Data Policy
The National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) is a distributed centre and does not directly employ its staff. Human Resources (HR) departments at each NCAS site collect and monitor data for their staff, but for understandable reasons (including data protection) the data is not shared with NCAS and this is likely to remain the situation in the future.
The NCAS Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee (NEDI) and NCAS Management Board have recognised the need to collect staff data, on a voluntary basis, so that the NCAS staff cohort can be monitored for its diversity. This diversity data can be publicly viewed on the NCAS website, and underpins the continual improvement of organisational culture and relevant staff support.
Staff diversity data, alongside data detailing belonging and inclusion within NCAS, is collected through our biennial staff surveys. The collection, storage and analysis of this personal data is covered by the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), to maintain an individual’s rights to confidentiality.
This EDI data policy sets out the procedures agreed by the NCAS Management Board for all aspects of EDI data collection, storage and analysis.
Data collection
- All provision of staff data relating to protected characteristics is voluntary; no member of staff will be required to provide the data, and they will not be treated differently if they choose not to provide it.
- Data will be collected through through the biennial staff survey via a secure Google Form.
- All data requested through the survey has been approved by the Head of People, EDI and Workforce Development, the People Team and the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
- Entries will be stored in a secure spreadsheet on the People Team shared google drive, with access only grated to the Head of People, EDI and Workforce Development, and the Workforce Development Manager.
- Any material changes to the survey must be approved by the People Team, and sufficient notice be given to staff members (at least two weeks) so that if they wish, staff may delete their entries before any further analysis of the data is performed.
- All data entries will be anonymised and only data with 5 or more entries will be analysed.
- Staff members will have the opportunity to update their anonymised data every 2 years.
- Every diversity data item will have a ‘prefer not to say’ option.
- Anonymised staff data entries relating to protected characteristics will only be accessible by the People Team.
Data analysis
- All data is anonymised, as agreed by the NCAS Management Board, the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee and the People Team. Any identifiable data due to small site numbers will not be analysed.
- The analysis will be performed by the People Team, with the use of secure Artificial Intelligence tool Co-pilot where required, in line with host institution University of Leeds guidance.
- Analysis that drills deeper e.g. to the level of NCAS science programmes or sites will not be reported publicly if the population of the result falls below a level that allows the possibility of identification-discovery.