Protected characteristics
There are nine protected characteristics which are covered in the Equality Act 2010. Discrimination against these is unlawful:
- age
- disability
- race
- religion or belief
- sex (also known as ‘gender’, includes pregnancy and maternity)
- sexual orientation (including marriage and civil partnership)
- trans
The University has Codes of Practice (.docx) for each of these characteristics. The codes aim to help managers deal with diversity within their teams, and to inform staff and students of their rights and the responsibilities of the University, under the Equality Act 2010.
As part of the University’s commitment to equality and diversity within and beyond its community, individual members of our senior management team also act as diversity champions in relation to each of the protected characteristics.
Diversity champions
As part of the University’s commitment to equality and diversity within and beyond its community, individual members of our Senior Management Team (University Steering Group (USG)) act as champions in relation to each of the nine protected characteristics as follows:
- Age: Professor Jules Pretty
- Disability: Bryn Morris
- Gender (including gender reassignment and pregnancy and maternity): Monica Illsley
- Religion or belief: Andrew Keeble
- Race: Professor Graham Underwood
- Sexual orientation (including marriage and civil partnership): Professor Anthony Forster and Professor Lorna Fox O’Mahony
The role of diversity champions is to support and promote the work the University undertakes in relation to the protected characteristic for which they are champions.
Diversity champions aim to act as role models, taking actions when appropriate (although not intervening in specific cases), addressing behaviours when necessary and checking that diversity in its broadest sense is recognised, understood and considered during evaluation and decision-making processes.
