Statement on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The Hub is committed to the promotion and implementation of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) principles across all aspects of its operation. We have a dedicated EDI champion with responsibility for developing a credible EDI plan that is constantly undergoing review and iteration. As a Hub we strive to: remain aware of key developments; review our approach at regular intervals; continue to invest resources towards the development of appropriate materials; consider the EDI impact of all new policies. We are putting and promoting structures in place that advocate equal opportunities, progression and success for all; and ensuring that our approach has the widest reach possible.

Specifically, the Hub is:

• Promoting a strong EDI ethos in recruitment and training; All HR teams involved support flexible working arrangements and many openly support additional EDI-promoting initiatives, such as Employers Network for Equality, Disability Confident Living Wage, Carer Positive, Race Equality Charter, Trans Inclusion. Hub investigators are committed to including adherence to their specific institutional EDI policy frameworks when advertising project related vacancies. Teams involved in recruitment are routinely required to attend unconscious bias training modules, interviewing panels are required to display gender balance and interviews are scheduled to take place flexibly. The Hub helps to promote all such opportunities on its social media channels and project website, plus relevant databases and diversity-promoting fora to achieve the widest coverage possible.
• Integrating EDI in everyday practice; We strive to promote a good work/life balance. We regularly review the makeup of our governance structures to ensure gender and ethnic diversity balance in all decision-making bodies. All project meetings are organised with plenty of advance notice, to allow members to put in place caring arrangements where appropriate, and to avoid dates of major religious festivals. Meetings take place where possible outside of school drop-off/pick-up hours. We offer options for in-person and virtual participation for those unable to travel. We invite all project members and PhD students to our scientific project meetings and seek presentations from across all groups. All venues booked for our meetings/user engagement events are widely accessible, including for those with special access requirements and we ensure there are provisions such as hearing loops, software with live transcription options for online events, etc. available throughout.
• Supporting continued professional development, career progression and wellbeing; Training and mentorship are key priorities for our Hub investigators. We have invested resources in providing specialist training and regularly highlight training opportunities relevant to all. We have allocated generous budgets to all colleagues for collaborative travel and conference attendance, to promote networking and professional development. We are meticulous about fully acknowledging the personal contributions of each team member in news items and press releases. We provide mentorship and support to any of our researchers applying for fellowship schemes or independent academic positions. All academic delivery partners are committed to the Athena SWAN Charter. We are currently exploring the Research Development Concordat and Technician Commitment Charters for further initiatives we can help support to promote career progression amongst those groups.
• Embedding EDI in all communications materials; We make a conscious effort to promote core EDI principles through the content and presentation of all our communications materials. We have produced a document accessibility guide for our staff, to ensure all relevant materials are optimally formatted for widespread consumption. Our project website is fully compliant with accessibility standards and content both on the website and our social media is regularly reviewed for adhesion to accessibility requirements. We promote career progression and varied career opportunities in the sector, through a website blog (Quantumness, Randomness and Endless Possibilities) highlighting the views of colleagues from diverse genders/backgrounds/education systems. We are committed to pushing the STEM agenda, with initiatives such the Quantum STEM Ambassadors programme, rolled out to schools up and down the country; and the production of quantum technologies school posters and careers fact sheets, highlighting diverse career options in the sector that are freely available to all.
• Implementing targeted outreach; We prioritise outreach for hard-to-reach groups, through collaborations with outreach teams across all academic institutions in our partnership and charities such as the Ogden Trust. We aspire to establish partnerships with schools and educators in deprived areas, with a focus also on online outreach delivery for wider reach.
• Using inclusive language; We make a conscious effort to use thoughtful, inclusive and gender-neutral language throughout.
• Providing allyship to raise awareness and help effect change; The Hub is lending its voice to support big, strategic and wide-ranging initiatives in this area, through becoming an ally and helping to communicate key messages. We follow on social media leading voices on EDI matters and help to promote their work.
• Making EDI a matter of personal responsibility; EDI is about people and the value we place on different approaches, ideas, skills, and perspectives, the liberty to be ourselves and to succeed on merit. We rely on our colleagues to inspire, inform and alert us to potential issues, thus helping us to become aware of and overcome our inevitable, inherent and unconscious biases. 

If you are directly affected by our EDI policies, please feel free to contact us through our enquiries inbox (enquiries@quantumcommshub.net) to discuss your feedback.