Geography champions

Geography champions work across the Government Statistical Service (GSS) to improve statistics containing geographical information.

Their main responsibilities are to:

ensure compliance with the GSS Geography Policy, including geographic referencing and coding standards
raise standards in visualisation and use of mapping tools
facilitate knowledge sharing
promote innovation

The network is chaired by the geography champion from the Office for National Statistics who works within the Best Practice and Impact division. This champion reports back to the Regional and Geography Committee.

Want to be a geography champion?

Each government department can nominate a geography champion (or several champions) to work with a network of geography champions across the GSS who meet on a quarterly basis.

If you would like to be a geography champion please email: gsshelp@statistics.gov.uk

More information about geography champions

Purpose

The purpose of the geography champions network is to improve the way in which statistical outputs with geographical information are reported across the GSS.

One specific aim is to help ensure statistical outputs comply with the GSS Geography Policy, including common geographic referencing and coding standards. Another is to raise the standards of associated products including visualisations and maps.

The network will also facilitate knowledge sharing and innovation with regards to geographies across the GSS.

The work of the geography champions network applies to all statistical products, datasets and data tables produced and published across the GSS, either regularly or irregularly.

Roles

The role of a geography champion is:

to raise awareness of the geography policy within their department and to provide advice and support regarding compliance with it
to flag up the availability of a “geography health check” service where the Office for National Statistics (ONS) will check statistical outputs comply with the geography policy
to work with the quality champion for their department and keep each other aware of relevant activities and compliance work
to flag up any issues regarding compliance with the geography policy with the ONS geography champion who is responsible for promoting and monitoring use of the geography policy so that support and advice can be offered
to share good practice and news of improvements in geographical reporting for statistical outputs

The role of the ONS geography champion is:

to coordinate the geography champion network, including arranging meetings and compiling a quarterly update
to provide support and assistance to the other geography champions to assist them in undertaking their role, including visiting departments to undertake a presentation and/or meet with staff
to keep geography champions informed about any changes to the geography policy or geography guidance
to maintain the geography champion network online presence
to report back to the Regional and Geography Committee at its biannual meetings
to make other GSS geography interest groups, such as the Central Government Geography Interest Group, aware of the geography champion network

Membership

The group membership will consist of representatives from departments across the GSS responsible for statistical outputs.

Benefits

The main benefit to statistical producers is an increase in compliance with the geography policy and Code of Practice for Statistics with regards to the provision of common geographic referencing and coding standards. The network should also lead to greater innovation and increased knowledge sharing.

The main benefit to statistical users is greater consistency across the GSS with regard to common geographic referencing and coding standards, leading to greater interoperability. This will allow users to incorporate datasets into their own management or Geographic Information System (GIS) and to use GSS datasets in conjunction with other datasets.

Scope

In scope:

To advise and encourage teams responsible for statistical outputs to follow the principles set out in the geography policy
To promote good practice
To facilitate discussion and knowledge sharing

Out of scope:

Enforcement of the GSS Geography Policy

It is not the intention for the ONS geography champion or the other geography champions to seek to enforce geography policy compliance, but rather to promote good practice and to offer support and advice so compliance with the policy is made easier.

Communication

The primary form of communication between the ONS geography champion and the other geography champions will be by email, meetings which take place twice a year and quarterly updates. There may also be opportunities to hold events or workshops for geography champions.