A Q & A with Wayne Brown, Chief Fire Officer at West Midlands Fire Service
West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) recently achieved the top position in the Inclusive Top 50 UK Employers List (IT50). Having placed every year since the List’s inception in 2016, WMFS has made large steps in each subsequent year before achieving the top accolade for 2022, a year which saw the largest ever number of companies submitting their data and initiatives for consideration by the panel of independent expert judges.
Inclusive Companies took the opportunity to speak to Wayne Brown, Chief Fire Officer at WMFS. One of the driving forces behind the organisation’s desire to become a fully EDI workplace, Wayne shares here a number of innovative approaches that have been adopted and explains how the process is constantly evolving and the need to embrace changes and move with the times. The results have been truly remarkable….
Inclusive Companies (IC):
Welcome, Wayne. Many thanks for agreeing to talk with us and also many congratulations on WMFS gaining top spot in the IT50.
Wayne Brown (WB):
Thank you. We are very proud of what we have achieved, though – as I’m sure you’ll hear – it is a journey we are on and the road is a very long one. It has many twists and turns, some of which appear without much warning. Appreciating this and looking to respond accordingly is now part of our DNA.
IC:
Let’s start with a very general, but important, question: why is it important for a public-serving organisation such as WMFS to have EDI in place?
WB:
Serving the community is at the heart of what we do. Ensuring that our organisation fully understands the diversity of our communities and truly represents those communities means that we have the opportunity to provide the best service we can.
This diversity brings a greater understanding of the whole community and leads to innovative approaches based upon cultural intelligence. This not only helps us to improve our service, but is key to creating a work environment where every single person can thrive.
As such, we believe the professionalism the public expects of us goes hand in hand with our commitment to, and understanding of, EDI.
IC:
Did you face any resistance/barriers to your plans in the early days?
WB:
Yes. Some staff felt that they were being left out and others thought that EDI didn’t really apply to them. It is absolutely key to the process to look to bring everyone on board and keep communication open. It was, and remains, a learning process for us all. As we have developed we have engaged more and more staff as they have seen how it impacts them and their job role.
IC:
What are the main differences you have noticed at work since the EDI changes have taken effect?
WB:
Colleagues are much more open about their diversity. Managers are starting to see the benefits of a diverse workforce and, as a result, they themselves are more open about their own diversity.
We are also starting to see a much more complex and nuanced understanding and experience of the EDI agenda; one which recognises the importance of intersectionality and how the blend of diversity creates both new challenges and, very excitingly, new opportunities.
A very clear change is experiencing how the vocabulary of our managers is becoming more sophisticated with a growth in confidence. We are moving from being non-discriminatory to anti-discriminatory.
IC:
With those differences in mind, what would you say is the one EDI intervention/change of which you are most proud – and why?
WB:
Okay – that’s a very difficult one as, over the seven years to date, there are many things of which we are very proud.
If I had to highlight one aspect, I’d have to say it’s our Brave Space Talks as they have been hugely positive in encouraging open conversations between people. We had quite a few staff for whom the death of George Floyd and the ensuing Black Lives Matter movement had a great impact and they were deeply affected. For some, it resonated with their own experiences and we wanted to create a safe environment in which they could explain to colleagues how they felt and why they felt that way.
People can be really nervous at the prospect of discussing and learning about EDI subjects; the Brave Space Talks enabled that shift from being nervous about EDI to being curious, open and appreciative.
These talks have had a huge impact. The Brave Space Talks have grown from the tragedy of the killing of George Floyd and Black Lives Matter to many other aspects of our colleagues’ lives: racism, sexism, menopause, misogyny, neurodiversity and many more.
I can’t stress enough how important having such ‘spaces’ are. We set rules around our values from the outset of each. It allows and encourages people to be open and honest within an agreed structure; we learn from each other’s experiences. The feedback we have received has been quite amazing.
IC:
As you know, one of the areas we asked organisations to comment upon in the IT50 survey was internal networks. The Brave Space Talks is a step further from there. They encourage colleagues to understand what someone else’s lived experience is really like.
WB:
Exactly. The networks are massively important, but the Brave Space Talks came out of a tragedy which gained the nation’s, the world’s, attention. A time for people to understand what it really feels like being someone else. And the talks, and willingness to actively listen and engage, developed from there.
IC:
Wayne, I’m going to conclude with one particular initiative, amongst many, which the judges saw fit to draw to everyone’s attention. You made the deliberate and very open decision to utilise Section 159 of The Equality Act in your recruitment process. Can you tell us your thinking and experience of this decision?
WB:
Another tricky question – but glad you asked it! We were delighted that the judges mentioned our work in this area as I believe it shows just how far we have travelled in our aim for a truly inclusive organisation. Before continuing, I should add that we are far from that destination; it remains an ongoing journey and one to which we are fully committed.
Put simply, we would not have entertained the notion of utilising Section 159 had we not been confident that our workplace had undergone a revolution and was fully receptive to diversity, inclusivity and equity. And I would underline this to any organisations considering such a move: your culture must be open and receptive to create the environment in which such decisions and actions can be successful.
Let me dispel a myth: Section 159 is not positive discrimination. Such an action is illegal. What Section 159 allows leadership to do is to choose a candidate for a position (either internal or external) who is from a protected characteristic if, and only if, all scores and ratings for the position have failed to separate two or more candidates. In effect, it permits a choice amounting to ‘first among equals’.
Without the right culture – and if the person was not equal to the requirements you set for the position – you would be putting that person on a pedestal where they would be exposed and quickly brought down. Such an action would be totally unfair on them and it would do potentially irreparable damage to your EDI aims, not to mention their career aspirations and mental health.
In our case, we appointed a black candidate to the senior position using Section 159 as we wanted to diversify our Strategic Enabling Team. Both of the individuals who were being considered were informed and we then appointed, using Section 159. The person who was appointed still needed to be strong enough mentally to be able to deal with the additional scrutiny and expectation that comes with the use of Section 159 as, however receptive and supportive your culture may be, there will always be some people who view the appointment as being biased. We were successful as the individual concerned went on to be one of our most experienced managers, accepted, welcomed and valued by the service.
IC:
Thank you for being so open and honest with us, Wayne. Section 159 is clearly invaluable but you’ve made it very clear that it is far from an easy process to put in place. And should not be considered without the right environment. And it all starts with getting that right environment.
WB:
Absolutely – the whole workforce, right up to the very top, need educating and training to help them to make the first steps on the road towards achieving EDI in their workplace. Getting that support is so helpful and it is amazing how much companies can, and do, then help one another.
IC:
What’s next for EDI at WMFS?
WB:
As I say, EDI is an on-going process and journey and we must remain alert to outside influences, issues and areas that affect our staff and communities. One area we’re seeing as increasingly important is our support for neurodiverse individuals. What began with screening moved into focus groups which led to how we train and provide learning for our staff. It made us look at ourselves; ask difficult questions and re-evaluate how we provide information.
I’m a firm believer that if you can create an inclusive environment it will attract a diverse group of people. We received your training and support and I have also presented on behalf of Inclusive Companies which is a welcome opportunity to share our experience with others. It’s important to have the mirror held up to what you are doing while also accepting that nobody gets it right all the time and there is always more that can be done. WMFS is happy to be scrutinised and judged. We are equally happy to share our experiences and learn from each other.
To my mind, EDI in the workplace is really EDI in society. Which is somewhere we should all feel we belong.