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Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Home

"We, as a Department and Community, will be considerate and welcoming of all people, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and socio-economic background. We acknowledge societal inequalities and how these impact us, and those around us, personally and professionally." DPAG Statement of Inclusion

DPAG EDI Short LogoDPAG is committed to promoting equality and diversity within an inclusive working and learning environment where the rights and dignity of all staff and students are respected. EDI is key to all that we do and we take collective responsibility for ensuring that individuals can be their authentic selves in the workplace and feel that they belong.

As an Athena Swan  Silver award holder since 2015, we have demonstrated our commitment to promoting gender equality and creating a better working environment. Building upon that success, we created an EDI Committee in 2021. The EDI Committee will work closely with our Working Groups  to identify, develop and deliver initiatives to enhance equality, diversity and inclusion more broadly within the Department. An Anti-Racism Working Group has been formed with a specific focus on race equality, and an informal LGBTQ+ network is available to staff and students.

EDI resources, including links to training, University networks, information for LGBTQ+ staff, race equality information and support for disabled staff and students can be found on the Equality and Diversity page within Supporting our Staff.

What does it mean to you?

Our EDI work is a driver for change in culture and attitudes. Through feedback mechanisms such as surveys and focus groups, we regularly review, revise and improve our policies and practices to ensure that equality and inclusion become entrenched in our everyday activities. Key developments to date include:

  • a more effective induction process for new staff in the Department;
  • mandatory anti-bullying and harassment training for all staff;
  • profile raising for researchers, technicians and professional services staff through regular profiles in our newsletter;
  • improved representation in news articles for those from under-represented groups;
  • gender balance of seminar speakers;
  • introduction of social activities, including yoga and board games, to improve the sense of community within the Department

Further information about the ways in which we support our staff, including family friendly policies, personal and professional development, career progression, health and wellbeing, and anti-bullying and harassment, can be found on the Supporting our Staff pages.

 

Departmental EDI Action Plan

In response to the Staff Survey in 2023, the EDI Committee have identified key areas of focus to ensure that DPAG continues to be a great place to work.  Alongside a set of wide-ranging actions, we have identified 4 high priority themes that we believe will  have the most impact:

 

  • Belief in Action – we need to better communicate what we do in response to feedback.
  • Bullying & Harassment – we must ensure that everyone feels safe to work in the department and to speak up if witnessing or experiencing unacceptable behaviour.
  • Career Development – we will focus on delivering a broad Lunch & Learn programme, and promote mentoring.
  • Employee Engagement – we will seek to better understand the needs of our community.

The proposed actions are wide ranging, and you will see that some have already started, for example mentoring, buddying, Lunch & Learn, and 10 days of professional development, so please do get involved in any opportunities and provide feedback to help us to evaluate and refine what we are doing.

what is athena swan?

Athena SWAN Silver new logo JPGAdvance HE’s Athena Swan Charter was established in 2005 to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing the careers of women in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) employment in higher education and research. The charter has since expanded to recognise work undertaken in the disciplines of arts, humanities, social sciences, business and law (AHSSBL).  This expanded remit includes staff in professional and support roles, trans staff and students, and recognises work undertaken to address gender equality more broadly, and not just the barriers to progression that affect women.

Following an extensive independent review, the Athena Swan Charter principles were updated in 2021 ensuring that the Charter reflects gender as a spectrum, that applicants are supported to address issues relating to the intersectionality of gender with other protected characteristics, and that institutions and departments recognise and support the efforts of individuals working on Athena Swan.

Find out more about our Athena Swan Applications and Action Plans.

Find out more about news, events and initiatives run by the University and externally via the DPAG Athena Swan Twitter account.

Departmental Awareness Videos

 

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