Equal Sussex
Find out how we plan to reduce the gaps in representation, experience, progression and reward between those with protected characteristics that are under-represented or disadvantaged, and others.
Our vision for Equal Sussex
Equal Sussex means that we will work to remove barriers to inclusion, tackle abuse of institutional power relations and reduce the gaps in representation, performance, reward and experience between those with protected characteristics that are under-represented or disadvantaged, and others. We will work to improve attainment and employment outcomes of students where data suggest that there are barriers which prevent them from reaching their full potential. We will build on our work to date to identify and where demonstrated reduce student awarding gaps for BAME students, international students, mature students, those who are carers and those declaring a disability.
For staff, our reviews of recruitment and promotion will help identify the changes needed to our policies and processes to ensure greater diversity and more equal representation. We will promote our mentoring programme and coaching for all members of staff and particularly for those from underrepresented groups. We are committed to tackling the gender pay gap identified in 2018. Closing this gap requires us to remove the obstacles faced by women, in particular, at major points of career development and progression. The actions we are taking – including the drive towards Flexible Sussex – will be designed to ensure we remove barriers to recruitment, progression and reward and proactively work to reduce inequalities for other minority groups as well.
We will seek to work closely with the University of Sussex Students’ Union as well as with new and existing staff networks to hear the voices of a wide range of people and to fully understand and address the barriers they face to equal representation, attainment, progression and reward.
We are seeking independent recognition of our work on race, disability, sexual orientation and gender reassignment as we have achieved for gender equality through the Athena Swan Charter. In addition to our ambition to become a Disability Confident Leader we will also aim to hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award and be ranked in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index Top 100 Employers. These schemes are for us not tick-box exercises but important tools which give leverage to address issues substantively and with support from all parts of the institution. It is within these programmes of work that we will collaborate with our community, using an evidence-led approach to understand the particular challenges and barriers we need to address and identifying actions to address them.