As the UK’s principal cultural relations organisation, we are committed to equality of opportunity, to valuing and managing diversity and to taking positive action to promote these. Our work involves developing relationships with people from a wide range of backgrounds. Engaging positively with the richness of this diversity is central to our cultural relations role and objectives and is in line with our core values.

WHAT IS EQUALITY?
Equality of opportunity is about treating people fairly and without bias and about creating conditions in the workplace and wider society that encourage and value diversity and promote dignity. It is also about trying to redress past imbalances and ensuring that dealings with clients, customers and suppliers are conducted in a constructive way which does not give rise to unjustified discrimination and supports appropriate inclusion.

WHAT IS DIVERSITY?
Diversity is concerned with creating an inclusive environment and practices which benefit the organisation and those who work in and with it. It takes account of the fact that people differ from one another in many ways. Understanding, valuing and effectively managing these differences can result in greater participation that can be leveraged for success at an individual, team and organisational level.

OUR SEVEN AREAS OF EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY
When we talk about equal opportunity and diversity, we focus on seven main areas:

			Age
			Disability
			Race/Ethnicity
			Gender (which includes transgender)
			Religion/Belief and culture
			Sexual orientation
			Work-life balance