UK institution awarded for gender equality
1 Dec 2017 by Evoluted New Media
The John Innes Centre has become the first research institution in the UK to achieve an award for championing gender equality and promoting good practice in the wider community.
The John Innes Centre has become the first research institution in the UK to achieve an award for championing gender equality and promoting good practice in the wider community. The Athena SWAN Charter is one of two equality charters owned and managed by the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU) which aims to advance equality and diversity in universities and colleges. The application was overseen by a group of staff and students wide range of roles within the organisation.
Dr Ruth Gilligan, ECU Athena SWAN Manager, said: “Taking part in the Athena SWAN Charter is a holistic and developmental process, requiring significant commitment to undertake targeted actions aimed at achieving measurable outcomes to change systemic inequality. Congratulations to John Innes Centre on being the first research institution to be awarded the Athena SWAN gold award. By achieving this very high standard this demonstrates the centre’s commitment to good practice and outcomes which is effecting cultural change within the research institute.”
The Athena SWAN Charter was originally established to encourage and recognise commitment to advancing women’s careers in science in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine. The Charter includes aims to address gender equality more broadly, not just the barriers to progression that affect women. The ECU is a charity working to further and support equality and diversity for staff and students in higher education institutions across all four nations of the UK and in colleges in Scotland.
