To wonder why the RNLI needs a full time equality and diversity officer

[NonSuchFun]

The RNLI is one of the most loved and respected charities, and clearly needs a professional management structure. However, its core work is done by volunteers who maintain lifeboat stations up and down the country, crewing the boats and responding to emergencies at sea. It is unfortunate that a public spat over the sacking of two Whitby lifeboat men, along with four others who have resigned in protest has coincided with an advertised full time position for an equality and diversity officer, on £40k approx a year.

I have no idea how many core employees the charity has but it surely can’t be that many. So I am left wondering how this new E&D person will occupy their time. It seems to me that if there is a need to bring the organisation up to date in this area that a one year temporary contract could cover it with a brief to set up an online e-learning package, ensure that every lifeboat station has one person designated local E&D representative and to hand the reins over to another person in management for ongoing responsibility. Outside contracts could be used for occasional reviews. Job done. I just can’t see what this person will be doing full time, year on year. My own work requires that I compete annual e-learning as did my previous employer, a large insurance company and as does my DH’s company. Why wouldn’t this suffice for the RNLI?

Many people are outraged at the salary - most of the lifeboat crew members live and work in small seaside towns up and down the country, I imagine they can only dream of such a salary. It takes a lot of tin rattling to bring in £40k a year.

Please enlighten me.

They're pretty much the wealthiest charity in the country, drop in the ocean. 🙄

(Excuse the pun)

Presumably for situations just like this.

@allegorical
If it's such an easy job why don't you do it?
Do you have any idea how hard it is to encourage ppl to welcome diversity and not be sexist or racist pricks? Or maybe you think racism and sexism don't exist?

If you don't understand a job it's so easy (and lazy) to dismiss it as being simple.

I feel quite sorry for the RNLI. Most charities have and need a paid staff base and a volunteer base to run.

Being a volunteer doesn't mean you can behave like a total wanker, and people making explicit porn images of colleagues are behaving like total wankers in my opinion.

I volunteer for a charity, much smaller than the RNLI, I'd be fucking appalled if anybody there did this to a colleague.

The bold statement in @Tanith 's post above says it all really. No business or charity should have to tolerate that sort of behaviour from their staff, not paid or volunteers.

40k a year? That is ridiculous

I don't see the problem. We don't have one because we're a very small charity, but given the work we all put in to ensure we comply with legislation (actually I'd say we go above and beyond what is legally required) I can see why a large organisation would find it easier just to employ someone.

I’m with Queen. Clearly they need one in situ quite urgently. I can’t think of any other working environment where this would be considered OK. Volunteers or not.

I wonder how many of the diversity-obsessed, politically correct pen-pushers at RNLI’s head office have ever voluntarily risked their own lives to save others?

I suspect we all know the answer to that one....

And have you Bonnie?

I wonder how many of the diversity-obsessed, politically correct pen-pushers at RNLI’s head office have ever voluntarily risked their own lives to save others?

You don’t get a free pass to behave like a giant bell-end because you do a noble job voluntarily. That’s not how this works

The law (and appropriate standards of behaviour) apply to everyone

What a waste of money for what is essentially a tick box job and not one that needs many qualifications or skills

I take real exception to this. I work in investment banking, I can absolutely assure you that dealing with E & D in my industry requires a huge amount of skill, experience and intelligence. It’s far from a tick box job.

Paul Boissier (RNLI Chief Executive) is a retired Naval Officer - worked his way up to Vice Admiral. He is emphatically not a pen pusher.

Remind us again of your own service to your country, Bonnie?

Wow, some interesting attitudes here! Good on RNLI as far as I'm concerned. Some things shouldn't ever be tolerated, and it's clear that this post is needed.

Where are you seeing this vacancy, because it doesn’t appear to be on their website?

Please enlighten me

I think you've been enlightened. I doubt you've listened.

The RNLI is a massive organisation with a full management structure and hierarchy, plus a pretty lavish HQ with a subsidised restaurant. Most orgs have this role, why wouldn’t they? They clearly need it.

This was a case of completely unacceptable sexism and sexual bullying of a female volunteer. How anyone can criticise the response of the RNLI, especially on a predominantly female forum, baffles me. I am a long time supporter of the RNLI and have directly benefited from their service. My direct debit would have been cancelled if, knowing the facts of this case, they had not responded so robustly. If the appointment of an E&D officer makes it a safer organisation for female volunteers, and ultimitely leads to more women volunteering, then it's money well spent.

Because if they didn't have one, some greedy ignoramus will sue them for .... yes, not having one .

Equality and diversity is also about recruitment and donations - RNLI will have a traditional base that they will be looking to widen, as all charities do. This could net the charity a lot more than the role costs.

Well said TooTrue. DH and I also have a DD set up which was at risk until I saw them take these robust steps. In this day and age, who really defends this sort of shit? Really?

I work in a notoriously male dominated, sexist industry, where banter is par for the course. But even my dinosaur colleagues accept the world has changed and it’s simply not acceptable anymore.

Volunteering for RNLI does not make one omnipotent in my view. Grateful as I am for the service they provide.

And I will add (finally) that this is undoubtedly a damage limitation PR exercise, run by their substantially better paid marketing director.

I couldn't agree more Allegorical.

I'm the race to find offense people need to look harder and harder. Who'd have thought that the term 'professionally offended' could even apply to a role within a charity. I can only imagine what kind of person would do this job.

I’ll ask again whether anyone can actually find this post being advertised? Google searches are throwing up nothing.