Action 4.10: Support diversity and inclusion in CFA and make progress towards delivering on the commitment to increasing the number of women in brigade leadership roles to 15 per cent.
Action objective: CFA values a diverse and inclusive workforce, reflecting the community they serve.
Lead agency: CFA
| Year Two to Five Plan (November 2021) completion date | Year Two to Five Plan (updated May 2023) completion date | Agency reported status as at 30 June 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| June 2025 | June 2025 | Completed |
Context
This action requires CFA to meet its commitment to increase the number of women in brigade leadership roles to 15 per cent in Year Two of the reform. CFA’s continued focus is on increasing the number of women in brigade leadership roles and this remains a measure in the CFA Strategy and Outcomes Framework.
Progress summary
As at 30 June 2023, CFA reported this action as completed but had not submitted the acquittal form. CFA met its commitment to increase the number of women in brigade leadership roles to 15 per cent in Year Two of the reform.[67]
CFA’s work to strengthen diversity and inclusion continues and is broader than this one measure. The D&I Strategy, endorsed by CFA Executive and Board and launched in March 2023, is publicly available on CFA’s website.[68] CFA developed a draft diversity and inclusion module to support the D&I Strategy implementation and a plain English version of the D&I Strategy is being finalised.
Findings
FSIM finds action 4.10 is implemented, acknowledging that CFA is embedding diversity and inclusion to drive positive change that reflects their organisational values and behaviours. This activity is long-term and complex and extends beyond the life of the Year Two to Five Plan.
FSIM observes from CFA’s quarterly outcomes progress reporting that the number of women in brigade leadership roles continues to increase, with 17.5 per cent of volunteer leadership roles filled by women in Q4 FY 2022-23.
In FSIM’s Annual Report 2021/22, FSIM highlighted that agencies had opportunities to build more comprehensive data and measures to deliver outcomes for diverse groups.[69] FSIM notes that goals one and five have a particular focus on diversity and inclusion data to improve understanding of membership and uncover potential barriers and notes that the focus on data improvements in the D&I Strategy helps to address findings in FSIM’s Annual Report 2021/22.
FSIM notes that CFA undertook significant consultation with members in developing the D&I Strategy and developed a communications plan to guide consistent messaging on implementation progress and actions. These activities to embed diversity and inclusion as part of everyday business align with CFA’s activity to develop an Engagement Framework (action 1.1).
As the action was completed in the reporting period, FSIM has not yet undertaken an assessment of effectiveness against the action objective.
Footnotes
[67] Fire Services Implementation Monitor, 2023, Fire Services Implementation Monitor Annual Report 2021/22, Victorian Government, viewed 8 August 2023, https://www.vic.gov.au/fire-services-implementation-monitor-annual-report-2021-22, pg. 107-108.
[68] Country Fire Authority, 2023, Diversity and Inclusion CFA Strategy 2023-2025, Country Fire Authority, viewed 8 August 2023, https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/about-us/who-we-are/diversity-and-inclusion
[69] Fire Services Implementation Monitor, 2023, Fire Services Implementation Monitor Annual Report 2021/22, Victorian Government, viewed 8 August 2023, https://www.vic.gov.au/fire-services-implementation-monitor-annual-report-2021-22, pg. 107.
Updated