Our Culture, Our Commitment to Change
In early 2024, we had the results of an independent Culture Review to better understand the lived experiences of our people and identify ways to improve our organisational culture. The review was clear and honest, highlighting many positives—such as pride in public service, strong peer support, and commitment to community—but also identifying serious issues, including inconsistent leadership, poor communication, and tolerance of inappropriate behaviours. The full report, available here, made a series of recommendations to support long-term, meaningful change.
Since then, we’ve taken real steps to act on those recommendations and create a more inclusive, respectful, and supportive workplace. This page summarises the ongoing updates on the progress we’re making to build a fire and rescue service that truly reflects our values and serves our communities with integrity. You can read an overview here.
Leadership Academy Launch
South Wales Fire and Rescue has launched its Operational Training, Leadership and Personal Development Academy. Based in Cardiff Gate, the Academy will be a catalyst to empower our staff across the organisation to become innovative, compassionate and successful leaders. We not only want to build an organisation that brings together best practice, but become the organisation that others come to, to learn best practice. To achieve this, we need to shift how we support, empower and upskill our people. The Academy is about wider development, ensuring that everyone within the organisation has an opportunity to build their leadership skills and personal development through targeted training.
Future Fire Think Tank
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service is developing a Future Fire Think Tank (FFTT)—a forward-looking initiative designed to explore how technology, improved data quality, and evidence-based research can shape the future of fire and rescue services. By working closely with strategic partners and professional bodies, the FFTT will support innovative thinking, strengthen strategic planning, and promote a culture of continuous learning across the Service.
Culture Statement Launch
A revised culture statement was launched in January 2025.
With the communities of South Wales at its heart, the culture statement is the service’s promise to ‘[create] a safe, modern fire and rescue service in South Wales and to [ensure] everyone is treated with dignity and respect, free from discrimination, bullying, harassment and inappropriate behaviours. We make this commitment to our staff, our communities and the partners and stakeholders we work with every day‘.
Preceded by an outline for new expectations around behaviours and ways of working, the statement is reinforced by pledges from senior leaders from the service, including the Welsh Government appointed Commissioners, the Senior Leadership Team, and Chief Fire Officer Fin Monahan. The Chief has promised to ‘ensure transparency, fairness, and a clear strategy to guide us forward’ as well as to ‘celebrate success, recognise achievements, and make sure that all voices across the organisation are heard’.
Consultation of the Strategy and Vision, Mission and Values
As part of our ongoing work to ensure that our staff’s voices are heard, we have made sure to have open conversations and provide you with a chance to give feedback, through consultation sessions.
With the incoming launch of our new Vision, Mission and Values, and the recent launch of the Strategic Implementation Plan – we’re proud that everyone has been given the opportunity to shape the future of the service.
Taking Care of Behaviours
The “Taking Care of Behaviours” programme is being implemented for all staff in the service and includes training, workshops, informational videos and a poster campaign. It signifies the Service’s commitment to dealing with inappropriate behaviour and to ensuring all employees and staff feel safe, comfortable, happy, and supported in the workplace. It represents a pivotal step toward fostering a safer, more respectful workplace while equipping individuals with the tools and skills to thrive in this environment.
Find out more here.
Strategic Implementation Plan 2025-2040
South Wales Fire and Rescue have published their Strategic Improvement Plan for 2025-2040. The Strategic Improvement Plan is a legal requirement and contains updates on strategy, thematic reviews, transformational and cultural change, and the annual improvement plan.
This plan sets out the strategic direction of the Service for the next 15 years, having been developed through consultation and engagement, and is based on our Annual Improvement Plans. It focuses on eight strategic themes, which are:
Find out more about the plan here.
One Year on from the Review – Reflections
A year on from the Culture Review, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service has made major changes to improve its culture and leadership. New senior leaders and Commissioners are guiding a wide-ranging Transformation Programme focused on inclusion, governance, and staff wellbeing. With strong input from staff, the service has launched a new Culture Statement and is developing fresh values, all while continuing to respond to emergencies and support communities across South Wales.
Read our full one year on reflection here.
Latest News – 2025
The Culture Review
Overview
In February 2023, an Independent Appointment Panel appointed Fenella Morris of King’s Counsel (KC) as the Independent Chairperson, to lead the review. The culture review took place from June 2023 and concluded with the publication of the public report in December 2023.
Summary of Findings and Reflections
The independent Culture Review of South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (SWFRS), painted a mixed picture of pride and deep concern. While the Service was praised for its community commitment, supportive watch culture, and strong occupational health and mental health support, the review also uncovered serious issues. These included inconsistent leadership, a lack of transparency in promotion and recruitment, and tolerance of inappropriate behaviours such as bullying, discrimination, and harassment. A culture of silence, fear of speaking up, and limited workforce diversity were also highlighted as undermining trust and morale. Nevertheless, many staff were recognised for their professionalism and their desire to help drive meaningful change.
Recommendations and Outcomes
The review made a series of phased recommendations aimed at improving culture through better leadership, clearer communication, stronger accountability, and inclusive practices. It called for improved training, fairer systems, and a commitment to equality and dignity for all. The report emphasised that cultural change could only be achieved if everyone played their part—from senior leaders to frontline staff. Since then, SWFRS has taken significant steps in response to these findings, working towards creating a more open, respectful, and inclusive environment for all who serve and are served by the organisation.
Culture Review News
Fenella has carried out sensitive investigations, most recently into UKAD’s Operation Blackout, was counsel to the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review and is instructed in the Covid Inquiry for the Royal College of Nursing. Fenella was awarded ‘Professional Discipline Silk of the Year’ at the Chambers UK Bar Awards 2021, and was The Times’ Lawyer of the Week, in July 2020.
Charlene is a specialist Employment Law Barrister with extensive experience of all aspects of contractual and statutory employment law, which often involves whistleblowing and/or discrimination cases. She has also worked on sensitive investigations regarding specific allegations of discrimination, as well as workplace culture more generally. Charlene was an Equality and Diversity (E&D) Officer in Chambers for five years, championing E&D and wellbeing initiatives.
Gethin is a Barrister with a broad multidisciplinary practice, which encompasses public and regulatory law. Gethin is a member of the Attorney General’s C Panel of Counsel, and of the Welsh Government’s B Panel of Junior Counsel. He was previously instructed by a core participant in the Infected Blood Inquiry, and to advise the Windrush Lessons Learned Review. Before joining the Bar, Gethin worked at the Law Commission, on a project that proposed a new system of codification for the law applicable to Wales.
The full Terms of Reference are available here.
The Frequently Asked Questions are available here.
Updated Monday 17 July 2023.
For information on how the Culture Review will protect and process your information, please see the Review’s Privacy Notice. For information as to how and why SWFRS will share and disclose personal data it holds to the Review, please see SWFRS’s Privacy Notice regarding the sharing of personal data between SWFRS and the Review.