Equality and inclusion are focused on legislating against unjustified discrimination and the fair treatment of specific groups. It’s about treating people fairly, identifying and removing barriers that get in the way of this and redressing existing imbalances, so that groups which continue to be disadvantaged gain access to opportunities for full participation in the workplace and in wider society.
Diversity is focused on making effective use of the differences and similarities between people. It’s about creating working environments that value a range of differences, believing that understanding and managing these can lead to organisational and societal benefit.
When we talk about equal, diversity and inclusion in the British Council, we focus on six main areas:
- age
- disability
- ethnicity or race
- gender
- religion or belief
- sexual identity
We believe the best way to manage diversity is to ensure that it is built into all processes and functions, considered as part of all policy decisions, and present in the planning of all programmes from start to finish.
For details of our corporate approach to Equality, diversity and inclusion, see our corporate website.