Civil Service Race Forum
Updated 11 November 2024
The Civil Service Race Forum (CSRF) is a collaborative group of Civil Service BAME staff networks working towards advancing diversity and equality for ethnic minorities in the Civil Service, partner organisations and its arms-length bodies.
Our聽aims are to:
- identify race equality issues that affect civil servants and promote the resolution of聽these issues
- work collaboratively to test concepts, evidence and approaches that聽advance racial diversity and equality
- be a source of information and expertise about leading diversity practices, materials,聽products and tools
- liaise with stakeholders across sectors with a view to聽sharing resources and/or ideas聽regarding issues of race equality
- develop and support capability across Whitehall departments鈥� and agencies鈥� ethnic minority staff networks and their champions and sponsors
- provide support for each other鈥檚 wellbeing in the workplace
- support the delivery of Civil Service reform, capabilities and other Civil-Service-wide plans
- act in an advisory role to the leadership of the Civil Service on issues and policies聽addressing racial diversity and equality
The five principles of the Civil Service Race Forum
- We will be honest with ourselves, with our sponsors and champions and with our聽stakeholders.
- We will do things once, so our efforts can be shared widely for local adaptation and adoption.
- We will take an evidence-based approach and promote leading practice wherever it聽is found.
- We will act and speak with one voice.
- We will uphold the Civil Service standards.
Leadership
Following the outcome of the CSRF elections in March 2020, Sharon Lo and Justin Placide (Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) were elected to Co-Chair CSRF. Grace Moronfolu (Crown Prosecution Service) was elected as Deputy Co-Chair of CSRF. They will serve for a one-year term of office, until March 2021.
Executive Committee
The CSRF is made up of an Executive Committee (ExCo) who set the strategic direction for CSRF and lead their workstreams. The ExCo comprises and Secretariat team leads for policy, capacity building, BAME support, external outreach, events, comms and secretariat.
ExCo positions will be taken up by the BAME Network Chair/Co-Chair or their nominated representatives.
CSRF membership
CSRF is open to membership for BAME networks of central government departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies with civil servants.
You can stay updated with CSRF鈥檚 work by:
- (for chairs, co-chairs and deputy chairs of race networks), or
- registering to join the (for individual members of race networks)
Quarterly network leaders鈥� meetings
Although the CSRF Terms of Reference call for quarterly meetings for network leaders, the CSRF leadership team aim to hold these sessions every 6 to 8 weeks for increased transparency and accountability.
These meetings are an opportunity for chairs and deputy chairs of departmental race networks to share best practice, discuss CSRF positions on various issues, network with one another, and hear from guest speakers.
News and updates
National Day for Staff Networks (13 May):聽our network of members across the Civil Service provide support to employees and constructive challenge to our respective departments. We are #addingvalue and #makingworkbetter for all staff. 聽.
(15 April): CSRF were particularly pleased to see Government Chief People Officer Rupert McNeil鈥檚 blog, which acknowledged the importance of staff networks, particularly in providing support during the coronavirus.
Contact
For any enquiries, please email [email protected].