GSS harmonisation champions
Harmonisation champions aim to increase the harmonisation of government statistics. This means increasing the commonality in definitions, survey questions, and administrative data across the Government Statistical Service (GSS).
Their main objectives are to:
- increase awareness and adoption of harmonisation and the Harmonised Standards across government
- share case studies of harmonisation principles being applied across the Government Statistical Service
- identify and address barriers to harmonisation across government
- support professional development and capability building through promoting best practice
Want to be a harmonisation champion?
Each government department can nominate a harmonisation champion (or several champions) to work with the network of harmonisation champions across the GSS.
If you would like to be a harmonisation champion please email the team at Harmonisation@statistics.gov.uk.
Please read the privacy notice for champions before you sign up.
Purpose
The Harmonisation Champions Network exists to promote and support harmonisation across government and beyond. The network provides an open, collaborative forum for discussion, learning, and sharing best practice. It aims to equip members with resources and information to improve the comparability, consistency, and coherence of government statistics, and build capability and confidence in harmonisation.
Governance
The network is coordinated by the GSS Harmonisation Team under the UK Statistics Authority. Our Chair is a GSS Deputy Head of Profession and feeds our work back to the GSS Heads of Profession group regularly. Our terms of reference are reviewed annually to ensure relevance and effectiveness.
Roles
The role of a GSS harmonisation champion is:
- to promote harmonisation and best practice within their organisation
- to attend and actively participate in meetings
- to explore, use and promote the usage of harmonised standards and guidance
- to share relevant work, gaps, or blockers from their own organisation
- to contribute content for meetings
- to build links with other champions
The role of the GSS Harmonisation Team is as follows:
- to coordinate the HCN, including arranging meetings
- to provide support and assistance to the GSS harmonisation champions to assist them in undertaking their role including visiting departments to undertake a presentation and/or meet with staff
- to keep GSS harmonisation champions informed about any changes to GSS harmonisation standards or existing harmonisation guidance
- to maintain the HCN online presence to provide documentation in the forms of links to existing guidance which supports GSS harmonisation
Membership
The group membership will consist of representatives from departments across the GSS and devolved administrations who are responsible for statistical inputs and outputs.
Benefits
This group is for the benefit of the GSS and all users of government statistics. Its ultimate aim is to improve the comparability and coherence of government statistics.
The following organisations have network members:
- Department for Education
- Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
- Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
- Department for Health and Social care
- Department for Transport
- Department for Work & Pensions
- Food Standards Agency
- His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services
- His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
- National Fire Chiefs Council
- NHS England
- Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency
- Office for National Statistics
- Office for Students
- Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation
- Office of Rail and Road
- Scottish Government
- UK Health Security Agency
- Welsh Government