Promoting Fairness and Inclusion across the spectrum

In the realm of public service, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) stands out as a champion for equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). The department's EDI Team can be contacted at [email protected].

Defra's commitment to EDI is evident in their group equality objectives for the period 2024 to 2026. These objectives aim to attract, empower, and retain diverse talent, invest in their people, foster a respectful and inclusive culture, and improve their understanding and the way they work with the communities they serve.

The department has a long-standing tradition of participating in the Civil Service people surveys, contributing to editions from 2017 to 2023. These surveys provide valuable insights into the experiences and perceptions of Defra's employees, helping the department to continually improve its EDI practices.

Defra also collaborates with various organisations to advance EDI. These include the Business Disability Forum (BDF), Employers for Carers (EfC), and the Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion (Enei). However, it should be noted that the search results do not provide information about which organisations Defra collaborates with beyond those mentioned.

In terms of transparency, Defra publishes reports that summarize the gender pay gap within the department. These reports, from 2017 to the most recent 2023 to 2024 edition, provide a clear picture of the difference between the average salary of women and men in Defra.

Defra's duties under the Equality Act 2010 extend to advancing equality of opportunity and fostering good relations between groups of people, regardless of their age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, ethnicity, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, or marriage and civil partnership status. The department is committed to eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment, and victimization as required by the Act.

In line with its commitment to regular review and update, Defra consistently reviews its objectives and priorities to ensure they are relevant and meet changing business and customer needs. This adaptability is a testament to Defra's ongoing dedication to EDI.