Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing
Overview
We aspire to be a place where everyone feels welcome, included, safe and heard. We will celebrate diversity, raise awareness of issues faced by under-represented groups and ensure that everyone knows where to find support.
We will foster a culture where mental well-being and work-life balance are encouraged and valued. We believe that a broad range of people and perspectives is among our greatest strengths. For this reason, we will aspire to attract and retain a diverse group of staff and students.
We want to enable all our staff and students to contribute their best work to the Institute. We will therefore embrace structures that remove barriers to opportunity, support personal development and stimulate fair career progression.
We want our research to benefit the widest possible range of people so we will embrace inclusive experimental design, remove barriers to access and aim to understand a variety of perspectives by engaging with patient and public groups.
It is the responsibility of all staff and students to promote a culture of respect and inclusion and to help implement policies that support diversity and equity, including Cambridge University’s equal opportunities policy.
Specific Aims
Our volunteer Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing group has the firm support of the IMS-MRL Directorship and senior leaders and represents all staff and students to fulfil the following aims:
- To promote equality, diversity, inclusion and wellbeing (EDI&W) at the IMS-MRL. To raise awareness of and foster constructive discussions around issues facing under-represented groups in science and in the workplace and to challenge pre-conceptions.
- To assess and evaluate the department’s culture around EDI&W in an open and transparent manner, with particular regard to protected characteristics*, e.g. by gathering data including staff and student views and recommending positive action to improve equity based on evidence.
- To be a first point of contact for staff and students to go to with queries, concerns and suggestions related to EDI&W. To provide a non-judgemental and confidential ear in matters including mental wellbeing, fairness and inappropriate behaviour. To signpost staff to appropriate support within the university or beyond.
- To represent IMS-MRL staff and students to the Management Committee and the Clinical School EDI&W champion/advocate groups.
*UK ‘protected characteristics’ under the 2010 Equality Act are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
