NFCC Culture Conference 2024 unites fire service leaders to address cultural challenges

The second NFCC Culture Conference, held on July 15-16 in Birmingham, gathered leaders and practitioners from the Fire and Rescue Service along with other stakeholders to address cultural challenges within the UK Fire and Rescue Service.

The event aimed to share learning and identify actions to improve inclusivity and diversity across the sector.

Chief Fire Officer Kath Billing of Cornwall FRS and NFCC EDI Lead opened the conference, highlighting the need for an inclusive work environment.

NFCC Chair Mark Hardingham emphasized listening to those with lived experiences of negative aspects of fire service culture, underscoring the importance of honesty in addressing these issues.

Anthea Sully, CEO of White Ribbon and chair of the NFCC Independent Challenge and Support Panel, delivered the keynote address, drawing parallels between White Ribbon’s prevention work and the need for cultural reform in the fire sector.

HMICFRS’s Roy Wilsher presented an update on the State of FRS report, noting improvements in some services due to effective leadership.

However, he also pointed out ongoing issues with diversity and inclusion affecting trust and confidence.

Martin Jefferies from the Defence Academy emphasized the necessity of inclusive leadership for driving culture change.

New initiatives and tools for cultural improvement

The conference also focused on the NFCC Culture Action Plan and tools to support a more inclusive and safer workplace.

CFO Rob Barber discussed the Direct Entry programme, which aims to introduce new ideas by bringing in experienced professionals at the station manager level.

Barber stated: “We can bring new ideas into the sector that drive change and challenge the status quo.”

Three new resources were introduced to aid in cultural improvement: the Culture Dashboard Methodology, the Health and Wellbeing Strategic Framework, and the Challenging Inappropriate Behaviour Toolkit.

These tools are designed to help services understand and improve their culture, promote health and wellbeing, and empower employees to address harmful behaviour.

Interactive sessions during the conference allowed participants to engage with these new resources and discuss their implementation, along with previously launched toolkits on menopause, religion and belief, and disability.

Imagining our future – inclusive culture

Day two of the conference began with a presentation by Siobhan Melia, CEO of Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust.

She discussed the importance of systematic change across the ecosystem to transform culture, balancing people metrics with performance metrics.

Her session offered practical lessons on cultural change in complex organisations.

Representatives from the Inclusive Fire Service Group (IFSG), including Ben Selby of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and Sarah Ward from the Local Government Association (LGA), discussed the history and initiatives of IFSG.

They highlighted the need for proactive collaboration to move from reports and surveys to actionable solutions.

Case studies from CFOs Andy Roe, Ben Ansell, and Stuart Millington showcased responses to independent culture reviews, detailing improvement plans and challenges faced.

The lived experience panel, chaired by NFCC CEO Susannah Hancock, featured representatives from key organisations sharing personal stories and cultural priorities.

The session emphasized the need for ongoing dialogue and regular meetings to shape NFCC’s work.

Continuing the journey towards cultural change

The conference concluded with NFCC Chair Mark Hardingham reiterating the priority of culture and inclusion.

He stressed the importance of partnership in achieving the necessary changes.

The NFCC Culture Conference highlighted the progress made and the critical steps needed to foster a more inclusive culture within the UK Fire and Rescue Services.

The commitment to work together to deliver lasting cultural change was reaffirmed as the conference drew to a close.