Commissioning Guide 6
How to commission an EDI strategy
An EDI strategy establishes an organisation's priorities, objectives and approach to improving equality, diversity and inclusion over a defined period.
1. What is this service?
A useful strategy should connect ambition to implementation.
The output should not simply be a strategy document.
2. When might you commission it?
- existing strategy has expired
- priorities have changed
- previous activity has lacked coordination
- leadership wants a clearer direction
- audit findings identify significant gaps
- organisational strategy has changed
- progress needs to be reset.
3. Before you commission
Ask:
- What is our organisational strategy?
- What evidence do we have?
- What previous EDI work has happened?
- What worked?
- What did not?
- Who owns EDI?
- What resources are available?
- What can realistically change?
- What needs leadership approval?
4. Define your brief
Specify:
- strategic period
- organisational scope
- evidence to review
- stakeholder groups
- consultation
- strategic priorities
- implementation requirements
- governance
- measures
- outputs.
5. What to ask providers
- How will you develop priorities?
- How will you use evidence?
- How will you involve stakeholders?
- How will you align the strategy with organisational objectives?
- How will you prioritise?
- How will you develop measures?
- How will you support implementation?
- What happens after the strategy is approved?
6. How to compare proposals
Assess:
- strategic thinking
- evidence approach
- organisational understanding
- stakeholder engagement
- implementation capability
- measurement
- practicality
- relevant experience.
7. What good looks like
- Where are we now?
- Where do we need to get to?
- What will we prioritise?
- Who is accountable?
- What resources are required?
- How will we know we are making progress?
8. Things to watch out for
- generic commitments
- too many priorities
- no ownership
- no resources
- no measures
- strategy disconnected from organisational objectives
- ‘launch’ treated as the end of the project.
9. What should you receive?
- evidence review
- stakeholder findings
- strategic framework
- priorities
- objectives
- implementation roadmap
- governance model
- measures
- communications plan.
10. After commissioning
Agree:
- assign owners
- approve resources
- establish governance
- establish reporting
- communicate priorities
- agree review dates.