Sexual Harassment Review: March Update
Last December, the Sexual Harassment Review: Final Report was released to staff. This highlighted how Corrections could strengthen its approach to preventing and responding to sexual harassment across the organisation. Corrections accepted all six recommendations outlined in the report.
Our Code of Conduct outlines the standards of behaviour expected from all staff. We are committed to doing better for our staff and making sure we have a culture where sexual harassment is not tolerated. We also want to ensure that the way we respond to disclosures of sexual harassment is fit for purpose, empathetic, timely, and fair.
To better ensure we have clear and consistent processes where people feel safe to report behaviour, raise concerns, and speak up, immediate changes to the internal intranet have been implemented. A ‘Sexual Harassment’ landing page has been set up to provide easier navigation to sexual harassment information and resources, people leader guidance, support systems, and our staff reporting initiative - speak up.
The taskforce established to address recommendations of the independent sexual harassment review has been formally named the Sexual Harassment Working Group (SHWG). The SHWG is developing a plan to implement the accepted recommendations outlined in the review. The plan will focus on long term culture change while also prioritising short-term actions on reporting, response, and training to ensure Corrections is addressing the immediate needs of our staff.
A staff learning needs assessment is currently underway to identify how we can best deliver effective and meaningful training on the topic of sexual harassment. This will be aligned with work already undertaken, such as the Ara Tika review (due to be completed with the report finalised in late May), resources included in the recently launched Leadership Development Framework, and our wider staff training priorities.
A Sexual Harassment Reference Group (SHRG) will be set up to support Corrections’ response to the review by providing diverse staff perspectives and advice on response initiatives. This will better ensure initiatives remain relevant, inclusive, and informed by the needs of the workforce and unique working environments across Corrections. Corrections is currently seeking staff expressions of interest. If you would like to be considered, please email SHRG EOI.
To ensure Corrections is held to account and is implementing best practice improvements, an external advisory panel is also being established. The panel will provide specialist, expert advice on how Corrections can best improve its systems and support staff in a way that is people centred, and trauma informed. External members have been identified, and we expect to have the panel formally established by 30 June 2025.
In February 2025, 120 leaders from across the motu attended the Leaders Forum, where sexual harassment was a key focus. Senior leaders from Corrections shared their reflections after reading the report, to detail what the findings meant to them and their business groups. Leaders were then split into small groups to share their own reflections in a safe space. Key insights from the discussions included:
- owning the review as leaders
- the critical role leaders play in culture change
- ensuring our sites and workplaces have safe spaces for discussion
- the importance of knowing your team
- the role a leader plays in encouraging staff to speak up
- shutting down inappropriate conversations
- seeking feedback from your team
- taking appropriate action where harassment is identified.
Leaders were asked to use these reflections and insights to consider what they can do immediately to begin to shift the culture, experiences, and responses to sexual harassment within their area of responsibility.
Any form of sexual harassment is unacceptable and has no place at Corrections. We are committed to being a workplace where everyone feels safe – and is safe – at work.