The proposals in this new strategy mark the start of a long journey for the RCN, and how we are developing as an organisation. The activities reveal how we’ll become a more diverse, inclusive, and reflective organisation that truly understands and represents our members.
It’s our ambition to be the exemplar nursing union and professional body embedding consideration, reflection and impactful action on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) into all decisions and activity.
Our priorities to achieve this are:
- ensuring every leader takes accountability for EDI
- advocating more clearly and more successfully for all people in our membership
- diversifying our leadership and governance to show the change and drive it forward
- influencing powerfully on the widest range of issues affecting the greatest number of members
- fighting with conviction to change the working environments of nursing staff.
Professor Nicola Ranger, Acting RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, said: “Equity is our clear ambition; diversity is our underused asset; inclusion is our future.
“If we can deliver what we set out to do, the organisation will be known for taking an active stance against both institutional and individual acts of discrimination in all forms.
“This work has been co-produced with nursing staff investing in its success – this is our only route to meaningful change.”
For things to feel and be different, members said they want the RCN to advocate for them; reflect them; connect them; support them; understand them; develop them; and strengthen the RCN for them.
Nicola said: “I’m grateful to our partners in this work, Half the Sky, for their advice, research and thorough engagement of our membership and thank those members who contributed personally or in group sessions.
“In the years ahead, I’ll continue to ask for your views and experiences as we move forward on this new path together. We must stay the course.”
Read the strategy.
