Equans is committed to diversity, to embedding equity and enabling an inclusive culture where our people can be themselves at work and achieve their full potential. Promoting Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) supports our business goals by enabling us to attract, develop and retain the best talent, create innovative & high performing teams, and to better reflect the customers and communities we serve.
Quote from James Graham
Attracting and retaining diverse talent is key to creating a high performing culture… Getting this right will enhance our business, strengthen our performance, and enable us to achieve our strategic goals. Driving inclusion not only is the right thing to do but also makes complete business sense.
Our Commitment
- 1. Inclusive CultureCreate an environment where inclusion drives our ambitions to be 'a best place to work'.
- 2. Leadership & GovernanceCreate shared ownership and hold ourselves accountable.
- 3. The Talent JourneyTo attract, recruit, develop and retain the best diverse talent.
- 4. Policies & Ways of WorkingTo remove the structural barriers to inclusion.
- 5. Community & Supply ChainDiversify our supply chain, and the communities we partner.
- 6. Driving PerformanceEstablish DE&I as a competitive advantage, at the heart of how we plan and operate.
Quote from Shahid Bashir
Our DE&I vision is to enable a culture which values difference and delivers fairness for all. We aim to achieve our vision through the delivery of a strategy called ‘Be Yourself’, which is structured around six strategic pillars.
Our Strategy in Action
Equans has established six diverse employee-led networks which are available to all employees. The networks facilitate discussion on key issues for each respective group whilst also championing opportunities and helping to inform business policies.
Equans collaborates with a range of external partners including Business In The Community (BITC), Business Disability Forum, Inclusive Employers, ENEI (Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion) and Stonewall – and has several nationally recognised accreditations.
Discover Our Networks
AccessAbility
Helping to support Equans employees by ensuring that everyone has the access they need to excel and grow through reducing barriers in the workplace. The Network raises awareness of different disabilities to remove stigmas and collaborates across the business including with Senior Management, inspirational internal & external speakers and our recruitment teams.
Encompass
The Network aims to champion an inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ individuals at Equans. Encompass works with Stonewall as part of the Diversity Champion programme along with other UK charities to provide educational resources for all aspects of the community and allies, as well as creating a safe space within the business that promotes a culture of bringing your whole self to work.
RISE
The Respecting, Inspiring and Supporting Ethnic minorities (RISE) network aims to provide a forum to raise awareness and address issues affecting colleagues from Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority backgrounds. The network highlights improvements to the employee experience working in conjunction with the Senior Management Team and encourages the personal & professional development of network members.
Veterans & Reservists
The Veterans and Reservists (VaR) network brings together veterans, reservists, and allies to address the needs and interests of the VaR community. It is dedicated to supporting VaR colleagues in reaching their full potential within Equans, as well as our commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant.
Women Together
The Women Together Network was established to promote and celebrate inclusive behaviour in the organisation whilst driving positive change. The network meets regularly welcoming all genders in discussions with an objective to promote awareness of challenges that our female colleagues may need to overcome, encouraging diversity and enhancing careers.
Working Parents
This network aims to facilitate making Equans an employer of choice for working parents by offering a voice for parents working within the business. Members include employees who are currently parenting, hoping to become a parent, have responsibility of caring for children or who are simply an ally wanting to better inform their work within Equans.
Young Professionals
Equans’ Young Professionals Network (YPN) aims to create opportunities for like-minded, ambitious, Equans leaders of the future by sharing ideas and networking. Collectively the network drives innovation, knowledge transfer and empowerment through collaborative workshops and events.