Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI)
Our Vison for EDI
At DEBRA UK, we are committed to creating an inclusive, respectful and welcoming environment for everyone, including the people we support, our colleagues and volunteers.
We recognise that diversity strengthens our organisation and enables us to better serve the Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) community. We actively work to ensure that everyone, regardless of background, identity or lived experience, feels valued, heard and able to contribute.
Our value, “We are inclusive,” underpins everything we do, shaping a culture where everyone feels they belong.
We are inclusive by:
- Valuing diversity and recognising the strength it brings to our organisation and the EB community
- Listening to and amplifying different voices, including colleagues, volunteers and people living with EB
- Removing barriers to ensure fair access to opportunities, services and support
- Creating a culture of belonging, where everyone feels safe and empowered to be themselves
This value shapes how we work, how we make decisions, and how we support one another, ensuring inclusion is embedded in our everyday behaviours and across all areas of DEBRA.
Our Aims
Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) work is underpinned by a clear set of objectives that guide our actions and priorities:
- To promote diversity and increase representation across our employees, volunteers and EB member populations, ensuring we reflect the communities we serve.
- To ensure equitable access to support so that all individuals and families affected by EB can access our services, regardless of background, socioeconomic status, EB type or location.
- To foster an inclusive culture where everyone feels valued, respected and empowered to bring their authentic self to DEBRA.
- To set measurable EDI goals and report on progress, ensuring transparency, accountability and continuous improvement.
How We Put This into Practice
We take practical and measurable action to embed EDI across DEBRA, including:
- Inclusive recruitment
We use fair and transparent recruitment practices, promote family-friendly policies in job adverts, and provide inclusive recruitment training for line managers to reduce bias and support equitable outcomes. As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to attracting, supporting and retaining candidates with a disability, including making appropriate reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and beyond - Colleague voice and representation
We create opportunities for colleagues to be heard through colleague voice forums and an active EDI Working Group, helping to shape our policies, culture, and priorities - EB Community voice and representation
We ensure the voices of people living with EB inform our work through initiatives such as the Member Involvement Network, strengthening inclusion in how we design and deliver services - Learning and development
Through our DEBRA Academy, we create inclusive learning opportunities that are accessible to all colleagues and managers, enabling everyone to develop the skills, confidence and capability to contribute fully and thrive within DEBRA - Celebrating and supporting diversity
We recognise and celebrate diversity through initiatives such as our annual J‑EDI programme each January, encouraging awareness, reflection and engagement across key inclusion themes. We also support the diverse EB community, striving to ensure that the services we provide are accessible and impactful for all of our members, regardless of EB type, geography or socioeconomic status. - Gender Pay Gap
We monitor and report on our gender pay gap, using the findings to inform targeted actions that support equity, improve representation and reduce disparities over time.
Menopause Awareness and Support
We are committed to supporting colleagues experiencing menopause and creating an open and supportive workplace.
Through our Menopause Action Plan, we:
- Provide guidance and resources for colleagues and line managers
- Deliver awareness sessions to increase understanding and confidence in supporting menopause in the workplace
- Promote open conversations to reduce stigma and ensure colleagues feel supported
- Ensure workplace adjustments are considered where appropriate to support wellbeing and performance