Statement from Chief Executive, Louise Parkes about GOSH Charity’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion strategy
24 Mar 2021, 1:45 p.m.
Improving the lives of seriously ill children is at the very heart of everything we do at GOSH Charity. The children who come through the doors of the hospital each and every day come from all walks of life, but they are brought together in their need for the best possible treatment for rare and complex illnesses.
To support these children, we need to build a fairer future for all. This means being inclusive and diverse, and ensuring that everyone we work with and for feels like they are represented and belong.
Over the last year we were deeply moved by the death of George Floyd in America and the Black Lives Matter movement. These events caused us to reflect that whilst it was clear we all believed in the importance of an inclusive and diverse culture at GOSH Charity, we hadn’t always done enough to make that a reality.
We knew this needed to change, and we made a commitment to create a long-term plan to help us become the inclusive and diverse charity we all knew we could be.
I am really pleased to say today that we are taking a step closer to achieving this by sharing GOSH Charity’s first ever Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy.
As part of this strategy, we are setting out our long-term commitment, vision and ambition to create a more equitable workplace and wider society. Our new strategy is about identifying and addressing all areas of inequality – including gender inequality, which the recent, appalling murder of Sarah Everard has shone a spotlight on.
Some of our priorities for the first year include setting up an EDI Board and employee forum, providing awareness training for all staff and trustees; and revising our recruitment processes so they are in line with best practice to ensure we attract a diverse range of candidates.
The launch of this strategy is just the start, and we are all clear there is still a lot of work to be done. But as an organisation we are fully committed to lasting change. We will learn about and celebrate our differences, respect every voice and will not be afraid to step out of our comfort zone and challenge those behaviours that do not reflect our beliefs.
Please read the full strategy by clicking below.