We’re celebrating trans and gender non-conforming people by raising awareness and increasing visibility. You can get involved by joining the events and showing your support in practical ways. Find out here
This information is the first of many steps to start deeper and more honest conversations about race to encourage our students and staff to listen to the BAME members of our community, hear their experiences, and recognise how we all can do better, as individuals and as an organisation. More
The EDI Strategy 2019-2022 is a declaration of the university’s commitment to place the promotion of equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of the university. We believe that having a clear Equality and Diversity Policy Statement for students and staff reinforces our expectations of the values and behaviours that all members of the university community should exhibit:
We stand together in solidarity with our black students and staff.
As a university community and as individuals we are appalled by the senseless racist killing of George Floyd in the USA. We are equally saddened that the UK is not innocent. We know Sheku Bayoh, Kingsley Burrell, Sarah Reed, and many others have died in police custody in this country. We also all know about the racially motivated murder of Stephen Lawrence.
We need to see the situation for what it is and we need to be honest: these experiences exist and structural racism is present in our communities and in our universities. As employers, educators, researchers and community leaders we have a duty to act and an important part to play, and we should start with apologising for not doing enough and for not confronting racism with the urgency it deserves.
We also know saying this isn’t sufficient. We have a duty to do better. Equality, diversity and inclusion are founding principles of our institution and core beliefs of our students and staff. We know that world events and media coverage shouldn’t be the only driver for change but recent events and feedback from staff and students tells us that we need to do more.
With this in mind, we are committing to a review of all of our equality and diversity work and by the end of September 2020 we will be sharing our detailed plan of action setting out how we will do more to achieve systemic and long-lasting change for our students and staff. As part of this, we will be reflecting on the work done by the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, the BAME attainment gap project and the BAME Staff Network.
The Vice-Chancellor will also be appointing a member of staff to work directly with her 1-2 days per week, on a secondment basis, to champion and deliver this important work.
We recognise that we also have a responsibility to educate ourselves and we will shortly be sharing resources for students and staff across the university.
In the meantime, we recognise how tough, hurtful, and traumatising the last few weeks have been to our black students and staff.
If you need support now, or at any time in the future, you can contact the Wellbeing Service or GSU Advice Service (for students) or the Employee Assistance Programme, a wellbeing champion or a member of Human Resources (for staff).
You can also join our BAME Staff Network (by emailing Natasha Abreo) or GSU’s BAME Student Society by emailing Mayo Femi-Obalemo, or email any suggestions you may have about how the university should take further action to Naseer Ahmad or Simone Murch from our EDI team.
Black lives matter.
Professor Jane Harrington
Vice-Chancellor and on behalf of the University of Greenwich
Dr Sandhi Patchay
Chair and on behalf of the University of Greenwich BAME Staff Network
GSU Officers
On behalf of Greenwich Students’ Union
Gail Brindley, Director of HR & Professor Mark O’Thomas, PVC, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Science, Co-Chairs, and on behalf of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee at the University of Greenwich
Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan set out how we will provide an environment where you can flourish and achieve your full potential.
We want to see the university reflect the diversity of the community we serve. To help us achieve this we are launching the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy 2019-22, along with our Action Plan.
The key aims of the EDI strategy are:
We see diversity as a strength which should be encouraged, celebrated and promoted across our staff and student communities.
To find out more about the actions we will take view the full strategy and action plan.
Non-league Altrincham showed their support for football’s fight against homophobia by wearing a kit based on the LGBT rainbow flag.
The National League North side – who normally play in red and white stripes – say they are the first club to wear a shirt inspired by the flag’s colours.
Director Bill Waterson said the move was “a big statement” and “a small moment of football history”.
Saturday’s home match against Bradford (Park Avenue) ended in a 1-1 draw. More
Some of the UK’s biggest retailers are taking a break from the frantic buildup to Christmas this week for “Purple Tuesday”, the first national day dedicated to the needs of disabled shoppers.
Asda, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s are among more than 700 businesses – after an initial target of only 50 – who had joined the initiative by Monday morning. Companies are required to make at least one long-term commitment to improve the experience of disabled customers in order to take part. More
It’s Pride month in the UK, and the government is launching its new strategy to tackle discrimination and improve the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
It says the aim is to help make life better for LGBT+ people in Britain. More
Greenwich claimed a hat-trick of wins last night at the Charlton v Homophobia football tournament.
Finishing top of their pool put them in the final against the team from Fans for Diversity. The match finished in a draw so it was all to play for in the penalty shoot out. A heroic performance by the Greenwich goalkeeper meant that a successful penalty by Greenwich would win the tournament and the next taker duly obliged tucking the shot away very nicely.
Well done to all involved a very successful event yet again.
