Equality and diversity at the Royal Commission

The Royal Commission is committed to ensuring there is equality of opportunity for all in the delivery of its functions and services, fostered in an environment of mutual respect and dignity.

We do this by continuously working to improve our employment practices as well as our accessibility to as diverse an audience as possible.

This can be at the level of governance (by building equality and diversity into the Commission’s policies, strategies and project management), recruitment procedures (by constantly reviewing our documentation and procedures), library and reader services and online resources (by improving accessibility to the Commission’s facilities and resources), and public engagement and other activities (by improving accessibility to the Commission’s events; promoting equality and diversity among staff, volunteers and service users; and encouraging participation in under-represented groups).

Our Equality and Diversity Policy outlines the Commission’s commitments, and how we intend to deliver them. This is accompanied by an annual Action Plan, which is implemented through the Equality and Diversity Monitoring Group made up of staff from across the Commission.

During 2016-17 the Commission:

• Improved access to its facilities and resources by adding accessibility and user facilities information to its website;
• Purchased portable induction loops for its Library and Search Room and conference room;
• Signed up as Disability Confident Committed, level one (out of three) of the government scheme which has replaced the ‘Two Ticks’ scheme, and progressed to level two as a Disability Confident Employer. As part of this commitment, we now advertise our vacancies on Evenbreak, a recruitment website run by disabled people, for disabled people.
• Organised a successful Digital Past conference at a fully accessible and community-trust run venue in Newport, a Communities First area, with four out of six keynote speakers women
• Created a dedicated Equality and Diversity webpage on its redeveloped corporate website;
• Made its six main leaflets available online in accessible format;
• Improved accessibility of its Corporate Information online by converting policies from PDF into html;
• Improved accessibility of its recruitment documentation by providing applicants the option of using a PDF-based application form;
• Became an accredited Living Wage Employer;
• Established an equality calendar to improve staff awareness and target activities to align with the calendar, such as the ‘Commemorating WWI West African Merchant Seamen’ blog for Black History Month;

As part of our commitment we are keen to seek the views of people who use our services.

If you have any feedback or suggestions, or if you require this information in an alternative format, please Contact Us.

25/09/2017