1. Faculty of Environment
  2. School of Geography
  3. Equality and inclusion

Equality and inclusion

Equality and inclusion

The Faculty of Environment welcomes and values the participation and contributions of a wide range of students and staff from diverse backgrounds and circumstances, which we regard as a great asset. We seek to create an inclusive environment that attracts, develops and retains the best students and staff from all backgrounds from across the world, and supports them in delivering their ambitions, contributing to our institutional strategic aims.

Equality and Inclusion work within the Faculty of Environment is aligned with the wider University of Leeds Equality and Inclusion Framework (2020-25), Race Equality Framework and University statement on Black Lives Matter, which can be viewed here through the Equality & Inclusion Unit website.

Faculty Equality and Inclusion Committee

Equality and Inclusion within the Faculty of Environment is overseen by the Faculty Equality and Inclusion Committee. The committee provides a basis for action on a wide range of topics, including widening participation and closing awarding gaps on our degrees, accessibility of field trips, and supporting career development for ethnic minority and female students and staff. 

The committee meets every term to identify issues, share best practice, discuss progress, and shape new policies. It is chaired by the Executive Dean, and also includes Heads of Schools, and school Equality and Inclusion leads. 

Athena SWAN Charter and Gender Equality

The Faculty of Environment has been commended for its work to support the career development of women working in a traditionally male dominated field, in the form of a prestigious silver award under the Athena SWAN Charter from Advance HE. The award represents the combined efforts of all schools in the Faculty (School of Earth and Environment, School of Geography, School of Food Science and Nutrition, and the Institute for Transport Studies) and shows the positive actions we have taken to ensure that policies, processes and ethos all promote an equal and inclusive environment for work and study.

Our Athena Swan action plan addresses topics including recruitment of female staff and students, non-permanent contracts, maximising the research power of female colleagues, mentoring, training, and the profile of women in our faculty. The Athena Swan self-assessment team includes representatives from each of our three schools and includes postgraduate researchers, postdocs, academic staff, technical support and professional and managerial staff. 

If you have comments or questions for the Athena Swan team please contact Fiona Gill (f.gill@leeds.ac.uk) or Stephanie Siviter (s.siviter@leeds.ac.uk).

Women in the Faculty of Environment

Profiles of women in a variety of roles in the Faculty of Environment, and their reflections on their own career development, can be found here.

Working with water@leeds, we have instituted the annual Water Woman award. This recognises excellent contributions to research in water related fields, as well as the power of those individuals to inspire and support others.

Working lives policies

The University has a range of policies to support colleagues at key stages in their lives. 

We also have an onsite nursery, Bright Beginnings and holiday playschemes.

Equality related support and resources

Through the Equality & Inclusion Unit, the University of Leeds provides practical support and information for all staff working at the university. This website contains a wide range of information about facilities and services on campus, including (but not limited to) support services available to ensure equal access for disabled staff, baby nursing facilities, gender neutral toilets, prayer spaces, and services available for staff who are also carers.

Resources to support staff wellbeing, including links to the staff counselling service can be found on the Wellbeing, Safety and Health website. Resources to support student wellbeing can be found on the Student Education Service website.

Staff networks

The University has a number of networks that staff can join. They bring together employees from across the University, providing peer support, networking opportunities and social activities.

Our networks include:

Equality and inclusion contacts

Each School has an equality and inclusion officer who promotes equality and inclusion issues across the Faculty and acts as a conduit between the central Equality & Inclusion Unit and the Faculty and Schools.

Disability contacts

Each School in the Faculty also has a number of student disability contacts whose role is to provide information, guidance and support to ensure equality of access to education for all disabled people who study at the University and to those who aspire to do so.

The University provides general and condition-specific support to disabled students, find out more on the Student Education Service website.