Equality, diversity and inclusion
We know that by creating an inclusive culture, which values and embraces our differences, will deliver a better service and outcomes for the diverse communities we serve.
Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion runs throughout our everyday policing as well as through the organisation in terms of supporting the needs of colleagues. We encourage people to bring their whole selves to work, valuing different approaches, perspectives and ways of working, so that they can achieve their full potential and deliver their best.
We are working hard to attract more people from all the communities who live across Staffordshire and the surrounding areas and we welcome applications from all communities regardless of race, sexual orientation, disability, faith, age, and gender.
Equality Act 2010
The Equality Act 2010 protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fairer and more equitable society. The Act protects people from discrimination, harassment, and victimisation in work, education, and when accessing services. There are nine protected characteristics recognised under the Equality Act 2010.
- Age
- Disability
- Gender Reassignment
- Marriage and Civil Partnership
- Pregnancy and Maternity
- Race
- Religion or Belief
- Sex
- Sexual Orientation
Positive Action
Positive Action is a range of measures and initiatives that we can lawfully take to actively encourage people from communities that are underrepresented to bring their talent, experience, and expertise to our organisation when applying for roles.
When applying for roles, our selection processes are no different. Through the use of positive action, we do not seek to remove competition. Rather to allow everyone the same level of opportunity where final selection for a post is always made on the merit of the applicant. We aim to build a workforce so that it reflects the rich diversity and complexities of our communities by attracting the best talent from the widest pool of people. We use the term ‘underrepresented’ to describe where the diversity of the communities we serve is not accurately reflected in our workforce and are proud to have a policy where we use Positive Action to help us achieve this.
This recruitment support is for everyone who falls under the nine protected characteristics. If we don’t reflect the communities we serve, we can’t accurately understand their viewpoints and experiences.
If you would like to find out more about Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion please contact [email protected]. If you would like to find our more about Positive Action please contact [email protected].
Further details on our equality data and information on the campaigns we support can be found through the links below:
Staff Networks
Our officers and staff come from a variety of backgrounds, cultures and beliefs. We value these differences and are proud to support them. As an employee of Staffordshire Police, there are a number of networks and associations available to join that provide support and guidance, as well as giving an opportunity to share experiences and solutions. These include:
We also work closely with the following organisation and programmes:
Disability Confident is the government scheme that helps recruit and retain great people, drawing from the widest possible pool of talent. Disability Confident organisations play a leading role in changing attitudes for the better, and change behaviour and cultures internally and across communities.
We have taken a stand to end all male violence against women by becoming White Ribbon Accredited. We promise to ‘Never commit, excuse or remain silent about male violence against women.’
White Ribbon is a global campaign that encourages people, and especially men and boys, to act and change the behaviour and culture that leads to abuse and violence.
The Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion is a not-for-profit organisation that helps employers build and maintain diverse teams and inclusive cultures through our membership, training, and consultancy services.
The Fostering Network is the UK’s leading fostering charity, bringing together everyone who is involved in the lives of children and young people who are fostered to make foster care the very best it can be.
HeForShe seeks to engage men and people of all genders, to join women to work together to achieve true gender equality. Everyone benefits from true gender equality, which is not just a women’s issue. The police service plays a unique role in addressing domestic abuse and sexual violence and the link between this type of crime and gender inequality within our communities is well documented.
The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise ensuring that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces, and their families, are treated fairly. We support all members of the military family in Staffordshire Police and help to deliver the best service to forces personnel, veterans and their families within our community.
In 2024, we were awarded the gold award for our commitment to supporting the armed forces community.
We have signed the Age Friendly Pledge, a nationwide programme which showcases our commitment to older workers. We want to be an employer of choice where we deliver a workplace that is age friendly and recognise the contribution that older workers give to an organisation.
The associations are incredibly important to us and help deliver the best possible service to underrepresented individuals and ultimately improve individual’s experiences at work, supporting their health and wellbeing.
FAQs
Positive Action comes under sections 158 and 159 of the Equality Act 2010.
Yes. Everyone has at least two of the protected characteristics: age and sex. Some people will have more characteristics, but they are all protected by the same legislation. Having more characteristics doesn’t make someone more protected than you. We ask that people are mindful of each other’s characteristics and show respect to each other, regardless of their characteristics.
The two are often confused. Positive Discrimination means employing someone just because they come from an underrepresented group, regardless of individual merit, giving an unfair advantage and is unlawful. Positive Action is a lawful activity to ensure there is fairness to all that apply where everyone has a ‘level playing field’ from the start. Applicants must still meet the requirements for the role, and meet or exceed those applying alongside them before we can utilise Positive Action. Box ticking exercises, as people think of them, are Positive Discrimination and therefore unlawful.
Yes and no. It applies to specific characteristics, but Positive Action applies to more than just the larger workforce. We look at each role separately when considering Positive Action. Everyone comes from somewhere, and everyone’s experiences will be different. Likewise, people often feel more comfortable speaking with people who are more like them. The ‘underrepresented’ group in any given role may be different to your expectations. For example, our Force Control Room has a predominately female workforce. We therefore encourage male candidates, utilising Positive Action, to better reflect the communities contacting us.
You are not required to have the protected characteristic in order to join a staff network. You don’t need to be a woman to join SAWP. You don’t need a disability or neurodiversity to join DCN. The networks are for people with protected characteristics to share and ask advice, but also for others to join, support, and ask questions in order to understand our diverse communities both within and outside the police service. Our networks are staff run and coordinated, so any employee can become an ally to any network.
Want to find out more? Fill in our expression of interest form to receive updates and advice on a career with Staffordshire Police.
