EDI governance and leadership
To embed an effective and sustainable EDI culture within your organisation, EDI must be considered a priority within governance and leadership structures. Not only will this help you to meet your legal responsibilities, it will also enrich your organisation.
On this page you can find advice, guidance and good practice examples related to EDI and governance and leadership, including EDI strategies and policies, EDI monitoring and evaluation, EDI positive recruitment and EDI positive organisational governance structure.
This month's recommended governance and leadership resource
In this podcast, which can be found under the useful resources section when you click through to of the STEMM-CHANGE page, Professor Louise Mullany and Lucy Williams from the STEMM-CHANGE project discuss the importance of transforming the language of exclusion and bias in recruitment. Although this is STEM focused, the advice is transferable across disciplines.
EDI strategy and policy
These resources provide advice and guidance related to EDI, including creating EDI policies and strategies, examples of such and example EDI action plans. Use the left column below to change categories. See the right column for a summary and link to each resource.
Here you will find resources providing general advice and guidance related to EDI. See below for a breakdown of each resource.
Advance HE equality, diversity and inclusion
The EDI page of Advance HE covers all things EDI in higher education. This page is useful if you have any EDI questions about HE, but given its main audience is HE institutions it mainly focuses on student EDI needs and requirements
View Advance HE equality, diversity and inclusion
Improving equality, diversity and inclusion in your workplace
Guidance from the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) on improving EDI in the workplace, which covers the following areas: EDI; making sure your workplace is inclusive; dealing with unconscious bias; checking EDI in your workplace; and if employees do not feel included.
View Improving equality, diversity and inclusion in your workplace
Equality and discrimination: understand the basics
This guide from ACAS outlines the basics of what employers of all sizes, employees and their representatives must and should do to make their workplaces a fair environment and comply with equality legislation.
Here you will find resources providing guidance on how to produce your own EDI policy or strategy. See below for a breakdown of each resource.
Equality, diversity and inclusion policy template
A free to use EDI policy template from ACAS which an employer can adapt for their own organisation.
View Equality, diversity and inclusion policy template
Equality, diversity and inclusion policies in the workplace: free template
This article provides guidance on how to write your own EDI policy. It also features a downloadable EDI policy example, to help you understand where to begin when writing your own policy and how to develop and maintain it.
View Equality, diversity and inclusion policies in the workplace: free template
Here you will find examples of how other organisations, including other learned societies, have approached and created their own EDI policies and statements. See below for a breakdown of each resource.
British Association for Applied Linguistics (BAAL) statement on equality, diversity and inclusion within applied linguistics
BAAL’s statement on equality, diversity and inclusion is an example of how one learned society has approached their own EDI statement.
View BAAL statement on equality, diversity and inclusion within applied linguistics
Society of Legal Scholars (SLS) equality, diversity & inclusion mission statement
SLS’ EDI Mission Statement and their Disability Statement is an example of how one learned society has approached their own EDI statement.
View SLS equality, diversity & inclusion mission statement
Housing Studies Association (HSA) equality, diversity and inclusion
HSA’s EDI statement includes not just what they believe in, but how they will monitor key diversity and inclusion statistics.
View HSA equality, diversity and inclusion
British Accounting and Finance Association (BAFA) promoting equality, diversity and inclusion
BAFA’s EDI policy statement not only outlines their commitment to EDI, but also how they plan to implement aspects of their policy.
View BAFA promoting equality, diversity and inclusion
British International Studies Association (BISA) equality and diversity policy
BISA’s equality and diversity policy covers the following: policy statement; who is responsible for this policy; policy aims; policy implementation; definitions and further explanations; disabilities; recruitment and selection; training and promotion and conditions of service; termination of employment; part-time and fixed-term work; monitoring and implementation; BISA policies that support equality and diversity; and change and review history.
View BISA equality and diversity policy
Political Studies Association (PSA) code of practice – Diversity and equality
PSA’s Diversity and Equality code of practice is an example of how one learned society has approached their own EDI policy.
View PSA code of practice – Diversity and equality
University Association for Contemporary European Studies (UACES) – Equality, diversity and inclusion policy
UACES’ EDI policy covers the following areas: scope and purpose of the policy; policy aims; policy implementation; legal duties; definitions and further explanations; roles and responsibilities; monitoring and implementation; and UACES’ policies that support equality and diversity.
