Our Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion

At the British Red Cross, equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) are fundamental. We know that getting this right is critical for us to live our values - dynamic, courageous, compassionate and inclusive.  

On this page, you can find information about:

Our aims

Our vision for equity, diversity and inclusion at the British Red Cross

What we mean by equity, diversity and inclusion

Our equity, diversity and inclusion policy

Diversity networks at the British Red Cross

Our inclusion and diversity steering group

Download our equity, diversity and inclusion policy (PDF)

Download an overview of our strategy (PDF)

Our aims     

We aim to be more inclusive, diverse and equitable. This allows us to follow our fundamental principles, whereby the support we provide is impartial, neutral and universal.    

 We aim to become an anti-racist organisation. We want the British Red Cross to be a place where people of all ethnicities feel welcomed to work, volunteer or seek help. 

Our vision for equity, diversity and inclusion at the British Red Cross

We want to be a safe and inclusive organisation that learns and grows to proactively dismantle barriers, eliminate discrimination and create equity.

We want to be an organisation where:   

• our people learn, understand and take action to dismantle discrimination and create a safe and inclusive environment
• our workforce is built on diverse skills, experiences and capabilities at all levels
• we embed equity and remove barriers to participation across everything we do.  

Our equity, diversity and inclusion strategy sets out how we will achieve this. It gives direction for the improvements we want to see. It is guided by the principles of co-production, lived experience, power sharing and our British Red Cross values.  

Download an overview of our strategy (PDF)

What do we mean by equity, diversity and inclusion?

Equity

Whilst equality means treating everyone the same regardless of their experiences, background or identity, equity recognises that people may have different advantages and barriers in society, and that we don't all have the same starting point. It is the ongoing process of acknowledging that inequality and taking steps to correct that imbalance.

Diversity

Diversity is anything that makes us different to each other.

Inclusion

Inclusion is actively embracing people with diverse perspectives, backgrounds and experiences. Inclusion can be felt, but can also be seen through systems, processes, policies, and behaviours.   

Our equity, diversity and inclusion policy  

The purpose of this policy is to set out our commitment to creating an organisation where people of all identities and backgrounds can thrive. It was created to ensure that people are aware of their responsibilities and know how and where to seek support.   

Download our equity, diversity and inclusion policy (PDF)

Our EDI procedure supports the EDI Policy and sets out our approach to implementing the policy in all our activity. Our commitments to EDI are outlined in our EDI Policy statements and should be applied in relation to any protected characteristic, combination of protected characteristics, or any other characteristic(s), socio-economic or demographic factors and/or cultural traits that may expose someone to unfair disadvantage.
However, the procedure also outlines specific commitments on:

• Anti racism 
  Our vision is for the British Red Cross (BRC) to become an organisation which, to the benefit of our people and our Society, actively dismantles racism everywhere it manifests, whether inside our organisation or wider. Where people of all ethnicities feel welcomed to work, volunteer or seek help, there is equal opportunity, and everyone is treated with dignity and respect. We reject all forms of racism and there is absolutely no place for it at the BRC.
• Carers 
  We are committed to supporting those with caring responsibilities, by fostering a culture of safety and acceptance that encourages individuals to disclose their additional responsibilities and access available support, enabling carers to perform at their best, while fulfilling their caring responsibilities.
• Disability
  We champion the social model of disability in our approach to disability inclusion and focus on removing physical and social barriers that disadvantage disabled people at the BRC and in wider society.
• Gender 
  We are committed to providing a supportive and inclusive environment for all trans, non-binary, and intersex people and support people of all sexual orientations and gender identities who may experience marginalisation, including women. We support all individuals who wish to transition irrespective of whether they possess a gender recognition certificate.

The full EDI procedure is available on request from diversity@redcross.org.uk.

Diversity networks at the British Red Cross

Our diversity networks are voluntary people-led groups. They come together based on shared characteristics and identities.

They aim to:  

• promote EDI across the organisation
• create safe spaces for people to create communities
• help hold the organisation to account to deliver on our equity, diversity and inclusion goals

We currently have six networks at the British Red Cross:  

• Carers network  
• Disability and wellness network (DAWN)  
• Gender equality network (GEN)  
• LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, queer and other sexual orientation & gender minorities) network  
• Race & ethnicity equality network (REEN) 
• Young staff network.

Our inclusion and diversity steering group 

Our inclusion and diversity steering group meets once a month. It includes members of our board, senior leadership, and our diversity networks.

The aims of the group are to: 

• provide direction on EDI within British Red Cross; 
• make key decisions related to EDI; 
• report progress and challenges to executive leaders and the board of trustees; 
• hold the organisation to account to drive improvement.  

If you would like to speak to someone about anything related to equity, diversity and inclusion at the British Red Cross please get in touch on diversity@redcross.org.uk