Diversity and inclusion
Creating a truly inclusive organisation
We operate globally, supporting our customers in different countries. To meet the demands of an increasingly diverse world, we need a diverse team.
Our vision is to be a truly diverse and inclusive organisation, which looks after the wellbeing of all our people.
FCDO Services is focused on inclusion for all. We recognise that some underrepresented groups may need extra support to remove barriers, which could prevent them from reaching their full potential.
To achieve our vision, we have four areas of focus:
- inclusion
- wellbeing
- respect at work
- attracting and promoting talent
Each is led by a member of the Executive Board. Our CEO is our overall champion for diversity and inclusion.
Our progress so far
Our ambition is to continue to improve our workforce representation to be more like the UK population.
We’ve made steady progress, but there’s still work to do. This includes both within our organisation, and the engineering, technology, and construction industries.
The table below shows the progress we’ve made so far. Along with our ambition for the percentage of representation within our workforce.
| FCDO Services Workforce | Baseline FY 2016/17 | FY 2023/24 | FY 2024/25 (Ambition) |
|
Gender |
23.2% | 31.4% | 33% | |
Ethnicity |
8.4% | 10.7% | 14% | |
Disability |
5.2% | 8.0% | 9.5% |
The percentages are calculated against all our workforce, and do not exclude “not stated” or “prefer not to say” responses.
What are we doing?
To support our diversity and inclusion actions, we work with external subject matters, participate in campaigns, and undertake benchmarking activities.
- We’re a Disability Confident employer
- We have signed the Race at Work Charter
- We work with the Women’s Engineering Society (WES)
- We’re a signatory of the Tomorrow’s Engineers Code
Our staff have access to a wide range of staff networks, within FCDO Services, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and wider Civil Service. These cover all the protected groups and much more.
These are places where staff from all backgrounds and allies come together to create a safe space, to share experiences and support each other.
They also work collaboratively with the business to positively contribute to our policy and decision making.
Inclusion is built into our practices and policies. This is our supported by our team of volunteer Mental Health First Aiders and Respect at Work Advisers.
Read more about our diversity and inclusion work on our careers website.