State of the Nation: Diversity in Public Appointments in Scotland (MAIN REPORT)

The Ethical Standards Commissioner has a statutory obligation to publish and promote a strategy to encourage increased board diversity and to consult widely in preparing it. The previous strategy was published in 2008, and it is therefore now being updated, shaping Scotland’s future approach to diversity in Public Appointments. 

The Commissioner contracted with a consultancy firm, Leading Kind, in order to assist with the work of revising the diversity strategy, and the first part of the contract was to produce a “State of the Nation” report, intended to: 

• Review the progress achieved under Diversity Delivers.
• Examine shifts in Scottish society, law, policy, and workplace culture since 2008.
• Assess the effectiveness of public appointment practices.
• Draw on data analysis, literature review, and interviews to identify barriers and enablers to greater diversity.
• Offer prompts and perspectives to guide stakeholder consultation.