also promoted gender equality awareness, gathered feedback on gender-related issues, and shared relevant statistics with the IPO. The Empowering Women Programme aims to support women’s career goals through open conversations in safe environments. It offers small group sessions on topics such as Imposter Syndrome, Work-Life Balance, Mental Burden, and Speaking Up. The programme has received excellent feedback and will continue to run in the coming year. 

WIN has also maintained regular activities such as monthly coffee meetings and a Menopause Support Group, providing spaces for women to connect, share experiences, and find support. Members have reported feeling reassured, inspired, and better informed about issues affecting women in the office.

Looking ahead, WIN plans to continue its efforts in championing inclusion, supporting women’s career development, and addressing gender-related challenges in the workplace. The network’s success is evident in the positive testimonials from both programme participants and facilitators, highlighting the valuable impact of peer support and mentorship in empowering women within the organisation.

Gender pay gap

We are committed to being an inclusive organisation. While our mean gender pay gap has decreased, we recognise that that there is still much work to do. In 2023-24, our mean gender pay gap was 17% and the median was 26.9%, favouring mens salaries. This gap is not due to unequal pay, but rather an underrepresentation of women in specialist roles. 35% of our workforce are in specialist STEM roles, and although women take up nearly half our workforce, most of them are in non-specialist role. Our patent examining roles attract higher salaries due to their specialism, however, only 25% of these are taken up by women.

Although this issue is not exclusive to the IPO and reducing the gap is complex, we take it very seriously. We are actively seeking to recruit more women into our specialist roles and remove unintended barriers for all our women to develop in the workplace.

Our action plan will see us concentrate on three main areas for this year:

Awareness and candidate experience:

• review our “Employee Value Proposition” through an exclusive lens
• improve recruitment practices to highlight skills and potential
• use targeted recruitment activities and evaluate job advert effectiveness

Review internal processes, procedures, and systems:

• remove unintended bias from our processes
• invest in effective mentoring relationships
• promote flexible working opportunities
• encourage increased take-up of shared parental leave
• use diversity data in strategic workforce planning

STEM Impact Programme:

• support women later in their careers through Code First Girls, Returner and Career Switcher programmes
• create pathways into STEM for people without a STEM background
• initiatives to raise awareness in Universities of STEM careers in the Civil Service
• outreach activities in primary and secondary schools to increase opportunities to engage in STEM

Engaging diverse audiences

The IPO is committed to creating a more inclusive and equitable innovation ecosystem by helping businesses from diverse backgrounds protect and leverage their intellectual property. (IP).

We continue to refine our communications and engagements to ensure equitable experiences and access to our resources for all customers, audiences, and communities.

Supporting businesses

Our efforts focus on making IP guidance and services accessible to a wide range of innovators, from startups to large corporations, across the UK.

Key initiatives include:

• UK Patlib Network: 25 centres based in city libraries provided IP support to 48,725 people in 2022/23
• Business & IP Centres (BIPC): In partnership with the British Library, these centres supported 62,876 individuals from April 2020 to March 2023. Notably, 72% of new business owners supported were women, 26% from minority ethnic communities, and 10% had a disability *digital Resources: We offer free online tools and resources tailored to diverse business needs, complemented by seminars and workshops on IP management
• financial Support: We provide funding to high-potential SMEs to help them manage and commercialize their IP
• IP Education Framework: This initiative aims to build IP knowledge across all education levels, fostering a positive IP culture among current and future innovators
• outreach and Advocacy: We engage with various stakeholders to promote the importance of diversity in driving innovation and economic growth

Through these programs, the IPO ensures that businesses across the UK, including those in underserved and rural areas, have access to crucial IP guidance and support. Our efforts contribute to a more diverse and inclusive innovation landscape, encouraging sustainable economic growth across all communities.

Inclusive communications

The “Speak Our Customers’ Language” approach has significantly increased customer satisfaction with initial responses from IPO, reducing the need for escalation. Originally focused on complaint responses, this initiative has now expanded to include broader internal and external communications, as well as standard template letters.

We are developing comprehensive guidance and policies to help our staff effectively address the needs of customers with diverse requirements. Our goal is to ensure equitable treatment for every customer throughout their IP journey. By providing our staff with the necessary knowledge and resources, we aim to maintain fairness and transparency in all interactions.

Education Outreach

Our participation in the Big Bang Fair remains a cornerstone of our outreach efforts to young people.  This year, we’re expanding our presence to provide an inclusive and engaging experience for all attendees, particularly targeting the 61% of the expected 20,000 young visitors who meet the fair’s Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion criteria.

