Diversity and inclusion

Updated 18 August 2023

Diversity and inclusion is central to everything we do. We are actively committed to promoting and participating in good practice in the way that we attract, recruit and retain staff. We also apply this commitment to the work that we do.

Everyone is encouraged to bring their whole self to work because we appreciate the value that a truly diverse workforce brings to the performance of our organisation. We celebrate difference, recognising the benefits this brings to our inclusive culture, including age, disability, gender identity and expression, religion, race, sex, sexual orientation and socio-economic background.

We are a Stonewall Top 100 Employer, a member of ENEI, a disability confident employer and we are happy to talk flexible working.

We make sure that our staff reflect the diversity of the public whose interests we serve by:

• making our recruitment and selection policy and procedures as accessible as possible
• monitoring our processes rigorously for any disproportionality and – in the event of any disproportionality – developing targeted activities to address this
• providing a working environment that is accessible to all and supporting and promoting the varied needs of our staff
• applying the provisions of our disability confident accreditation in our recruitment and selection activities, making sure that we are responsive to the needs of disabled people
• continuously striving for improvement by working with key partners and stakeholders to share learning, as well as engaging in benchmarking activities.

We work closely with staff to deliver our commitments and, alongside our staff networks, have a staff forum that works to drive forward change.

Staff networks

We recognise the immense value that staff support networks add to our workplace. These networks provide direct support to members through ongoing training and advice. They also provide insight on the diversity of our people and the events help to raise awareness of how best to respond to differing needs.

As an internal resource, they have been instrumental in understanding how we can better engage with our stakeholders and the communities we serve. We formally recognise and support the following staff support networks:

• REACH (Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage) works with the organisation to raise awareness and promote race equality. This network celebrates the achievements and contributions that Black, Asian and minority ethnic people make to the organisation, the legal profession and society at large. It is involved in a number of initiatives and activities.
• PridePlus champions inclusion and provides support and information for staff who identify as lesbian, gay, bi, trans or questioning (LGBTQ+).
• Network of Women (NOW) provides support to women and helps promote gender equality in the workplace.
• SRA Allies allows staff, regardless of their identity, background, or circumstance, to demonstrate visible support to colleagues. This helps everyone contribute to a diverse and inclusive workplace.
• Christian network provides support to Christians throughout the organisation to apply their faith to how they work.
• Working parents provides support to parents and helps to promote flexibility in the workplace where possible.
• Charity Working Group works with our chosen charity, nominated by staff, on a two-year basis. It creates opportunities for colleagues to get involved with fundraising events. It also raises awareness of the charity and its work within the organisation and in the wider legal profession.
• Every Body in Mind promotes positive awareness regarding mental health, wellbeing and disability access in the organisation. It provides support to staff through our Mental Health First Aiders programme.
• Green Living brings together environmentally conscious colleagues from across the organisation. Members share knowledge and tips on sustainable living, saving energy and resources in and out of work, and taking part in a number of environmental initiatives and events. These include local litter picks and talks on environmental issues.  
• Well-man is a place for people to come together to share, discuss, learn and support one another, with a focus on the physical, mental, social and emotional wellbeing of men.

Reasonable adjustments

We are a Disability Confident employer. We are committed to removing barriers to employing disabled people and those with long-term health conditions.

Working for us

We support people who work for us by offering different levels of support, these vary depending on the individual needs. These include but are not limited to:

• flexible working arrangements (where possible)
• reasonable adjustments
• accessible premises
• an Employee Assistance Programme.

If your application is successful and you have any requirements, we will discuss these with you before you start. Conversations will be confidential.

Applying for jobs with us

Please contact us to request an adjustment.

We will discuss with you how best we can help and will treat any requests sensitively and confidentially.

Some examples of adjustments we can make:

• offering you an alternative if you are unable to use our online application system
• providing necessary information, such as the job description or assessment materials, in an alternate format
• allowing more time during an interview (particularly if there is a technical element)
• allowing you to have someone with you during an interview for example, a British Sign Language interpreter.