Championing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

How do we champion Equality, Diversity and Inclusion?

At the heart of our recruitment approach is a commitment to fostering an inclusive, equitable and supportive workplace, where everyone can thrive and bring their authentic selves to work.

We are dedicated to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We recognise that lived experiences and perspectives enrich our organisation and strengthen our ability to deliver high-quality services.

We are committed to attracting and retaining talent from all backgrounds and welcome applications from everyone, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, sex (including pregnancy, maternity, paternity, and adoption), marital or civil partnership status, nationality, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, socio-economic background, veteran status or caring responsibilities.

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee that candidates with disabilities who meet the essential job criteria will get an interview.

Where evidence shows underrepresentation of certain protected characteristics in a profession or service, we may take positive action to encourage applications and address this imbalance.

Our employee-led diversity networks support our commitment to continuous improvement. They work closely with leadership to drive meaningful change and ensure that inclusion remains at the core of everything we do.

Young Employees Network (YEN)

A socially and professionally supportive group helping young employees across the organisation to connect with each other and access training, mentoring, support, and networking opportunities.
Supporting career development through:

Mentoring, networking and shadowing opportunities
Professional development support via workshops, lunch and learns and career days.
Social connections and peer support via monthly unwind with YEN sessions
Information and guidance on volunteering opportunities
Fresh perspectives on council projects and policies

PRISM (LGBTQ+ staff network)

Prism aims to contribute to the ambition for Gloucestershire to be a magnet county. By working with the Council and Gloucester City Council we aim to create safe, inclusive and diverse working environments that encourage a culture of respect and equality for everyone, regardless of their orientation and/or gender identity.

We hold the city and county councils to account on issues of LGBT+ equality
We advocate for our members and all LGBT+ staff in a fair, transparent and democratic way
We support LGBT+ employees to achieve their full potential at work
We build our network to promote equality, diversity, and respect throughout Gloucestershire
We want the county and city councils to be an employer of choice for LGBT+ people and allies

Race Equality Network (REN)

The Race Equality Network (REN) is dedicated to promoting race equality and supporting our council in fulfilling its duties under the Equality Act 2010.

We aim to build an inclusive environment that fosters a culture of respect and equality for everyone regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion or culture. An environment where every staff member can thrive and bring their whole selves to work.

We believe that every member of staff from diverse ethnic communities deserves the opportunity to lead a full and rewarding career with the council.

Carers network

There are a minimum of 52,000 unpaid carers in Gloucestershire alone. Within the council there are over 500 colleagues providing a unique skill balancing caring and paid employment. We wish to acknowledge and celebrate the vital role unpaid carers play. We also want to support colleagues who may not recognised they are in caring role, as often their important role goes without recognition or the support they truly need.

The carers network advocate for carers and support employees and partners in a number of ways, whether this is discussing community resources, having safe discussions and supporting them with empathy and compassion.

The carers network want carers to be heard, be recognised, be informed, be prepared, be connected and be reached.

Disability network (D-net)

A collective of employees working together to challenge barriers, advocate for accessibility, and ensure all staff with disabilities can lead full and rewarding careers within the council.

The disability and mental health employee network (dNet) has five overarching aims, to help us ensure the Council can live by its values.

Ensure executive accountability - making disability and mental health inclusion a leadership priority and having more discussions about it.
Look under the bonnet – ensuring our policies and procedures are inclusive for staff with disabilities and/or mental health.
Promote a positive culture - talking about inclusion regularly with all staff and enabling managers to become disability and mental health confident.
Measure our data - record, monitor and measure quantitative and qualitative data on recruitment, progression and satisfaction of staff.
Collaborate and celebrate – highlighting the value staff with disabilities and mental health bring to the workplace - share good practice and learning with our partners.

Women's network

The women's network seeks to contribute to the ambition for Gloucestershire to be a magnet county by working with Gloucestershire County Council and Gloucester City Council to create safe, inclusive and diverse working environments that encourage a culture of respect and equality for everyone, regardless of their gender or gender identity

The network's objectives are:

Raise awareness of issues faced by women at work
Improve cultural attitudes across the organisation
Provide a safe space for women to raise and resolve issues
Advocate for and represent the voice of women in the workplace in the review and creation of policies, procedures and change
Support women in the workplace to develop their skillsets through leadership course and mentoring

Armed Forces Community Network (AFCN)

The Armed Forces Community Network (AFCN) supports military families and veterans by fostering inclusion, raising awareness of their strengths and connecting them to resources. It helps new starters integrate, shares best practices and builds a safe, connected community where individuals can thrive and bring their whole selves to work.

Supporting members of the armed forces community by:

Connecting and supporting members within our workforce
Provides guidance on available resources and support
Offers peer support and mentoring for those transitioning from military to civilian life
Raising awareness of its members multiple employment capabilities and skills
Challenging recruitment and retention policies

Our commitment

We are proud to be recognised by Stonewall, a Disability Confident Employer and a champion of Inclusivity Works, reinforcing our commitment to fostering a truly inclusive workplace.