The role of Senior Management

inclusion: Accommodating spouses/partners :
The role of senior management

Tips and Tools

Domestic Partner Agreements

IITA Community Resources
Center

IRRI Family Services Center

G&D initiatives to support
CGIAR spouses/partners

Direct appointments

Consultancies

Fellowships

Appointment to advertized vacancies

Couple appointments

A guide for spouses/partners: what to ask

1 Senior management is responsible for establishing policies and practices to accommodate spouses and partners that are appropriate to the Center’s work, workforce and cultural standards across its geographic locations.

2 These responsibilities include:
(a) establishing a Center policy on accommodating spouses/partners across the Center’s headquarters, regional and country stations;
(b) communicating to all Center staff the strategic importance of accommodating spouses/partners;
(c) ensuring that the Center’s HR group has sufficient resources to provide appropriate support to spouses/partners and holding HR accountable for delivery;
(d) providing support for a Center spouse/partner committee; and
(e) seeking periodic reports from HR on issues relating to spouses/partners, particularly where those issues impact the Center’s ability to attract and retain valuable staff.

Establishing a Center policy on ACCOMMODATING SPOUSES/PARTNERS
3 The model policy provided in these guidelines recommends language to cover:

Center management’s commitment to accommodating spouses and partners;
defining the range of practices that support the Center’s overall policy for accommodating spouses and partners.

4 In addition, it proposes a number of options for supporting spouses/partners. Not all of these options will be relevant or workable for every Center. Some may require adaptation to meet local, regional or Center needs. Centers should choose practices that can be applied effectively, either as a Center-wide ongoing policy, or as a trial across the entire Center or in specific geographic locations. Also, Centers may well identify other practices that can enhance the lives of the spouses and partners of their staff.

providing support for a Center spouse/partner committee
5 The Sample Practice Spouse/Partner Committee provides a draft description of the committee including its role, functions and relationships with Center HR. It indicates that senior management support is necessary for establishing and sustaining such a committee and, where applicable, subcommittees at regional and country duty stations. Senior management also must make any decisions about financial support for committee initiatives

seeking periodic reports from HR on issues relating to spouses/partners
6 Spouse/partner issues impact on the Center’s ability to attract and retain valuable staff. Consequently, HR should report periodically to senior management about relevant spouse/partner issues and the need for modified or enhanced policies to accommodate them. Such reports should be separate from, but complementary to, periodical overview staffing reports provided by HR to senior management.