Home > Integrated Care Board > About us > Equality, diversity and inclusion > We are inclusive: living our values > Roadmap of action

Active leadership commitment

Our commitments are to…

  • Strengthen the knowledge of our leadership on EDI
  • Embed Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion as core elements of the consultation process, and thereafter, in the organisation’s business as usual (BAU)

The actions to achieve our commitments

In year one (2026/27):

  • Continue active discussion of EDI considerations at SMT throughout the consultation period, supported by the established role of the Executive Equalities SRO
  • Continue to include Equality and Health Inequalities as standing agenda items in committees and sub-committees

Across the duration of the strategy*:

  • Further increase Board awareness of EDI requirements and activities
  • Further involve the ICB leadership in statutory monitoring and reporting
  • Explore externally provided Inclusive Leadership training
  • Recruit and activate ICB EDI champions
  • Identify executive sponsors for staff networks
  • Enhance leadership attendance at staff networks

Embedding our status as an inclusive employer

Our commitments are to…

  • Navigate the ICB change progress, whilst continuing to meet EDI requirements, including Equality Impact Assessments (EIAs) in 2026/27, throughout the ICB Change Programme and restructure
  • Create a recruitment process which is accessible and inclusive to increase representation within the organisation
  • Present the ICB as an attractive employer, to attract talent and increase representation within the organisation

The actions to achieve our commitments

In year one (2026/27):

  • Implement and promote the ICB EIA process
  • Undertake 2-stage consultation EIA on proposed changes
  • Provide HR/OD drop-in sessions throughout change programme
  • Review training and support to ensure interview panels are inclusive
  • Provide suite of EDI training to support staff through change
  • Continue provision of mandatory EDI training on unconscious bias (which includes micro-incivilities and micro-aggressions) for Band 4 roles and above.

Across the duration of the strategy*:

  • Take forward recommended enhancements to ICB recruitment processes e.g. promoting inclusion by amending the standard text in ICB job descriptions

Progressing careers and talent development

Our commitments are to…

  • Understand colleagues’ experiences of career progression and act on the feedback they provide
  • Introduce EDI training and resources, making us a compelling and inclusive employer

The actions to achieve our commitments

In year one (2026/27):

  • Review staff check in survey results to understand colleague experiences
  • Review data and feedback from exit interviews
  • Invite guest presenters to discuss career journeys when speaking at EDI forums
  • Continue gender pay gap report and implement action plan

Across the duration of the strategy*:

  • Re-introduce in-person inductions with EDI element
  • Improve uptake of EDI objectives in staff appraisals
  • Introduce ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting and improvement plans

Tackling bullying and harassment

Our commitments are to…

  • Support the ICB to develop an organisational culture of safety and inclusion
  • Empower and support ICB colleagues to feel safe when speaking up about experiences of bullying and harassment and to report them

The actions to achieve our commitments

In year one (2026/27):

  • Review safe spaces and consider further ways to engage with and address concerns of staff
  • Continue with provision of mandatory EDI training on unconscious bias (which includes micro-incivilities and micro-aggressions) for Band 4 roles and above
  • Strengthen and promote the speaking up process
  • Implement the Sexual Safety Charter

Across the duration of the strategy*:

  • Procure and deliver anti-racism training sessions

Building staff support, health, and wellbeing

Our commitments are to…

  • Ensure EDI is embedded in the ICB Change Programme, via the organisations’ staff support offers
  • Foster an inclusive and equitable workplace where all colleagues feel valued, supported, empowered and enabled to thrive

The actions to achieve our commitments

In year one (2026/27):

  • Amend the focus of ICB Equalities Forums to change-relevant topics
  • Develop and deliver EDI training for the change programme
  • Promote staff networks as safe spaces to discuss change
  • Hold an Equalities Forum on antisemitism
  • Implement in-house solutions and support e.g. workplace adjustments, allyship and compassion training
  • Review mental health first aiders and ensure they represent a range of backgrounds
  • Support the promotion of wider health initiatives

Across the duration of the strategy*:

  • Review ICB menopause policy and develop action plan

Service planning and engagement

Our commitments are to…

  • Ensure planning and commissioning of health services is inclusive, and care pathways and services are co-designed with people and communities, particularly communities who are marginalised and under-served

The actions to achieve our commitments

In year one (2026/27):

  • Define EDI and engagement as enablers to strategic commissioning, incl. interdependencies with ICB Health Inequalities and Population Health Management workstreams
  • Formal launch and rollout of EIA programme, including training offer
  • Development of EIAs to inform engagement plans for/with our people and communities
  • Develop an EDI resource for procurement exercises

Across the duration of the strategy*:

  • Engage staff networks in review of priority EIAs
  • Undertake the Equality Delivery System for a minimum of two service reviews for Domain 1: Commissioned or Provided Services.

Training, learning and development

Our commitments are to…

  • Build capacity and competency in all areas of EDI
  • Promote intersectionality to deepen understanding of people’s unique experiences of discrimination

The actions to achieve our commitments

In year one (2026/27):

  • Use training needs analysis findings to understand EDI learning and development priorities
  • Design and delivery of comprehensive training offer, including EIA, workplace adjustments, allyship, EDI awareness, compassionate working, micro-incivilities, inclusive recruitment, line manager training and personal development sessions.
  • Staff networks to promote discussions on intersectionality
  • Staff to complete mandatory EDI training; updated to include antisemitism, Islamophobia and antiracism (timescale for completion dependent on national launch and rollout)

Across the duration of the strategy*:

  • Procure specialist expertise to support effective anti-racism culture change.

*Actions with an asterisk apply after ICB change has been implemented e.g. once the new operating model has been established.

Read the sections of the strategy below

 

EDI strategy 2026-2029Why we need an EDI strategyOur workforceWhere are we on our path to inclusion?Our EDI strategy and objectivesCauses of discriminationHow the strategy applies in south east LondonGovernanceThe futureGlossary of terms used in this strategy
Back to the Equality, diversity and inclusion page
South East London Integrated Care System

Visit ICS Website

Find out more