Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The Education and Training Foundation (ETF values all the diverse forms of excellence that can be found and supported in the sector. We aim to promote equality, diversity and inclusion through our various roles:

• As a commissioning body, committed to ensuring any contracts we award are to suppliers that can prove their work is accessible to all and encourage a more inclusive and diverse workforce.
• As a collaborative player, working with the sector to create a more diverse teaching workforce.
• As an employer, committed to an open and fair People Strategy that ensures all staff have equal opportunities to develop and excel.

The ETF’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy 2017-20 sets out our vision to achieving progress on this vital agenda and our aims in supporting  the sector. It is accompanied by a high level set of priorities for this year, giving an overview of how we will deliver our aims.

How the ETF can help

The ETF has set out what we have done and what else we will do to in order to achieve our vision and mission. The strategy can be downloaded below.

• Strategy 2017-20

Our Advancing Equality and Diversity programme on Foundation Online Learning will equip you to implement equality and diversity strategies across your organisation, including how to improve your practice in line with Ofsted’s criteria.

Our commitments to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion 

To demonstrate our commitment to EDI, we have made pledges to the following: 

Armed Forces Covenant  

In March 2020, the ETF became a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant. In doing so, it has committed to upholding the Covenant’s key principles; namely that no member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen, and that in some circumstances special treatment may be appropriate, especially for the injured or bereaved. 

The ETF has pledged to uphold those principles in a number of ways, including: 

• Seeking to support the professional learning and development of Armed Services personnel through the ETF’s Workforce Development offer 
• Seeking to support the resettlement, training and employment of veterans, young and old, including the transition to Further Education and Skills technical teaching careers 
• Endeavouring to offer a degree of flexibility to veterans when they are studying their ITE programme or any other workforce development support offer, through Further Forces or any other ETF programme. 

More information can be found on the Armed Forces Covenant website. 

Time to Change Employer Pledge 

In October 2019, we signed the Time to Change Employer Pledge. We pledged to normalise the conversation about mental health in the workplace by ensuring commitment from our Senior Management Team through the internal change programme – known as SHAPE. We are dedicated to ending the stigma around mental health and continue to champion our employees, so they feel comfortable and supported by those around them. 

Ongoing activity includes wellbeing walks, meditation sessions, onsite gym and yoga, open discussion forums, MHFA training and Senior Management Team support. 

More information can be found on the Time to Change website.  

Disability Confident Committed Employer   

In October 2018, we were awarded Disability Confident Committed Employer status. This means, as an organisation, we are committed to:   

• ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible 
• communicating and promoting vacancies  
• offering an interview to disabled people 
• anticipating and providing reasonable adjustments as required 
• supporting any existing employee who acquires a disability or long-term health condition, enabling them to stay in work  
• at least one activity that will make a difference for disabled people. 

 More information about this award can be found on the Disability Confident website.