Common Purpose’s About Time campaign to get more and more people involved in public appointments, from across a diverse range of backgrounds, walks of life, experiences and opinions has a celebrity champion! Bonnie Greer is one of the Government Equalities Office’s Diversity Ambassadors, and is doing a fantastic job at raising issues of board diversity in the national media.

In addition to the video above, Bonnie is interviewed in The Guardian’s Society section this week, talking about why it is so important for people who aren’t the ‘usual suspects’ to think about contributing to public boards, and sharing her experiences of board life. Read the article here

Bonnie suggests diversifying boards defeats complacency. It is not she says, about defeating inequality, but about keeping boards fluid. This has been at the heart of About Time since it began, boards need the breadth diversity brings to help them spot opportunities and trends. It’s not about ticking boxes, but about ensuring that the most talented individuals are appointed to board positions, to challenge the board, and stop them getting complacent.

Last week, I went to the Government Equalities Office’s launch of their new Ambassadors for Public Appointments network, and the two new development courses we’re running in partnership with them. The venue was packed, and the atmosphere fantastic, as Maria Eagle and Bonnie Greer issued their call for action, highlighting the importance of public boards in making decisions, and the importance of having individuals with a diverse range of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives on every board.

Speaking to the ambassadors from across the country, of many different backgrounds, ages and with a wealth of experience between them, it was clear that everyone of them had learnt a great deal from their non-executive experience, and had acquired skills and confidence that they used in all aspects of their lives. The benefits of taking up a public appointment are many – for both the communities and wider society that the boards work with, and as part of your continual learning and development.

It would be great to hear what you’ve learnt through your non-exec roles. Have you developed new skills? Were you expecting this or has some of it been a surprise for you?

If you’d like to get involved, to take the first step of your non-exec carrier, or to make the leap to holding a more senior regional or national public appointment, why not apply for one of our About Time Public Leaders Courses.

In her recently published Annual Report for 2008/09, Janet Gaymer, the Commissioner for Public Appointments, outlined her commitment to the development of OCPA’s ongoing diversity and talent strategy.

The report detailed the Commissioners intention to continue to identify the particular issues affecting under-represented groups, and to develop practical tools to assist potential applicants from these groups. In 2008 the Commissioner was given new powers to promote diversity in public appointments, and seems determined to do all she can to make sure those appointed to public bodies are ‘drawn from the broadest possible sources of talent in society’, in the last year of her tenure.

The report also details some statistics relating to public appointments, and particularly the diversity of appointees, and the need for the development of the talent pipeline from those groups currently under-represented in public appointments becomes clear.

Whilst the report shows a slight increase in the number of women appointed or reappointed to public boards in 2008/09 on the previous year, the levels were still significantly less than the numbers recorded between 2001 and 2003. There was also a slight percentage increase in the numbers of ethnic minority candidates appointed or reappointed, up to 7.9% from 7.7% the previous year. The numbers of candidates declaring a disability fell from 4.6% in 2007/08 to 3.95 in 2008/09.The average age of appointees and reappointees continues to be between 46 and 65, with only 2% being below 35.

In the reporting year, there were 2,417 appointments and reappointments to bodies within OCPA’s remit. 1359 of these were new appointments, and 1058 reappointments. Having over 43% of reappointments certainly makes it difficult to redress any issues of diversity, and does seem to suggest that boards tend not be looking for new board members with fresh ideas, opinions and perspectives. Maybe current tenure lengths aren’t long enough to have a real impact, and board members feel they still have more to give. However, if we are to try and increase the diversity of boards, and alter their makeup significantly, the emphasis will need to shift to new appointments, and the Commissioner’s intention to increase the talent pool of diversity of the pool of applicants to these posts will be crucial.

The report sets out some of the Commissioner’s plans, including a pilot cross-sectoral mentoring scheme, a commitment to maintain the principle of selection on merit and focus groups and meetings with organisations interested in different aspects of diversity. What other suggestions do you have? How would you help to increase the talent pipeline?

So why is diversity so important in board appointments? Respondents to a Common Purpose survey on diversity of representation in public appointments, felt that it was of vital importance that boards be composed of individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds, sectors, ethnicities, different genders, political persuasions, experience and sexuality.

Diverse boards, respondents wrote, would be
• better at making decisions,
• more open to innovation and creativity, and
• have a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities they faced

To be effective I believe boards need to reflect the diversity of the societies they are representing, giving them not only an understanding of different cultures, but also an appreciation of difference. This would also lead to increased community cohesion, more positive role models for those in less represented groups, and an increased confidence in agencies and the public sector as a whole.

And the government clearly agrees, with the recent announcement of diversity targets in public appointments. Harriet Harman, Minister for Women and Equality, recently announced a cross government drive to increase the number of women, black, Asian and minority (BAME) ethnic people and disabled people on the boards of public bodies. The aim is that by 2011, 50% of new appointments will be women, 14% will be disabled people and 11% will be ethnic minorities, bringing the boards of public bodies inline with the demographic make up of the UK.

But does this go far enough? Should the targets extend to making sure national boards are well represented with individuals from across the country and with people from different ages and different socio-economic backgrounds? And how do we make sure that there is a pool of talented people ready and waiting to apply for these public appointments as they become available.

Whilst these targets have been welcomed by some, others will feel that targets may not be the appropriate way to make sure boards are diverse. Should people be chosen wholly on their minority status? How can we make sure that the best person is picked for a board appointment, based on skills and talent? How can we make sure that diversity of representation becomes a reality?

What else could we be doing to make these figures real? Do you think that targets are the best way of ensuring board diversity?