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Ensuring employees have the knowledge, skills and experience to fulfil individual and organisational needs and ambitions
Specialist knowledge
Equality, diversity and inclusion
Creating inclusive cultures where individuals can thrive
All people professionals – and all employees and workers – need to understand equality, diversity and inclusion and the role they have to play, and you will see this throughout the Core knowledge areas and Core behaviours of the Profession Map. This area is for equality, diversity and inclusion specialists, who are focused on strategising, leading and delivering EDI work to create inclusive organisations.
Being an EDI specialist requires an understanding of the communities your organisation operates in: who they are, how to respond to changes in that community through people practices, and how to create sustainable change in the workforce so that it represents those communities demographically. It also requires a deep understanding of EDI issues in the organisation, gained by reviewing and identifying systemic bias and inequality, and using both data and qualitative information to create plans for actionable change.
Educating, supporting and building the capability of leaders and line managers is critical in ensuring EDI is part of the organisation’s way of working, and EDI specialists have an important role to play in enabling the business to build a culture of trust which enables people to speak up, feel safe, and advocate for others.
Knowing what reporting requirements are required by the organisation is also an important element of EDI, as is using that data to identify changes that will help to create more inclusive environments.
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Equality, diversity and inclusion standards
Each standard progresses through four levels of impact. Which level do you most embody in your day-to-day work?
Foundation level
At this level you'll understand:
- The communities and cultures your organisation operates in
- Your current workforce representation compared to the local, regional and global communities it serves
- What data and qualitative information are effective in identifying and monitoring bias and inequality
- What systemic bias and inequality is (e.g. in processes, policies, culture, values), and the methods you can use to identify them
- The key EDI issues in your organisation
- The role of line managers in building trust, and how to develop your own understanding of inclusive workplaces
- Why it's important for everyone to be accountable for equality, diversity and inclusion
- Why trust is important in helping people to speak up and feel safe at work
- Equality, diversity and inclusion legislation relevant to your organisation
- What EDI reporting is legally required by your organisation (if applicable in your region)
Associate level
At this level you'll understand:
- How to adapt your people policies and practices to reflect changes in the communities your organisation operates in
- Different ways to enable the workforce to represent the communities it serves at a local, regional and global level
- How to identify and monitor bias and inequality through data and qualitative information (e.g. recruitment, progression, demographic data at each grade or level)
- How to review and identify systemic bias and inequality in the organisation, using methods such as audits, pulse checks, lived experience reviews and data
- The key EDI issues in your organisation, and how to raise awareness of these
- How to educate and support line managers to create inclusive teams, and effectively manage issues relating to diversity
- How to develop pragmatic approaches that address EDI risks and opportunities, and hold people accountable for delivering them
- The different factors that help people speak up and feel safe at work, and how to advocate for others
- Equality, diversity and inclusion legislation and how to advise others on application of legislation
- How to carry out EDI reporting requirements, and analyse the data (e.g. gender pay gap reporting)
Chartered Member level
At this level you'll understand:
- How to drive change in your people practices to reflect changes in the communities your organisation operates in
- Actions that will create sustainable change in workforce representation
- How to use data and qualitative information (e.g. recruitment data, information from systemic bias reviews) to enable change which brings about greater equality
- How to carry out systemic bias and inequality reviews using a diagnostic approach which directly leads to actionable change
- The key issues and nuances around EDI in the organisation, and how to ensure they are challenged and addressed
- How to build EDI capability in leaders and managers to create inclusive workplaces
- How to create pragmatic EDI plans that drive sustainable change, and hold people accountable for delivering them
- How to build a culture of trust which enables people to speak up and feel safe, and advocate for others
- How to integrate equality, diversity and inclusion legislation into people and organisation practices
- How to interpret data from EDI reporting to form insights and address inequality
Chartered Fellow level
At this level you'll understand:
- How to manage the complexities of different communities and cultural identities within your organisation
- How to determine the demographics your organisation serves in different locations, and shape strategy so that the workforce represents the communities it serves
- How to use EDI data and qualitative information to provide insights into bias and inequality, and drive change
- How to engage leaders and stakeholders in reviewing and identifying systemic bias and inequality at the most senior levels to drive change
- The complexity of EDI issues in the organisation, and how to drive an inclusive culture that addresses inequality
- How to shape the people strategy to build EDI understanding and capability at all levels
- How to develop accountability structures across the whole organisation at all levels, and hold the most senior people to account
- How to build a culture of trust, transparency and advocacy
- How to interpret competing aspects of equality, diversity and inclusion legislation
- How to shape organisation priorities and long-term planning using insights from EDI reporting
Resources to guide your work, career planning and development, available on the CIPD's main site.
Explore the CIPD's collected perspective on key equality, diversity and inclusion issues, including recommendations, supporting evidence and links to resources for policymakers and employers:
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