Crown Prosecution Service

35 BEING RENOWNED FOR FAIRNESS, EXCELLENT CAREER OPPORTUNITIESAND THE COMMITMENT AND SKILLS OF ALL OUR PEOPLERepresentative WorkforceThe CPS Annual Equalities in Employment Report2005-06 was published in April 2007. The reportshows a significant increase in the number of seniorwomen and Black and Minority Ethnic employees inthe past year. The number of female CPS employeesat Senior Civil Service level has increased from33.3% to 45.2%, with female CCPs increasingfrom 24.5% to 26.5%. In April 2006, Black andMinority Ethnic employees made up 15.2% of allCPS employees, exceeding the Labour Force Survey(December 2005) benchmark by 2.3%.Maximising AttendanceThe CPS remains committed to reducing the level ofsickness absence. For April 2006 - March 2007 theCPS absence rate was 8.7 days per employee, aslight increase from 8.6 from the previous financialyear. The CPS is now engaged on a programme toembed a culture of proactive ‘attendance’management. The introduction of the CarefirstContracts (providing professional counselling servicesto CPS staff and their dependants), were the firststeps and these are being supplemented by animproved occupational health service and HRinterventions. This has resulted in a reduction of ‘verylong-term’ absences during 2006. Work has alsobegun to pilot workshops relating to themanagement of stress within the workplace.Equality and DiversityThe CPS published its first Single Equality Scheme2006-10 on 4 December 2006. The Scheme setsout the Disability Equality actions that the CPS willundertake in order to meet its statutory dutyunder the Disability Discrimination Act. TheScheme builds on the CPS Race Equality Scheme2005-08 and sets out Gender Equality Actions.The Scheme also incorporates equality anddiversity actions in respect of age, religion orbelief and sexuality and gender identity.DPP, Ken Macdonald QC said "My vision for aworld-class service on equality and diversitydelivered through the Single Equality Scheme ispart and parcel of my wider vision for CPS. Wehave identified the overall equality goals andoutcomes we aim to achieve. These are at theheart of our Single Equality Scheme."Members of the CPS Equality and Diversity Unit