View UACES – Equality, diversity and inclusion policy
British Sociological Association (BSA) – Equality, diversity and inclusion general statement
The BSA EDI General Statement covers the following: equal opportunities policy; anti-harassment policy; what the BSA can and cannot do; comments and further developments; issues for staff employed by the BSA; issues for BSA members; and resources.
View BSA – Equality, diversity and inclusion general statement
Socio-Legal Studies Association (SLSA) equality and diversity policy
EDI policy for SLSA covers both their EDI statement, policy and a brief description of how they intend to fulfil the objectives within the policy.
View SLSA equality and diversity policy
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) equality, diversity and inclusion policy
This EDI policy applies to all employees of UKRI of a permanent and temporary nature, and to visiting workers, students or those workers provided by a third-party agency.
Here you will find examples of how other organisations, including other learned societies, have approached and created their own EDI action plans. See below for a breakdown of each resource.
Society of Legal Scholars (SLS) EDI committee action plan
The overarching aim of this plan is to centre EDI within the SLS and to encourage a shift in the culture and mindset thereby fostering inclusivity and openness.
View SLS EDI committee action plan
Government Social Research (GSR) Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2021-2025: Growing and embedding a diverse and inclusive GSR culture
The GSR Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2021-2025 sets out plans to strengthen the GSR profession through improving their diversity and inclusion, thereby improving GSR’s evidence and advice to inform decision-making.
GSR Diversity & Inclusion Strategy 2021-2025: Growing and embedding a diverse and inclusive GSR culture year 1 delivery plan
This document sets out GSR’s initial plan to implement and deliver on the diversity and inclusion priorities for GSR over the first year of the strategy.
Political Studies Association (PSA) strategic plan 2017 – 2027: equality and diversity strategy
The strategy here is simple: to embrace the equality and diversity agenda and place it at the heart of everything the PSA does with the intention of forging a more vibrant and socially representative professional community.
View PSA strategic plan 2017 – 2027: equality and diversity strategy
The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) – CHANGE – Equality, diversity and inclusivity action plan
This action plan – CHANGE – has been developed to help guide both members and employers as they work to achieve a more balanced profession. This bespoke action plan represents the means for the profession to achieve this.
View RTPI – CHANGE – Equality, diversity and inclusivity action plan
In the video below, from the Civil Service, we hear from a range of civil servants discussing why inclusion is important to them.
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Why inclusion is important
Monitoring and evaluation
These resources provide advice and guidance on collecting and monitoring EDI data. Use the left column below to change categories. See the right column for a summary and link to each resource.
Here you will find resources providing general advice and guidance related to collecting EDI data. See below for a breakdown of each resource.
Guidance on the collection of diversity monitoring data
This guidance document presents recommended monitoring and evaluation questions, response options and supplementary guidance for protected and minority characteristics.
View Guidance on the collection of diversity monitoring data
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Science and Health (edis) – Diversity and inclusion survey (DAISY) question guidance
This guidance document offers general recommendations related to collecting monitoring and evaluation (M&E) data on EDI, including guidance for gathering data on protected and minority characteristics.
Diversity data collection – A guide to increasing engagement and response rates
It’s important to understand the multitude of reasons why people don’t fill in diversity data questionnaires. edis insights have pointed to three groups of people who do not fill out diversity data questionnaires. Considering these perspectives when designing methods of collection, communications, lines of responsibility and resulting action plans will help include everyone in your approach to improving response rates and this guidance offers advice on how to do this.
View Diversity data collection – A guide to increasing engagement and response rates
Here you will find examples of how other organisations, including other learned societies, collect EDI monitoring information. See below for a breakdown of each resource.
Political Studies Association (PSA) – Equal opportunities form
A copy of PSA’s Equal Opportunities Form, which people are asked to fill in when submitting an application for a position or a grant. A good example of how one learned society catches monitoring and evaluation data for EDI purposes.
This short video from the British Council, embedded below, outlines what equality monitoring is and why and how they conduct equality monitoring. It also provides some guidance on how to encourage individuals to engage in equality monitoring.
Monitoring and evaluation at the British Council
Recruitment
These resources provide advice and guidance on inclusive and diverse recruitment. Use the left column below to change categories. See the right column for a summary and link to each resource.
Here you will find resources providing general advice and guidance related to inclusive recruitment. See below for a breakdown of each resource.
Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy’s (SSPP) writing inclusive job advertisements guidance
This document is part of a series of guidelines to support colleagues across SSPP at King’s College London in the recruitment of new staff. It is for those who write job advertisements for all roles, including professional services, academic, teaching and research posts. As part of the guidance, it uses examples of inclusive and non-inclusive job profiles, EDI statements for job adverts, and provides a list of less inclusive and more inclusive words. Some good transferable advice.
