Our primary objective remains the creation and maintenance of an inclusive, empowering, and progressive workplace for all employees. We are consistently working to address gender and race imbalances, ensuring equal opportunities for everyone.
Our emphasis on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion reinforces the University's commitment to the Advance Higher Education equality charters, specifically Athena SWAN and the Race Equality Charter, alongside our Strategy 2030 dedication. The implementation of these equality charters and the empowerment of leadership among our colleagues are pivotal in driving essential changes throughout the institution, particularly in areas like academic promotions and recruitment processes.
Looking ahead, our EDI team will further strengthen its partnership with the University's academic community. This collaboration will be facilitated by our EDI champions, who will spearhead an initiative focusing on enhancing academic inclusivity and promoting the enduring values of equality, diversity, and inclusion across the institution.
Networks and Support Groups
- LGBTQ+ Staff Network,
- Parent and Carers Staff Network,
- Women Empowerment Staff Network,
- Global Majority Staff Network,
- Inclusivity and Allyship Staff Network,
- Disability Staff Network,
- Neurodiversity Staff Network,
- Menopause Support Group,
- To see all staff networks please visit the EDI Staff Networks SharePoint.
Dignity and Respect Advisors
Treating everyone with dignity and respect is an integral part of the 'People' pillar in our 2030 Strategy and remains a continuous commitment to our people. In all we do, our approach will be inclusive, empowering and progressive. We are motivated by the desire to lead creative change at the forefront of environmental sustainability and social justice. As a result, we have people appointed as Dignity and Respect Advisors as well as our ED&I Champions, who are there to assist staff and promote equality and diversity.
Governance Board Structure
ED&I Governance Board
The ED&I board informs and consults on the development of ED&I related policies, procedures and guidance. It has oversight of subcommittees, networks and other initiatives, providing support and challenge to wider functional areas in their delivery of the University’s Equality Objectives and progress against equality, diversity and inclusion targets.
The aims of the Governance Board are to have an institution-wide holistic approach to embedding ED&I across the University; to have strong accountability on practices and initiatives relating to ED&I; to share best practice and knowledge across the whole institution to prevent silo working; and finally to create an inclusive place to work and study for all our staff and students.
ED&I Subcommittees
The subcommittees feed all of their information and work into the ED&I Governance board via the trackers and the chairs of the subcommittees. This means that each subcommittee will be able to bring the things vital to their area into the board for discussion.
The responsibilities of the subcommittees include ensuring the delivery of the ED&I priorities set by the Governance Board; developing and delivering appropriate action plans to underpin the University ED&I agenda; providing assurance and reports on progress to the ED&I governance board quarterly, horizon scanning to highlight emerging trends, issues and/or risks; sharing good practice from partner and other external organisations and networks; and finally supporting the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team in marking and celebrating diversity events.
The membership of the Subcommittees is flexible and we encourage representatives from all business areas as well as any other representative relevant to the subcommittee to join it.