We’ve also made significant strides in digital inclusivity. The new Cracking Ideas website has been developed with a focus on accessibility and user-friendliness. Our Inside STEM campaign prioritises accessibility across all digital channels, featuring alternative text descriptions and subtitled video content.

Looking ahead, we recognise the need to keep pace with technological developments and evolving user needs. We are committed to continually reviewing and adapting our resources, outreach efforts, and customer feedback through an inclusive lens. By embracing and acting on all feedback, we strive to maintain excellence in inclusivity and accessibility across our educational support initiatives.

STEM outreach

The IPO is committed to reducing the gender pay gap and improving social mobility through our STEM outreach programme. Through this, we help encourage an interest in STEM disciplines in young people, specifically to inspire girls. The range of activities include:

• nursery visits featuring engaging science demonstrations like ‘Oobleck slime’ and ‘The Science of Snow!’
• ‘Girls in STEM’ sessions for Year 7 students, showcasing diverse role models and introducing intellectual property as a career path
• an ‘Inspirational Inventors’ competition for Year 8 students, accommodating various learning styles through essays, posters, or videos
• science mentoring for Year 10/11 students at a local high school

We complement our in-person activities with the ‘Inside STEM’ video series and online resources for 11-14 year-olds, exploring key STEM topics and their connection to inventions and patents.

Reflections:

(Ben Buchanan), Head of Patents, Diversity Champion

This report reflects the fantastic contributions from many people towards making the IPO a high-performing organisation; It’s about more than just hard work – it’s how we do this by including everyone’s diverse contribution. Everybody benefits from healthier connections: respectful relationships, better conversations, and collective understanding. We make these things happen by developing best practice, taking inspiration from partnerships and accreditation; through our staff networks who challenge, support, and connect us; and through ownership of our shared goals, priorities, and purpose.

From STEM and education outreach activities, to wellbeing initiatives and inclusive working practices our people look after themselves, look after each other and make a difference. As this report shows, working at the IPO is about more than just doing a job. It’s about working together, to achieve our potential and help other people do the same now and in future.

This year has seen our transformation to a Service Owner model for rights delivery which puts customers first and paves the way for our new digital systems. Hundreds of our people are involved in the design, implementation and testing of new teams and tools. Many more engage our customers and communicate important news. Each of them brings the benefit of their perspective and expertise, and each plays their part in improving and bringing change. Underpinning this, of course, our culture is evolving in step to enable our diversity of thought and capability to drive our success.

There is always more to do. New challenges and opportunities will continually arise but our vision is to be an organisation poised to adapt and improve. This is how we will achieve our mission: To help people grow the UK economy by providing an IP system that encourages investment in creativity and innovation.

Through our people, their talents, and their togetherness, today and tomorrow. That’s what this report is really about.

Cara: “I started with the IPO just over 6 months ago as a Trainee Project Manager… But my experience of an Inclusive IPO came before that. On being invited to interview I got in contact with the recruitment team to find out what they could offer as reasonable adjustments. As someone with Dyslexia I find interviews hard and stressful and was offered support to overcome this. I found my interview process calm and adapted to my needs.

I am also a first-time mum alongside my wife, and I was so anxious returning to work let alone somewhere completely new.

The fear and anxiety came not only from leaving my little boy for the first time but also the thought of introducing myself & my family without fear of judgement. I’m not sure why I even had any of those fears, they were dispelled in the first day.

My manager has been incredibly supportive helping me condense my hours and supporting me to work around my little boy’s needs. The Project Manager I currently work with is incredibly supportive adapting our work to enable me to be flexible and work around my family. When my little boy has been poorly, nothing was too much to ask for and I was able to take time off whilst he was getting better without any stress or feelings of guilt.

As a Trainee my role is around developing and progressing to become a Project Manager and from day one, I have been supported to attend training to help enhance my skills and knowledge. I feel no barriers to be my authentic self at the IPO and look forward to my career here.”

Diversity Stats:

Work pattern

Our staff are now working in a hybrid way with the requirement to attend the office for at least 20% of their working week. The percentage of people working part time has increased from 18.46% in 2023 to 19.17% in 2024. We support a variety of working patterns here at the IPO such as term time and various part time work patterns.

