Inclusive working environment at British Antarctic Survey

Taking the Pledge on Diversity & Inclusion

This initiative gives staff and students a way to show that British Antarctic Survey offers an open, non-judgemental, inclusive working environment for all.

The Pledge is a way for BAS staff to use their voice and influence to support visibility, diversity and inclusion in the workplace for all colleagues. Originally growing from a conversation and shared experiences between colleagues, the initiative aims to make a positive difference by promoting a message of inclusion. The scheme is a voluntary and personal choice and nobody should feel under any pressure to sign up to the scheme if they choose not to.

Key principles

• The “Take the Pledge” initiative is a way for BAS staff, including students, to demonstrate their support for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace.
• When an individual signs up to the pledge and to wear a BAS pledge lanyard, they acknowledge why this initiative is needed and what their responsibility entails.
• Committing to the project as a whole emphasises that you promote an environment that is open, tolerant, inclusive and encourages learning about the topic. The aim of this initiative is to actively break down barriers which people may face within the organisation.
• We want the pledge lanyard to mean something and have worked to build a model that emphasises the substance behind the symbol. We are very keen to see the lanyards, and what they represent, spread across BAS – but we want the emphasis on education, responsibility and support to be the focus and that it is a personal choice to opt in to the scheme.

Initiatives like Taking the Pledge are widespread across public and private organisation in the UK and globally. Most of the focus of the current initiatives is on the Rainbow community. At BAS, we are taking this support one-step further and extending the scheme to create a safe space for the wider community. BAS places a huge value on equality for both staff and students. We are committed to a proactive and inclusive approach to equality, which supports and encourages all under-represented groups, promotes an inclusive culture, and values diversity.