This is the fifth year the Human Rights Commission has reviewed and analysed the reporting of good employer obligations by Crown entities.
Under the Crown Entities Act 2004, Crown entities are required to be ―good employers‖(section 118). Under section 151(1)(g) they must include in their annual reports" information on compliance with the obligation to be a good employer including its equal opportunities programme".
The Commission‘s advice is that it is not enough for a Crown entity to state in its Annual Report that the obligation to be a ―good employer‖ has been met or that it has an Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) programme in place. A Crown entity must provide evidence of compliance.
In July 2011 the Human Rights Commission held a ‗Good employer writing clinic‘ to assist Crown entities in their reporting of good employer initiatives. The workshop was attended by 22 of the 96 Crown entities.
Feedback from participants was positive illustrated by one participant‘s feedback who said the clinic provided, "Practical suggestions of how reporting can be enhanced in a way that is easy to create and design". All who attended the clinic have improved reporting in this year‘s analysis.
This review of the Crown entities‘ Annual Reports analyses the reporting of the good employer obligation and EEO across seven organisational features:
- Leadership, accountability and culture
- Recruitment, selection and induction
- Employee development, promotion and exit
- Flexibility and work design
- Remuneration, recognition and conditions
- Harassment and bullying prevention
- Safe and healthy environment
Purpose
The aims of the review were to examine:
- whether Crown entities reported as required in their Annual Reports;
- what they reported;
- what evidence was supplied;
- responses to survey questions.
Methodology
All 96 Crown entities were sent letters in November 2011 requesting a copy of their latest Annual Reports.
The Commission also sent a survey asking Crown entities to identify their gender pay gap, indicate the number of Māori staff and Māori senior managers they employed, and to rank the seven good employer elements in terms of which elements they felt they needed the most additional help and guidance to achieve better performance and progress.