Work Pattern	Percentage of staff
Full Time	80.83%
Part Time	19.17%

Gender:

We have seen a small decrease in female representation in STEM roles from 24.74% in 2023 to 24.02% in 2024. We recognise that work needs to be done to improve this and address any perceived barriers that are preventing women pursuing a career in STEM. We will continue to target women into STEM roles by continuing to provide the current initiatives we have and to encourage men to apply for non-STEM roles, which we will work on in the coming year.

Gender	Percentage of staff
Female	47.86%
Male	52.14%

Gender in STEM:

Gender	Percentage of staff
Female	24.02%
Male	75.98%

Gender in non-STEM:

Gender	Percentage of staff
Female	60.89%
Male	39.11%

Ethnicity:

The percentages for our diversity characteristics exclude those with an unknown characteristic and those that have selected to not declare their characteristic. Therefore it does not show all staff in the organisation. The figures show a slight increase from the previous year.

Ethnicity	Percentage of staff
Ethnic minority	7.25%
White (including White Minorities)	92.75%

LGBO:

LGBO figures reported here represent our people who have shared their sexuality as lesbian, gay, bisexual or other

Sexuality	Percentage of staff
LGBO	8.23%
Heterosexual/straight	91.77%

We use an internal system to collect our people’s diversity data. We have recently identified some inconsistencies with the way we collect disability data and as a result are currently looking at opportunities to improve our approach over the coming year. We are focussed on ensuring our questions are correct and give our people the best opportunity to declare their disability in a way that works for them.

Whilst our disability data collection is being reviewed, we can present relevant data from our People Survey. This year, 85% of People Survey respondents answered the question “Do you have any physical or mental health conditions or illnesses lasting or expected to last 12 months or more?”, and of those 28% of them answer yes. 3% of all respondents said their ability to carry out day-to-day activities was impacted a lot (with 12% of these indicating that their conditions or illnesses will last 12 months or more), 16% indicated they are impacted a little (with 56% of these indicating their conditions or illnesses will last 12 months or more) and 9% said their conditions or illnesses did not impact their day-to-day activities (32% of these indicated their conditions or illnesses would last 12 months or more). Of those who participated in our people survey, 170 people (around 13% of participants) declared a mental health condition. This is an increase from 11% in 2022.

Inclusive Recruitment

The IPO has implemented a comprehensive and inclusive recruitment strategy to attract a diverse range of candidates. Before advertising vacancies, we use a job description analysis tool to ensure that advert wording is inclusive and fair. The recruitment process combines both reactive and proactive approaches, including the automatic posting of vacancies on inclusive job boards and proactive outreach by a dedicated Talent Acquisition Specialist. This strategy has resulted in increases in applications from ethnically diverse candidates, those from LGBT backgrounds, and individuals with disabilities in the 2023/24 financial year.

The selection process is rigorous, with 1,258 candidates passing the initial sift stage out of 4,913 total applications. The IPO has made efforts to improve the diversity of candidates invited to interview, reflecting their commitment to inclusive hiring practices. However, we have identified areas for improvement, such as encouraging more applicants to request adjustments during the interview process, as only 2% of applicants did so despite 10% declaring a disability.

In September 2024, the IPO launched an innovative STEM apprenticeship programme. This offers a unique pathway into specialist patent examining roles, providing access to traditionally degree-required roles. Four apprentices are currently pursuing Electrical and Electronic Engineering degrees at the University of South Wales while gaining hands-on experience across various IPO departments.

Looking forward, the IPO is focused on continuous improvement in its recruitment practices. This includes continuing our partnership with organizations like Code First Girls to increase the talent pool for women in STEM fields, with successful initiatives resulting in new hires.

These efforts have been recognised, with the Recruitment Team being highly commended for the Commissioner’s Mark of Excellence award, showcasing their commitment to innovation in recruiting outstanding candidates across all grades into the Civil Service.

Here at the Intellectual Property Office, inclusion sits at the heart of everything we do. By operating as ‘One IPO’, we value our people by making sure everyone is included and feels supported to give their best and see the best in others. This empowers our people to be themselves at work.

Maintaining an inclusive and diverse workplace culture begins at the preliminary stage of the recruitment life cycle, reaching and attracting an inclusive audience:

Attraction:

Before our vacancies even reach the job boards, we use a job description analysis tool to ensure our advert wording is inclusive, fair, and open to all backgrounds and demographics. Additionally, we adopt a combination method of reactive and proactive recruitment work:

• reactively through using automation to routinely feature all our external vacancies on inclusive job boards such as Black & Minority Ethnic Jobs, Disability Jobs, LGBT Jobs, and Neurodiversity Jobs
• proactively through our dedicated Talent Acquisition Specialist who engages with prospective candidates via platforms like LinkedIn, and companies like Women in Tech and the Black Young Professional Network

In the last financial year 2023/24, we received a total of 4913 applications and this year we’ve seen positive improvements attracting a more inclusive and diverse applicant base. In comparison to the previous year, we’ve seen a 4% increase in ethnically diverse applicants, a 2% increase in those from an LGBT background and those that declared a disability.

