Correspondence: Stonewall, GIRES, Diversity Trust, ENEI, Rainbow Badge

Reference: 23-24391

Date response sent: 26/01/2024

Details of enquiry

1. what correspondence ( direct written communication via email or post ) you have had with Stonewall or /and gendered intelligence, GIRES and the diversity trust, employers network of equality and inclusion (ENEI), NHS rainbow badge scheme.
2. Please can you supply copies of any correspondence,that you have had with Stonewall or/and gendered intelligence, GIRES and the diversity trust. employers network of equality and inclusion( ENEI), NHS rainbow badge scheme.

Response sent

Our Directors have searched their emails for email correspondence relevant to your request, and have not found any for the period and subject matter requested.

Whilst nearly all of our current Executives joined the Trust during the period requested, we have relied not only on what is historically available to us via shared access folders and the files of the current executive but we have also conducted a search of the email archives of persons of influence, which we have taken to be our Executive Directors both current and past, who covered the roles listed below over the period December 2021 to December 2023.

The key word search consisted of the following terms:  ‘GIRES’, ‘Diversity Trust’, ‘Employers Network of Equality & Inclusion’ ‘(ENEI)’, ‘Rainbow Badge Scheme’.

The mailbox archives searched were:

• Current and Previous Chief People Officer and HR Directors
• Current and Previous Chief Executive
• Current and Previous Chair
• Current Director of our Gender Departments

The results of the searches did not produce any external correspondence with GIRES, the Diversity Trust, Employers Network of Equality & Incluion (ENEI), Rainbow Badge Scheme.  Therefore the Trust confirms that it does not hold the requested data.

Nevertheless Trust can confirm that we are a member of the Rainbow Badge Scheme, one of the subjects of your request, but the Trust Directors have not exchanged any correspondence on this over the last two years.

The Trust takes its EDI responsibilities very seriously, and we have taken the opportunity to provide details on our relationship with Inclusive Employers, an EDI organisation who have been supporting the Trust with inclusion expertise for several years, as evidenced in the attachments and descriptions below.  Whilst we do appreciate that this was not one of the organisations specified in your revised request, we are taking the opportunity to provide you with details of the EDI organisation we are currently engaging with.

The Trust has had a membership with Inclusive Employers over the last few years, and our EDI team liaise regularly with them.  They provide the Trust with training materials and guidance on EDI subjects via a monthly newsletter, highlighting topical issues and EDI initiatives, followed up by a (roughly) monthly on-line meeting for members to raise and discuss issues and advice.

1. Inclusive Employers
   1. The Trust renewed its annual membership with Inclusive Employers August 2023 at £2,950 excl VAT, per annum. They have been supporting the Trust with inclusion expertise including support on protected characteristics and delivery of training sessions for several years. They hold monthly on-line meetings, which are attended by either Trust’s Associate Director of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion and/or the Equality, Diversity and/or Inclusion Manager attend.
   2. Inclusive Employers provided on-line training to Trust Staff on 19/09/23 on the Topic ‘Celebrating Neurodiversity at Work’. This presentation cannot be provided as it is the property and copyright of Inclusive Employers and provided to us as a member.  There is a separate email 31/07/23 providing content descriptions and confirming date.
   3. Neurodiversity factsheets from Inclusive Employers to market upcoming training.
   4. Agreement to Inclusive Employers request to use Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust as a referee for upcoming NHS tender
2. We can confirm that the Trust is a member of the Rainbow Badge scheme, we do not have correspondence regarding this. Our membership was initiated by a former HR Director.
3. Email from Trust’s EDI Manager to Inclusive Employers asking for constructive feedback on Trust EIA training.