Equality and diversity

We are committed to providing equality of opportunity and eliminating all forms of discrimination, harassment and bullying. We promote a good and harmonious working environment in which everyone is treated with respect and will not tolerate discrimination, bullying and harassment of any kind.

Our employees and individuals working under contract arrangements are required to assist us to meet our commitment to provide equal opportunities in employment and avoid unlawful discrimination.

Public sector equality duty

The Public Sector Duty came into force on 5 April 2011. In line with its requirements, we are committed to having due regard to:

• eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
• advancing equality of opportunity between different groups
• fostering good relations between different groups

Gender Pay Gap report

Gender Pay Gap legislation introduced in 2017 requires all employers of 250 or more employees to publish their gender pay gap data annually. The gender pay gap is the difference between the average earnings of men and women, expressed relative to men’s earnings.

Gender Pay Gap Report 2024

Gender Pay Gap Report 2023

Gender Pay Gap Report 2022

Gender Pay Gap Report 2021

Gender Pay Gap Report 2020

Gender Pay Gap Report 2019

Gender Pay Gap Report 2018

Gender Pay Gap Report 2017

Diversity Statistics

Our Diversity representation can be found in our Annual Report and Accounts.

Our values

‘Inclusive’ is one of our values. We enable and value everyone’s contribution and embrace people's wide ranging characteristics, skills and experience.

We:

• show curiosity in others and openly discuss and celebrate our differences
• call out and address unacceptable behaviour and microaggressions, using the proper channels to escalate issues accordingly
• treat each other with mutual respect and encourage alternative views to be shared to provide diversity of thought
• show care for each other's personal circumstances and create environments where everyone can contribute

For managers and leaders. We:

• advocate the value of diversity in achieving better performance
  provide accessibility support to team members where needed
  create an environment that enables contributions from all kinds of people and not the same few
  recognise contributions made by people and the team as a whole and celebrate successes

Objectives

Our Equality and Diversity Objectives are outlined in our People Plan 2023-2026. Our people plan sets out how we will improve as an employer and the benefits this will bring us, the businesses we regulate and the public whose health we protect. It is our map for attracting the best people to our teams, helping colleagues grow and develop in their work, and for ensuring we become known for our great culture.

We want to ensure that someone’s background or protected characteristics are never a limiting factor in the FSA, but rather an asset that can help improve policy making and service delivery. We’ll work towards becoming the best in class for inclusion, improving representation and access to opportunities for people from under-represented groups continuing the positive trajectory of recent years whilst aligning to the Civil Service inclusion strategy.

In year one

We will maintain momentum on inclusion:

1. Create inclusion champion-chaired action groups to evolve inclusion governance and support strategic and corporate delivery.
2. Complete assurance framework, accreditation and audit activities to form an evidence base that guide inclusion actions for the next 3 years (including disability confidence leader level and carers’ accreditation level 2).
3. Provide enhanced interviewer training for recruitment panellists, empowering them to actively encourage and support candidates to provide their best evidence.
4. Continue and complete reviews in each plant to ensure effective cohesion between MHIs and CMHIs in the undertaking of duties within plants, supporting the one team approach.
5. Continue to offer a range of engagement channels and networking opportunities to our colleagues on the front line to help them feel more included, with additional support for groups who are under-represented in Field Operations.

We'll know it's worked with:

1. Achievement of disability confidence leader level and carers accreditation level 2.
2. Increased declaration of protected characteristics (including socio-economic background) and progress towards an even more representative workforce, particularly in Operations and at management grades.
3. More consistent people survey results across protected characteristics.
4. Maintain our position in the top 75 employers for social mobility.
5. Better people survey results and regional engagement day polls/feedback relating to frontline team relationships and engagement.

In years two and three

We will become best in class for inclusion:

1. Explore a sponsorship offer in line with positive action principles.
2. Complete the voluntary evidenced framework for improving race equality and progression.
3. Achieve carers accreditation level 3.
4. Report on ethnicity pay gap.
5. Support our staff networks’ evolution to align with the civil service inclusion strategy and contribute to strategy/policy whilst continuing to support staff.

We'll know it's worked with:

1. Achievement of carers' accreditation level 3.
2. Rise in the People Survey scores related to ethnicity and progression.
3. Improve on our 2023 position in the social mobility employers' list.