One minute guide: Cultural Cohesion Quality Mark

What is the Cultural Cohesion Quality Mark

The Cultural Cohesion Quality Mark (CCQM) is awarded to organisations and individuals who can demonstrate improvements in the cultural responsiveness of their service delivery.

The aim of the CCQM is to improve equality, reduce discrimination, and enable equitable access to opportunities for every citizen. The CCQM supports organisations and individuals to reflect on their services and improve the knowledge, understanding and practices that support work, wellbeing, enjoyment and quality of life for adults and children.

The Council’s vision for Leeds is to be the best council in the best city, to reduce inequalities, understand and address causes of unfairness, and ensure equity of outcomes for all. The task of creating a culturally cohesive society in which all individuals and communities live side by side harmoniously, feeling respected, safe, valued, and having equal opportunities for personal success and fulfilment, is complex. The CCQM provides a framework to increase and embed culturally positive attitudes and behaviour into practices and structures, and reduce segregation and inequality across communities in Leeds and beyond.

The CCQM was developed through a cross-council collaboration involving Elected Members, Voice, Influence and Change, Communities & Environment, and external partners such as Voluntary Action Leeds and West Yorkshire Police, and is led by Children and Families

Who the CCQM has been developed for

The CCQM has been designed for individuals within all organisations, both locally & nationally, including local government, private businesses, religious institutions, educational establishments, public sector organisations, and local communities.

The aim is to encourage participation from multiple sectors including - criminal justice, education, employment, health, housing, political engagement and business, including third sector organisations - both in Leeds and beyond.

How organisations get involved with the CCQM

Any organisation that would like to work towards achieving the CCQM should:

• Register their interest to the CCQM team at CCQM@leeds.gov.uk or via the website at iCCQM.org;
• Organise an introductory meeting with the CCQM team to determine next steps, or to organise in-house unconscious bias training; and
• Formally pledge their commitment through the website and begin the

How the CCQM works

Individuals within organisations work through seven steps, in three phases in order to gain CCQM accreditation. As organisations progress through the CCQM discovery areas - through building safe spaces for discussion and reflection, staff will become more socially aware and adept at identifying inequalities and discrimination and recognising unfair practices and structures.

The Foundation phase of the CCQM encourages organisations and individuals to register and show full commitment to the cultural cohesion journey by ensuring full signup from all participants, members, and employees and accessing unconscious bias training.

The Developing phase of the CCQM requires organisations to: carry out a self-evaluation; identify possible areas of improvement; develop a plan; and publicise this so that it is visible to the public.

The Achieving phase of the CCQM encourages organisations and individuals to actively improve their attitudes, practices, participation, innovation and skills. Participants will showcase and celebrate their progress by sharing feedback with staff and key stakeholders, including customers and people who access services, through evidence and real-world examples of positive changes. During the Achieving phase applicants can apply for validation.

Benefits for individuals and organisations

Engaging with the CCQM supports the development of a culturally aware workforce, empowering employees to confidently deliver services to a diverse population. By working through actions and implementing changes to achieve CCQM accreditation, organisations can benefit from increased productivity, greater diversity at all levels, reduced staff absences, improved employee well-being, and enhanced customer satisfaction.

Anecdotal evidence highlights the positive impact of fostering culturally responsive practices within organisations. Creating brave spaces has led to greater cultural humility, encouraging open and honest discussions that help individuals expand their cultural knowledge. As awareness grows, employees are more likely to develop allyship and actively consider how their services impact Leeds' diverse communities. This approach has resulted in improved inclusivity, stronger relationships between staff and service users, and more equitable service delivery.

The CCQM helps unlock talent and potential by enhancing equality standards, breaking down barriers, and strengthening accountability, fostering a more productive and innovative environment for living and working.

Printable version