Equality and diversity

We are committed to providing equality of opportunity and eliminating all forms of discrimination, harassment and bullying. We promote a good and harmonious working environment in which everyone is treated with respect and will not tolerate discrimination, bullying and harassment of any kind.

Our employees and individuals working under contract arrangements are required to assist us to meet our commitment to provide equal opportunities in employment and avoid unlawful discrimination.

Public sector equality duty

The Public Sector Duty came into force on 5 April 2011. In line with its requirements, we are committed to having due regard to:

• eliminating unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
• advancing equality of opportunity between different groups
• fostering good relations between different groups

Gender Pay Gap report

Gender Pay Gap legislation introduced in 2017 requires all employers of 250 or more employees to publish their gender pay gap data annually. The gender pay gap is the difference between the average earnings of men and women, expressed relative to men’s earnings.

Gender Pay Gap Report 2021

Gender Pay Gap Report 2020

Gender Pay Gap Report 2019

Gender Pay Gap Report 2018

Gender Pay Gap Report 2017

Diversity Statistics  

Our Diversity representation can be found in our Annual Report and Accounts.  

At the FSA, we commit to being a workplace where everyone feels that: 

• we can be ourselves 

• our unique contribution is recognised, respected, and valued 

• we achieve a healthy work life balance 

• we can find meaning in our work 

• we belong and there is space for us to grow 

Commitments and actions 

Commitment 1 - Attract and retain a diverse workforce 

Diverse perspectives and insights can help us strengthen our pledge to put consumers first, deliver transformational change, innovation, creativity and build capability in our staff. Embracing an inclusive culture will help us to recruit and retain the best people from the widest talent pool. 

We will: 

• use social media, alternative recruitment / career platforms and methods of selection to attract a wider and more diverse range of candidates
• continue to monitor and evaluate our recruitment processes to ensure that they are non-biased and non-discriminatory
• continue our commitment to anonymised, gender diverse interview panels and offering interviewers unconscious bias training
• increase access to mentoring, shadowing, coaching and career conversations to encourage and promote progression into senior roles and actively participate in cross-government schemes which support people from diverse backgrounds. In particular, we will address the under-representation of ethnic minority staff in our senior grades
• commit to becoming a Disability Confident employer so we employ and retain disabled people and those with health conditions

Commitment 2 - Champion inclusivity across our leadership and management community 

Our leaders and management community will drive and reinforce cultural change and an inclusive working environment, by role modelling our ASPIRE values. 

We will: 

• include a performance objective for all managers to create and supporting a diverse and inclusive environment
• establish a Diversity Council to ensure we deliver our commitments under the Diversity and Inclusion strategy
• develop our managers so they embed diversity and inclusion within their teams, through valuing, developing and motivating people; building and sustaining teams remotely; challenging behaviours that negatively affect inclusion; and tackling bullying and harassment
• appoint Inclusion Champions from within the Executive Management Team, Senior Leadership Team and throughout the business to progress a diverse and accepting workplace culture 

Commitment 3 - Develop and support staff networks in strengthening our diverse and inclusive culture 

We want our staff networks to be owned and their focus directed by our staff. They can provide a safe space, when needed, for airing concerns and can also play a role in raising awareness and driving inclusive practices.  

We will: 

• provide ongoing support so that the capability and capacity of our networks can be developed and maintained
• continue to support our active staff networks, promoting tailored learning and development opportunities
• provide guidance and support to help staff volunteers to establish more networks