The Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) has become the first government department to establish a staff faith forum.

The forum includes members of staff and the judiciary who are interested in understanding how faith is integrated into daily life, and particularly in work.


Faiths represented in the forum include Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists.


Speaking at the launch event last month, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, said: ‘The forum is a really important, significant step forward. It provides an opportunity to consider how faith interacts with working life. And, critically, it is an opportunity to promote respect for and awareness of different religious beliefs and perspectives.’


He added that the forum would help the DCA’s recruitment.


‘People want to work in a department where diversity and individual beliefs are recognised and protected,’ Lord Falconer said.


The DCA already has a number of staff networks that promote diversity: the PROUD network, for black and ethnic minority issues; the Rainbow network, looking at lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues; the disability network; the women’s issues network; and the network for caring for staff who are carers at home.