Our equity commitment and award scheme

In 2023, we developed and endorsed our inaugural Faculty of Science equity commitment. 

In our Faculty, we are committed to creating an equitable, diverse, and inclusive environment for all members of our community which includes both staff and students. As a Faculty, we recognise that systemic inequalities and biases have created multiple barriers that prevent some individuals and groups from fully participating and thriving here. Therefore, we are committed to addressing these issues in a positive and outcome-driven manner so everyone feels welcome and supported. Examples may include funding initiatives, attending workshops and events, championing different groups needs and perspectives when they feel unsafe to do so, and actively creating space for diversity to be expressed. 

Although creating an equitable, diverse, and inclusive environment takes time, and requires sustained effort and collaboration, we are committed to the following actions:

1. Engage with our community to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion. We will build partnerships with our working groups to support initiatives that they determine will cater to the specific needs of individuals and groups who are experiencing barriers to their success.
2. Foster a culture of respect and inclusivity that values the contributions and perspectives of all individuals, regardless of their ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ability, role, or other identity markers.
3. Create and maintain an environment that encourages all individuals and groups to feel welcome and safe, to be able to access resources and other means of support that will aid them to thrive and participate in our faculty as staff and/or students.
4. Recruit and retain a diverse staff and leadership team that reflects the faculty communities we serve.
5. Provide ongoing education and training to our staff and leadership team on issues related to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We will work to increase awareness and sensitivity to issues of bias and discrimination and to promote cultural competence/sustainability/responsivity and understanding in actionable and meaningful ways.
6. Regularly assess and evaluate our policies, procedures, guidelines, and practices to identify and address any biases or barriers that may exist.

In 2024, this commitment was activated into the Faculty of Science Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Unit awards.  This new reporting and awarding framework assigns an annual ranking to each School/Department in the FoS, on the basis of practices that support and promote EDI work and outcomes.

Each year, each School/Department will

1. address the organisational structure of Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity (EDI) in their unit,
2. assess EDI in their unit, and
3. propose initiatives to address EDI in their unit and indicate how this aligns with the FoS Equity Commitment document.

By documenting current status and providing awards of bronze, silver, gold or platinum status, the aim is to consider how each unit is striving towards EDI best practice, in alignment with the Faculty of Science Equity Commitment.