Diversity and Inclusion

We're committed to creating a workplace culture where all our people feel valued, included, and able to be their best at work. We recognise the benefits that a diverse workforce with different values, beliefs, experience, and backgrounds brings to us as an organisation.

We want to attract and retain a diverse workforce that reflects, and can respond to, the diverse needs of our citizens. Our Diversity and Inclusion Strategy sets out our cultural ambitions in terms of where we want to be and our action plan outlines the key ‘building blocks’ we need to put in place in order to move us forward.

Specific information relating to how we plan to attract and retain a diverse workforce is in our recruitment and selection policy.

Our priorities

Develop our understanding of how our workforce profile reflects the wider community

• Improve the quality of our equalities data. 
• Communicate with colleagues about the importance of collecting this data.
• Highlight how we can use the data to target our resources more effectively.

Build an inclusive culture where each individual feels valued, included, and able to be themselves

• Promote important dates and events that impact on the lives of our colleagues.
• Adopt a highly visible approach to promoting diversity and inclusion.

Attract and retain a diverse workforce through our approach to talent and resourcing

• Look at how and where we advertise posts to encourage a diverse candidate group.
• Review our recruitment and selection process to reduce unconscious bias.
• Support managers to create an inclusive culture across the employee life cycle.

Colleague networks

We currently have six colleague networks set up to support colleagues who share a common characteristic.

• Sustainability network (aims to build a community to inspire, empower, and support each other to be more sustainable in our work and careers)
• Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) network
• STRIDE network (our LGBT+ network)
• Network engagement for women’s support
• SPARC (a network for colleagues with disabilities and long-term health conditions. SPARC stands for 'Supporting people’s abilities regardless of circumstance'). 

Working in partnership with managers and other employees, the networks' aim to:

• create a more inclusive work environment,
• tackle barriers to progression, and
• help develop strong productive working relationships.

Equality and diversity in recruitment

Once you join us you'll be able to take a look at our learning experience system where you can find out lots more about equality and diversity and its links with recruitment. Learning modules available include:

• What is equality and diversity and why it matters
• Achieving equality and diversity
• Equality Law basics
• Direct and indirect discrimination
• Bullying and harassment
• Unconscious bias.

Disability Confident

As a Disability Confident employer we guarantee to interview any candidate for a post who declares a disability or long-term health condition in their application, and who meets the essential criteria for the role.

Equality Act 2010 

The Equality Act 2010 brings together legislation covering race, disability, and gender to remove inconsistencies and harmonise the law into a single approach.

There are nine protected characteristics defined in the 2010 Act:

• age
• disability
• gender reassignment
• marriage and civil partnership
• pregnancy and maternity
• race
• religion or belief
• sex 
• sexual orientation.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) publishes guidance and good practice to help you understand and use the Equality Act 2010.