Innovation through diversity

We pride ourselves on having gender balance. We also ensure the rights of our disabled staff and students and those of BAME and LGBTQIA+ identities.

Award-winning diversity training

We take diversity training seriously. A key focus for us is intersectionality: understanding multiple factors that may affect staff, including in relation to ethnicity, to gender and sexuality, as well as disabilities. We have a variety of strategies for developing awareness in the workplace:

• Playfair Steps is our award-winning equality training. It includes lunchtime sessions that help us pool our individual and collective thoughts on how we can do things better and create a supportive work environment.
• Our Inclusive Workplace Award by the Scottish Union of Supported Employment, which recognizes our efforts to ensure our staff's needs are part of our workplace.

LGBTQIA+

A testament to our ethos of inclusivity is our support of LGBTQIA+ identities. This includes:

• Our work on awareness training, procurement and staff support, contributing to our University-wide success as Stonewall best Scottish university.
• The University of Edinburgh's Staff Pride Network, which connects LGBTQIA+ staff and allies across a city-wide scene and collaborates with our Student Pride Society.
• Regular panel-based events and staff training help blend the experience and expertise of staff and students alike to ensure we are always learning and never complacent in our understanding of issues.

Gender balance

The University of Edinburgh's Athena Swan Silver award is a recognition of our commitment to being inclusive and sensitive to gender difference and gender equality, including at senior management level within the Information Services Group.

The 2017 gender pay gap report also shows the University of Edinburgh as a whole being a leading player for female aspiration and achievement in the city. See the results of our audit on equal pay.

Disabled staff

The University of Edinburgh, and the Information Services Group (ISG), are committed to making the workplace as accessible and inclusive as possible.  ISG has a number of initiatives to try and continually improve our workplace for disabled staff - including a Disability Information Officer and Disability Advisory group. 

In 2017, ISG won 'The Scottish Union of Supported Employment Inclusive Workplace' Award. The University also has a Staff Disability Network. For further information and support, please visit the University's disabled staff support webpage.

If you have any questions, please contact:

Head of Disability Information 

• Contact number: 0131 650 6645
• Email address: Viki.Galt@ed.ac.uk

There is also further information on ISG's accessibility website, including how to produce accessible materials and information on assistive technology available.

Culture of diversity

The culture of diversity and engagement at the University of Edinburgh is also in our DNA. The workplace at the Information Services Group includes the dynamic interaction of full-time staff and student internships and placements. This not only increases our knowledge and the fluid exchange of ideas between staff and the student body, but also our involvement in Edinburgh's rich cultural life:

• Our Disability Network provides staff and students with services and support with disabilities.

• Black History Month and LGBT History Month events are examples of the kind of community projects we engage with, often in tandem with our student societies.

Visit the University's equality and diversity webpages for more information.