The British Council has developed a number of tools in order to monitor and evaluate progress in mainstreaming diversity. Learn more about our policies.

We have developed our Integrated Equality Scheme to help us promote equality and eliminate discrimination in the areas of gender, race and disability.

This Scheme demonstrates our commitment to mainstreaming equality and diversity and contributing through this process to a fairer and more inclusive society and the eradication of discrimination, stereotyping and harassment in all its forms - personal, cultural and institutional.

As a UK public body we are legally required to promote equality in these areas, but because we are an international organisation, the scheme applies worldwide, not just in the UK.

Our Equal Opportunities Policy (MS Word, 113 KB) helps to ensure that there is no unjustified discrimination in the recruitment, retention, training and development of staff on the basis of gender, marital status, sexual identity, religion and belief, political opinion, ethnicity/race, work pattern, age, disability or HIV/AIDS status, socio-economic background, spent convictions, trade union activity or membership, or on the basis of having or not having dependants.

Our Equal Opportunities Policy benefits employees and potential employees and helps achieve dignity at work and contributes to providing the best possible services to partners and clients.

Our Diversity Strategy (MS Word, 106 KB) is underpinned by the belief that external relationships with clients, customers and partners throughout the world should reflect the standards and behaviours by which we manage diversity internally.

The strategy corresponds with the UK Government’s own vision of inclusion and diversity where every individual is able to fulfil their potential and make their contribution to society, with an emphasis on promoting equality in an integrated way, taking account of the needs of all groups and providing protection for everyone.

For more information on our Policy and the work carried out in the area of Equal Opportunities and Diversity, please visit our corporate website.