These positive improvements are a testament to our brilliant attraction and outreach methods. We do however still have a sustained proportion of applicants that haven’t disclosed their characteristics. Additionally, just 2% of our total applicants requested an adjustment at interview, and with 10% declaring a disability, this means at least 8% of applicants may not be confident or aware they can ask for an adjustment. This year we’ll continue to highlight our commitment to inclusivity and plan to break down any perceived barriers within the recruitment process.

Gender:

Gender	Percentage of staff
Man	54.6%
Woman	41.7%
Perfer to self-describe	0.4%
Prefer not to disclose	3.3%

Ethnic Group:

Ethnic group	percentage of staff
Asian/ Asian British	20.5%
Black/ African/ Caribbean/ Black British	10.7%
Mexed/ multiple ethnic groups	2.5%
Other ethnic group	1.3%
White	59.5%
Prefer not to disclose	5.5%

Sexual orientation:

Orientation	Percentage of staff
Heterosexual or straight	83.1%
Bisexual	4.5%
Gay or lesbian	3.0%
Prefer to self-describe	0.4%
Other	0.0%
Prefer not to disclose	9.0%

Age group:

Age group	Percentage of staff
16-24	15.4%
25-29	21.8%
30-34	15.4%
35-39	13.9%
40-44	11.3%
45-49	7.8%
50-54	5.4%
55-59	3.4%
60-64	1.4%
65+	0.0%
Prefer not to disclose	4.2%

Religion:

Religion	Percentage of staff
Buddhist	1.1%
Christian	26.6%
Hindu	8.0%
Jewish	0.2%
Muslim	9.3%
Sikh	0.9%
Other religion	1.3%
No religion	43.6%
Prefer not to disclose	9.2%

Selection

Following a successful attraction approach, we ended up sifting through more applications than seats in the Wales Millennium Centre with a total of 1258 candidates passing our sift stage. Below is a breakdown on the diversity declarations for applicants we invited to interview:

Gender:

Gender	Percentage of candidates
Man	50.3%
Woman	46.8%
Prefer to self describe	0.4%
Prefer not to disclose	2.5%

Ethnic Group

Ethnic Group	Percentage of candidates
Asian/Asian British	13.6%
Black/African/Caribbean/Black British	7.1%
Mixed / Multiple ethnic groups	2.3%
Other ethnic group	0.7%
White	71.9%
Prefer not to disclose	4.5%

Sexual Orientation

Sexual orientation	Percentage of candidates
Heterosexual or straight	82.6%
Bisexual	4.6%
Gay or Lesbian	3.2%
Prefer to self-describe	0.6%
Other	0.0%
Prefer not to disclose	9.1%

Age Group

Age group	Percentage of candidates
16-24	9.1%
25-29	21.9%
30-34	17.6%
35-39	15.4%
40-44	11.0%
45-49	9.5%
50-54	6.4%
55-59	3.8%
60-64	2.2%
65+	0.0%
Prefer not to disclose	3.1%

Religion

Religion	Percentage of candidates
Buddhist	0.6%
Christian	25.8%
Hindu	5.7%
Jewish	0.0%
Muslim	6.4%
Sikh	0.3%
Other religion	1.1%
No religion	52.1%
Prefer not to disclose	8.0%

Recruited:

The labour market has proven pretty buoyant with lots of sought after and skilled individuals, but even after reducing our recruitment timescales, naturally we incurred some withdrawals at offer stage. Not including withdrawals, we issued offers to 433 individuals. Below is a breakdown on the diversity declarations for successful applications after interview:

Gender:

Gender	Percentage of staff
Man	44.6%
Woman	52.9%
Prefer to self-describe	0.00%
Prefer not to disclose	2.5%

Ethnic Group:

Ethnic group	Percentage of staff
Asian/Asian British	6.0%
Black/ African/ Caribbean/ Black British	3.2%
Mixed/ multiple ethnic groups	1.4%
Other ethnic group	0.5%
White	85.7%
Prefer not to disclose	3.2%

