Chandi Patel, Head of the Department of Social Work, Social Care and Community Studies and faculty representative on the University Equality and Diversity Committee.

Since the publication of the University Strategy in February 2017 we have developed a range of activities that have started to take us along the journey of achieving its key priorities by 2020.

Faculties have aligned themselves to the University Strategy and their associated implementation plans. Faculty priorities have been developed in line with the University priorities and governance structures are in place at faculty level to enable the delivery of the Strategy.

In order to realise our strategic ambition, however, we need to have, at its core, an approach that is inclusive, values difference and treats individuals fairly and with dignity and respect. To achieve this we must embed equality, diversity and inclusion into everything we do, to the extent that it is normalised as everyday activity, as opposed to something extra or additional to our day to day work.

We already recognise that we work with a diverse range of students and staff. We know that we help students to develop sensitivity and skillsets for engagement and action with users of services. We enable students to be critical thinkers, to be a part of our society’s solutions and to build and sustain healthy communities. We acknowledge we have done our part well as our graduates gain employment and become productive and valued employees.

Our evidence base confirms that we perform well in many areas including staff and student experience as well as external engagement; however, the evidence base also suggests that there are areas of our performance on equality, diversity and inclusion that need attention.

Currently our evidence base and our performance in relation to the sector and other external benchmarks identify a number of issues that need addressing. These issues are currently being addressed by the University’s Equality and Diversity Committee through the development of an implementation plan for the equality objectives. University Leadership Team leads will be responsible for working with senior leaders across the University to achieve the deliverables identified.

In addition, the Equality and Diversity Team will work with academic and professional service managers across the University to embed the achievement of these deliverables into the work plans for the four strategic pillars as well as into the operational work plans of the faculties and directorates.

In order to get a flavour of the type of issues that are being addressed two examples have been outlined below with some signposting that will enable you to contribute to the University’s equality, diversity and inclusion agenda and to make a difference.

Issue 1: The make-up of our workforce does not reflect the diversity of our city and region.

An HR Plan has been developed with input from the Equality and Diversity Team to address priority issues for staff diversity, this is based on internal data, benchmarking and sector wide issues.

Priorities to address have been identified as;

• Increasing the diversity of the workforce at all levels;
• Recruitment to improve the conversion of BME applications into offers of employment;
• Progression to improve the progression of BAME staff at all levels of the organisation;
• To increase the progression of women (particularly women academics into professorial roles);
• Retention to understand and reduce the turnover of BAME staff.

It is suggested that leaders and staff teams engage with these priorities by;

• Completing the unconscious bias training.
• Completing the Chairs training for recruitment and selection panels (training courses are bookable via Core Portal).
• Ensuring that selection panels are adequately represented.

Another priority in the HR plan is to understand and improve the disabled staff experience. Currently this work is being progressed through focus groups arranged at the university level.

In respect of LGBT Staff, leaders and staff teams should strive to improve the experience of colleagues by creating a safe environment to be out at work. One of the ways in which leaders and staff teams can engage with this priority is by signing up as an LGBT+ ally.

Issue 2: There is disparity between BME and white students attaining higher degree classifications and this continues as students’ progress into employment.

This Shaping Futures Key Performance Indicator (KPI) targets our ability to shape and improve life chances by closing the attainment gap between our minority students and others. This will focus on closing the percentage point difference of white students gaining good honours degrees (1st or 2:1) versus BME students gaining good honours degrees.

Currently the Faculty has three projects that strive to meet this KPI.  Each Department has a lead for progressing this area of work and leaders and staff teams are encouraged to contact their lead worker to progress this important indicator.

• Department of Biosciences and Chemistry – Dr Caroline Dalton.
• Department of Sports – Dr Amanda West.
• Departments of Nursing and Midwifery, Allied Health Professions and Social Work Social Care and Community Studies are working together – Professor Julie Nightingale, Jackie Parkin.

In engaging with the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion agenda staff teams should consider and debate what equality, diversity and inclusion means for them:

• in their teaching, learning and support for students;
• in their research;
• in their outreach and external engagement work;
• in their work on our systems, policies and processes;
• in the way they lead and manage
• in their interactions with students, colleagues and external partners?

The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion agenda is everyone’s responsibility and for everyone’s benefit. The University has identified key areas to focus on for the next 3 years which will help us to become a more inclusive University.

Ongoing work at University level includes the following;

1. a) The institutional Athena SWAN bronze level application was submitted to Equality Challenge Unit on 30 November.
2. b) The Departments of Computing, and Engineering, Maths & MERI have also submitting Departmental Athena SWAN bronze levels applications on 30 November.
3. c) The Equality and Diversity Committee endorsed planning for the University to participate in the Race Equality Charter. Our Faculty representatives on the Race Equality Charter Steering Group are Professor Laura Serrant and Eddie Mighten
4. d) An Allies Programme was launched on 30 October an Allies scheme has been established to help the University build a more inclusive place to work and study. To date over 391 members of staff have signed up to the scheme.
5. e) An official launch of the Equality Objectives took place on 13 February 2018, hosted by the VC and Professor John Leach(Faculty of Development and Society)
6. f) A Parents staff network will be launched on 6 March to provide information, guidance and support to all SHU staff who are parents.
7. g) Aloma Onyemah (Head of Equality and Diversity) Linda Mason and (Director of Strategic Planning and BIS) Debbie Squire(Corporate Project Manager) are currently working on the high level planning process for developing an implementation plan for the Equality Objectives.