Equality and diversity

We are committed to promoting equality and diversity in all we do. We publish our equality objectives regularly and report on how we're meeting them.

What we are doing

We are developing an organisation where all employees and customers feel included and are treated equally. Achieving this is part of our corporate action plan. We want all our employees to embrace difference and include everyone.

Benchmarking

We are working with expert organisations and learning best practice by participating in benchmarking analysis. Participating in external benchmarks allows us to learn from other organisations. This means we can continually improve on our equality, diversity and inclusion work.

We have been recognised with a gold award for our work on gender and race. Find out more about our benchmarking scores and achievements.

Employee networks

We have an increasing number of employee networks and forums that support our corporate equality, diversity and inclusion aspirations. We currently have 22 networks covering:

  • Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME)
  • LGBT+
  • mental health
  • mobility
  • disability (such as dyslexia, hearing loss, visual impairment)
  • faith and belief
  • health (such as cancer, chronic pain, fatigue)

Equality objectives

We have published our Environment Agency Equality Duty Objectives Targets 2020 to 2024.

Equality publications

Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) strategy

We have created an Environment Agency Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy which focuses on 4 key strategic objectives.

We will:

  • build and develop an inclusive and respectful culture that allows everyone to be their best selves at work
  • increase the diversity of our workforce
  • ensure equity of opportunity
  • increase our ability to protect and improve the environment for all communities

The Environment Agency will prioritise actions for ethnicity and gender first.  The evidence tells us these need more attention. We will:

  • focus on improving workplace adjustments to support all employees
  • put equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of all decisions

We have also worked with our Defra group colleagues to create a separate Defra group equality, diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy 2020 to 2024 which represents the overall vision.

Pay gap

The Environment Agency (EA) publishes a pay gap report each year. The reports contain average earnings at the Environment Agency (EA) covering differences in:

  • gender
  • disability
  • race
  • religion and belief
  • sexual orientation

Read the Environment Agency pay gap reports

Workforce diversity statistics

Contact diversity@environment-agency.gov.uk if you would like to see our workforce diversity statistics quarterly reports.

Equality and diversity contact details

For any questions about equality and diversity at the Environment Agency, contact EDI.Mailbox@environment-agency.gov.uk.

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