Sexual orientation:

Heterosexual or straight	82.2%
Bisexual	4.2%
Gay or lesbian	2.8%
Prefer to self-describe	0.0%
Other	0.0%
Prefer not to disclose	10.9%

Age group:

Age group	Percentage of staff
16-24	9.0%
25-29	20.3%
30-34	19.6%
35-39	13.4%
40-44	12.7%
45-49	9.9%
50-54	5.8%
55-59	4.4%
60-64	2.5%
65+	0.0%
Prefer not to disclose	2.3%

Religion:

Religion	Percentage of staff
Buddhist	0.2%
Christian	26.3%
Hindu	0.9%
Jewish	0.0%
Muslim	3.9%
Sikh	0.2%
Other religion	1.4%
No Religion	58.7%
Prefer not to disclose	8.3%

These charts show the following application types at each stage of the process:

• ‘Internal’ to the IPO

• other Government Department (OGD)

• ‘External’ to the Civil Service, or

• non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB)

The data shows an influx of external applicants at the attraction stage. Following the sift stage, the scales start to tip. Finally, we see an influx of internal offers, this however does include applicants that later withdrew.

Applicant Type	Internal – Current employee of advertising department	%	OGD – current employee of another Civil Service Department	%
Total Applicants	913	18.6%	1062	21.6%
Online Test	0	-	0	-
Passed Sift	541	43.0%	196	15.6%
Passed Interview	333	56.3%	77	13.0%
Reserve List	64	52.5%	27	22.1%
Posted	262	60.5%	45	10.4%
Rejected	497	13.7%	832	22.9%
Withdrawn	81	19.9%	122	30.0%

Applicant Type	External – Non Civil Servant / External	%	NDPB Current employee of Accredited NPBD	%
Total Applicants	2909	59.2%	29	0.6%
Online Test	0	-	0	-
Passed Sift	513	40.8%	8	0.6%
Passed Interview	180	30.4%	2	0.3%
Reserve List	29	23.8%	2	1.6%
Posted	262	29.1%	0	0.0%
Rejected	2284	62.8%	24	0.7%
Withdrawn	202	0.5%	2	0.5%

Applicant Type	Total
Total Applicants	4913
Online Test	0
Passed Sift	1258
Passed Interview	592
Reserve List	122
Posted	433
Rejected	3637
Withdrawn	407

Looking back and moving forward Looking back, we’ve revelled in the success of our varied and inclusive external outreach programmes, in particular, the work we’ve done to proactively increase the talent pool for women in STEM, both within South Wales and nationally. Partnering with Code First Girls, a not-for-profit social enterprise that trains women and non-binary people in IT skills, we invested in spaces for 800 individuals to be introduced at the most basic level to in-demand tech concepts, 245 to be introduced at an intermediate level, and 15 to achieve a condensed degree level qualification. Of those 15, we successfully recruited 6 individuals on a 2-year fixed-term contract to work with us whilst completing their nano degree. This supports our intentions to build our IT capability and grow our future talent.

Moving forward, as keen advocates of continuous improvement, we believe there is always room for improvement. For the year ahead, we will work to discover and remove unnecessary barriers in the application process. We want to set our applicants up for success, and by appearing at events and refreshing our online content, we’ll Illuminate our recruitment process. Additionally, we intend to cast our net wider and attract a more diverse audience by obtaining a Sponsor Licence. This will have a meaningful impact for qualifying staff internally and externally in broadening our field of candidates for hard to fill roles.

Finally, we’re proud to share that our Recruitment Team were highly commended for the Commissioner’s Mark of Excellence award. The award showcases innovation and commitment to recruit outstanding candidates across all grades into the Civil Service.

Wellbeing:

This year our emphasis has been on integrating the different aspects of our wellbeing programme. IPO has had a mental health strategy since 2016 and we have achieved a lot in this period. Our people feel confident to talk about their mental health and we have a range of support services including staff counsellors, mental health first aiders and an employee assistance programme. Our managers are able to access accredited training to identify the signs of mental ill health within their teams and we run regular awareness sessions which are well attended.

However, our new strategy will go wider than this and will cover the themes of mental, physical, social, and financial wellbeing. With hybrid working now the norm and world events having an effect on people on a daily basis, we want to make sure that our people have the right support and opportunities that they need. The strategy is in the final stages of drafting and will be launched early in the new financial year.

This year we have worked with those areas of the office undergoing significant change to ensure that their wellbeing is considered. We have also used data and feedback to tailor our wellbeing approach to the different challenges faced by various directorates in IPO.

