Equality and diversity
The UK Border Agency believes 'diversity means business'. The Home Office is dedicated to promoting equality, fairness and respect. We will create a working environment where diversity is recognised, valued and celebrated.
In delivering our business to our diverse society, we will take care to assess the impact of our policies on race, religion and belief, gender, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation and age equality.
Specifically we will aim to:
- employ a workforce that reflects, at all levels, the diversity of society as a whole;
- treat all our staff and contacts with dignity and respect;
- develop all our staff to realise their full potential;
- ensure that our recruitment, selection, appraisal, training and career progression processes are fair, objective and free from bias or stereotyping; and
- take positive action to secure equality of opportunity.
We show our commitment to diversity throughout our organisation.
Leadership
Lin Homer is the Chief Executive of the UK Border Agency. She has taken on the role as diversity champion for the Agency and believes a diverse workforce, at all levels, that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve will enable us to provide the best service possible to the public.
Each of the the Agency Board members has taken on specific roles as a diversity champion for: age, disability, faith, gender, gender identity, race, sexual orientation, diversity in procurement, childcare, flexible working and 2010 values and behaviours.
Actions
- The Agency has a dedicated team to promote equality and diversity throughout the organisation.
- There is a network of approximately 150 equality and diversity advisers throughout the organisation to raise awareness of equality and diversity issues in the business.
- All members of staff are given diversity training, and additional training is given to managers.
- The Agency supports the staff networks for disability, race, women, sexual orientation and gender identity.
- The Agency provides positive action training for minority groups.
- The Agency is a holder of the Disability Symbol (two ticks) .
For more information see the UK Border Agency Race, Disability and Gender Equality Scheme (PDF 188K opens in a new window).