Our Values
Our values are the code and ethics we work by in our service and our communities
Our ethics and values
Everything we do is connected to our vision of making the West Midlands safer, stronger and healthier, which puts our communities at the heart of everything we do. Our ethics and values guide how we do this.
National Core Code of Ethics
In 2021, a National Core Code of Ethics (CCoE) was developed for fire and rescue services (FRSs) in England. It sets out to improve the organisational culture and workforce diversity of FRSs, ensuring that communities are supported in the best way, and to support a consistent approach to ethics, including behaviours.
The code was developed in partnership with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), Local Government Association (LGA) and the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC).
You can see the full National Core Code of Ethics here.
West Midlands Fire Service has adopted the code. It will guide our individual behaviours and form the basis for decision making as we go about our work.
We are fully committed to the principles of the CCoE and also ensure that we consider:
- the needs of communities, partner organisations, our service, and our employees
- our service’s own values, guidance, policies and procedures.
Our values
In late 2021, we developed our new values - as a team - through extensive engagement across the service. Our staff chose them, to support a consistent approach to ethics, values and behaviours.
Our values also encompass the things that are important to us as a service, supporting us in achieving our vision and delivering our strategy.
They help us to improve our culture and workforce diversity, ensuring that we continue to make each other and our communities safer, stronger and healthier.
Each of our values is explained below.
We make a difference every day. Our community focus makes the West Midlands safer, stronger and healthier
Trust
We create an open and honest culture that enables our people to thrive, by prioritising well-being and treating one another with integrity, dignity, and respect
Leadership
We are all positive role models and accountable for upholding the highest standards in performance and behaviour
DICE - Diversity, inclusion, cohesion and equality
We continually recognise and promote the value of DICE, both within our service and the communities in which we serve. We stand united against all forms of discrimination.
Excellence
We have a passion for progress and are fearless in our pursuit of innovation and improvement - always striving to make tomorrow a little better than today