Our physical wellbeing facilities such as the gym and cycling facilities remain popular and we have arranged regular visits from a personal trainer. We repeated our programme of health checks by providing blood pressure, osteoporosis, and cholesterol tests checks and introduced fruit drops to our staff to promote healthy eating. In October we provided over 250 on-site flu vaccinations.

We have placed additional emphasis this year on social and financial wellbeing. We have arranged community events and on-site food vendors to encourage people to socialise on site and have arranged financial advice sessions. We also arranged a Rewards roadshow to demonstrate the wide range on non-pay benefits that we are able to offer.

Our approach to wellbeing was validated in January when we were shortlisted for the Best Wellbeing Initiative at the CIPD in Wales Awards.

Staff Counsellors:

At some point most of us will experience issues, either personal or work-related which can affect our mental health and wellbeing. The IPO has a well-established Mental Health Strategy (launched in 2016) which sets out our vision for an organisation where mental health issues are truly understood and de-stigmatised.

We want our people to feel confident to talk about their mental health and know that the office will help and support them. The continuous mental health and wellbeing support available to all IPO staff includes:

• weekly peer-to-peer mental health support group and a monthly grief café

• network of trained and supported mental health first aiders

• employee assistance programme

• staff counselling service

Our staff counsellors are professionally qualified to offer therapeutic support to all staff with mental health or emotional issues, as well as personal or work-related difficulties. Clients can personalise this service, opting for a one-off session or regular appointments.

Much of the counselling work involves directly supporting individuals while they address problems that are either undermining their effectiveness at work or necessitating absence from work.

Referral routes:

As in previous years, most clients self-referred (140 people), indicating a high level of awareness of the service among staff. There has been an increase in the number of staff who found the service via our intranet suggesting the enhanced mental health pages and related intranet articles have been effective at raising awareness. During this year we have held 1500 counselling sessions.

• 42% found us via out intranet.
• 19% self-referred based on a personal recommendation
• 19% were advised to contact us by a line-manager.
• 7% were signposted to us by a Mental Health First Aider.
• 13% found us through other channels.

Evaluation of the counselling service:

After completing counselling sessions, staff members are asked to complete a survey to indicate their satisfaction of the services. The percentage indicates the number of users who scored highly for the following criteria.

Satisfaction criteria in survey	Percentage of participants who scored highly
I feel the counsellor understood me	98%
I feel better able to cope with my problems	96%
I have some new strategies and techniques	94%
I feel better about my situation	94%
I feel better able to remain in work, or return sooner if absent	90%
I feel more productive in work	86%
I would recommend the service to colleagues	99%

Satisfaction rates are consistently high. The slightly lower scores relating to productivity and remaining in work reflect the fact that not everyone having counselling has issues affecting their work or attendance.

Issues raised:

Issues related to bullying and harassment were raised in 0.1% of total counselling sessions completed during 2023-24.

Issues related to the cost of living were raised in 2% of sessions during 2023-24.

Survey results:

The below questions explore how our people feel in general as well as how they feel about the support services at the IPO. Moving forward we are going to be creating regular surveys to be sent to our staff to capture more in depth feelings of our staff which will help us to forward look and plan how we can improve this services and wellbeing of our staff based on the results of the surveys.

Self-reporting Mental health	Excellent	Very good	Good	Fair	Poor
2023	8	24	31	24	13
2022	9	26	31	24	11

Overall, how satisfied are you with your life nowadays?
Favourable	Neural	Unfavourable
60	24	16

Overall, to what extend do you feel that things you do in your life are worthwhile?
Favourable	Neutral	Unfavourable
62	22	16

Overall, how happy did you feel yesterday?
Favourable	Neutral	Unfavourable
54	24	22

Overall, how anxious did you feel yesterday?
Favourable	Neutral	Unfavourable
42	17	40

Dan: “An inclusive IPO to me is more than just the diversity of our people. It’s creating an atmosphere where everyone feels welcomed, valued, and respected for their contributions. It’s offering equal opportunities for development and progression, encouraging open communication where everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas, and ensuring everyone has access to the resources they need to succeed. It’s about removing barriers and celebrating differences and allowing everyone to be their authentic selves at work. I’m proud that as an organisation, we support the diverse needs of our people throughout the whole employee lifecycle – even from before I joined, at the interview stage, I’ve felt that the IPO have the right people and processes in place to support me throughout my career.”