Diversity & inclusion
At Ofcom you can be yourself. We have an inclusive working environment and work hard to improve diversity within our organisation and also in the sectors we regulate. It’s fundamental in helping us to achieve our aim of making communications work for everyone.
Our organisation needs to represent everybody in the UK, so it’s essential that we create an inclusive culture where equality underpins everything we do.
Our diversity and inclusion strategy
Diversity and inclusion are essential to the way we operate, both as an employer and as the UK’s communications regulator. Our strategy outlines our priorities, including targets relating to our workforce and an outline of our vision as an organisation.
We publish an annual diversity report which is available on our main website.
Here are our diversity targets, which we aim to reach by 2026:
- Senior ethnicity: 16% of our senior leaders from minority ethnic backgrounds.
- Senior gender balance: An equal gender balance at senior levels.
- Disability: 15% of our colleagues are disabled.
- Boards and committees: An approximately equal gender balance and a level comparable with the relevant populations on disability (15%) and ethnicity (10%).
In addition to these targets, we’re focused on broadening our socioeconomic and class diversity, as well as increasing our regional diversity, with more colleagues based outside London. These are particularly important areas to help make sure our regulatory work is informed by people with a broad range of experiences, backgrounds and perspectives.
Our vision for Diversity and Inclusion
The vision sets out the principles upon which we our developing our culture, bringing fairness to the ways we operate, and driving greater inclusion. Ofcom has legal duties to consider age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex and sexual orientation in the way we work.
At Ofcom, inclusion is more than these protected characteristics – we want every colleague of every background and life experience to feel they belong and are fairly represented in the way we work. In addition to these targets, we’re focused on broadening our socioeconomic and class diversity, as well as increasing our regional diversity, with more colleagues based outside London. These are particularly important areas to help make sure our regulatory work is informed by people with a broad range of experiences, backgrounds and perspectives.
We recognise everyone has a different starting point in life, and we create opportunities with this in mind.
We take personal responsibility
Diversity and inclusion is a personal purpose and mission for all of us. We all play our part, no matter who we are, what we do, and where we’re located.
We are truly diverse
We reflect the diverse society we serve, in many different ways. We need to do so, to better appreciate people’s diverse needs and the challenges they face.
Our leaders are role models
Our leaders set an example to others in how to live our values. They build diversity and inclusion into their daily decisions to make Ofcom a fantastic place to work for our colleagues, and to make communications work for everyone.
We are connected to communities
All colleagues are deeply connected in the communities and under-served groups, so we can hear consumers’ voices and learn about the society we serve. We use our own advantages to boost others and create positive social outcomes. We encourage colleagues to participate actively in areas they care about.
We are naturally inclusive
Our culture means that everyone feels they belong, are valued, and have a voice. We understand and celebrate many types of diversity, including combinations of identities too. We know that everyone one of us brings diversity to Ofcom in different ways and that we all more than just our characteristics.
We are fair by design
We consciously design and monitor the way that we do things, the decisions we make and the systems we use so that they are fair and equitable for our colleagues and for the people we serve. We know that sometimes we need to support people differently in order to treat them equally.
Diversity and inclusion when hiring
We monitor our policies and practices extensively through colleague surveys, external benchmarking and an annual equal pay audit. External benchmarking services allow us to compare our business processes to industry best practice, and to understand how well we are performing in our activities to promote diversity in employment.
To support our objectives in recruiting a more diverse workforce, we regularly review our recruitment processes and methodologies to ensure that these are inclusive, fair and transparent.
Wellbeing at Ofcom
As an organisation, we’re only as good as the people who work here. Which is why our wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do at Ofcom.
Our Wellbeing Programme, Thrive@Ofcom, is focuses on our wellbeing priorities – mental health, physical health, financial wellbeing, social wellbeing and Corporate Social Responsibility (doing good to feel good).
We provide a culture where we value authentic open and honest conversations on wellbeing. We also offer confidential and easily accessible support that recognises we all have different needs. This ranges from our Volunteer leave, Workplace Adjustments and broad Employee Assistance Programme to our on-hand Mental Health First Aiders. [including shortlist logo for British Wellbeing Awards]