View SSPP writing inclusive job advertisements guidance
Transforming the language of exclusion and bias in recruitment: a quick-reference guide
A clear one page guide to the language of exclusion and bias in recruitment. Although this was designed with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in mind, the advice is transferable across disciplines.
View Transforming the language of exclusion and bias in recruitment: a quick-reference guide
Recruiting a diverse technical workforce checklist
This checklist is designed to guide managers who have responsibility for recruiting technical staff. It aims to help them recruit and hire diverse candidates with lived experiences from being in a minority group. Although this is STEM focused, much of the content is transferable and the checklist makes a useful starting point for ensuring your recruitment practices are inclusive.
View Recruiting a diverse technical workforce checklist
LIBRA recruitment handbook – inclusive, transparent and unbiased recruitment processes
This handbook was created to inform institutes participating in the LIBRA project and to support them in hiring the most suitable candidate, and increasing workplace diversity, which provides the basis for creativity and ultimately success. This offers some good general advice.
View LIBRA recruitment handbook – inclusive, transparent and unbiased recruitment processes
In this podcast Professor Louise Mullany and Lucy Williams from the STEMM-CHANGE project discuss the importance of transforming the language of exclusion and bias in recruitment. Although this is STEM focused, the advice is transferable across disciplines.
The two embedded videos below by the Dutch Research Council (NWO Wetenschap) look at inclusivity in application processes. Specifically, these videos examine inclusivity in judging written assessments and inclusivity in group dynamics in evaluation committees.
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Inclusive assessment - written assessment
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Interaction and group dynamics in evaluation committees
Inclusive leadership
These resources provide advice and guidance on inclusive leadership, including EDI and trustee boards, and EDI and legal governance. Use the left column below to change categories. See the right column for a summary and link to each resource.
Here you will find resources providing general advice and guidance related to providing inclusive leadership within your organisation. See below for a breakdown of each resource.
How to develop diverse leadership
In many organisations there is a gap when looking at diversity within the teams with strategic decision-making responsibility. The resources on this web page outline practical ways to grow diverse leaders, focussed on a proportionate approach to take into account the size of your organisation or collaborating with other organisations who share your goals. There is some good advice, especially around mentoring, however not everything is relevant or useful given its main target audience is the arts sector.
Here you will find resources providing general advice and guidance related to EDI and the legal governance of your organisation. See below for a breakdown of each resource.
Charity Governance Code – Principle 6. Equality, diversity and inclusion
Principle Governance Code 6 covers EDI and outlines the principle, key outcomes and recommended practices for both small and large charities.
View Charity Governance Code – Principle 6. Equality, diversity and inclusion
Here you will find resources providing general advice and guidance related to EDI and your trustee boards. See below for a breakdown of each resource.
Equality, diversity and inclusion at board level
A series of webpages designed by The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) to begin the process of reflecting on EDI on your board.
View Equality, diversity and inclusion at board level
How to recruit diverse trustees for your charity
This guide from Getting on Board’s is based on their work with hundreds of charities to support them to diversify their boards. The aim of this guide is to: Provide charities with the guidance and tools to diversify their boards for the first time, or to maintain and improve the diversity of their board; Support organisations to recruit trustees who will be transformative to the charity concerned; Ensure that new trustees are treated inclusively and equipped to contribute fully to the charity which appoints them; Strengthen the UK charity sector by giving charities the tools to grow and diversify the trustee pipeline. As such, it provides a wealth of general and useful advice for those looking to improve and support diversity at the trustee level.
View How to recruit diverse trustees for your charity
How the board can drive EDI
This Charity Digital piece explores some of the ways boards can drive good EDI practices.
View How the board can drive EDI
How to create diverse boards
This guidance highlights what you can do to create a diverse board and take advantage of the benefits. Some good general advice, but it is predominantly focused on the arts sector.
View How to create diverse boards
How to improve board diversity: a six-step guide to good practice
This guide sets out the practical steps companies can take when making board appointments to improve diversity and ensure that the best candidates for non-executive and executive director roles are appointed on merit. It also recommends ongoing action companies can take to increase diversity across their entire workforce, in particular to ensure a pipeline of diverse talent for future board appointments. It also explains what is required by law and recommends effective good practice.
View How to improve board diversity: a six-step guide to good practice