Equity, diversity and belonging strategy – aims and outcomes

Aims and outcomes of this strategy

• Aim 1 – to create a physiotherapy profession that reflects the diversity in society
• Aim 2 – to develop members’ confidence and ability to change the culture, policies and practices of physiotherapy services to make access and use of services equitable
• Aim 3 – To help our members feel they really belong by openly opposing discrimination and showing effective allyship, to make sure the experience of members marginalised due to their protected characteristics is positive, equitable and inclusive at university, when looking for work and at work
• Aim 4 – To increase representation of members marginalised due to their protected characteristics among those who are leading and influencing the profession at all levels
• Aim 5 – To encourage and enable members with different needs, identities, backgrounds and experiences to be active within the CSP by building a culture that makes people feel that they belong and adapting to meet changing individual preferences for how and when they want to get involved
• Aim 6 – To build and maintain an inclusive organisational culture, where we promote diversity and where discrimination and unfairness are identified and challenged
• Aim 7 – To challenge and remove any structural barriers within our organisation to achieving equity of opportunities and experience for everyone. This includes affirmative action in policies, procedures and organisational behaviour
• Aim 8 – To build a leadership that reflects the diversity of society and actively engages with and is accountable for equity, diversity and belonging across the organisation

Aim 1 – to create a physiotherapy profession that reflects the diversity in society

Outcomes:

• The diversity of the profession reflects the diversity in society

• Physiotherapy is seen as an inclusive and welcoming profession that values diversity and difference

• The diversity of graduates from physiotherapy preregistration programmes reflects the diversity in society

• The diversity of those providing physiotherapy

• education reflects the diversity in society

Aim 2 – to develop members’ confidence and ability to change the culture, policies and practices of physiotherapy services to make access and use of services equitable

Outcomes:

• Our members are able to identify health inequities within society and understand their role and responsibilities to address these
• We support members to analyse and interpret population health data to better understand the barriers for people who are marginalised due to their protected characteristics to access and use physiotherapy services
• Physiotherapy services are planned to make it easier for people who are marginalised due to their protected characteristics to access and use physiotherapy services

Aim 3 – to help our members feel they really belong by openly opposing discrimination and showing effective allyship, to make sure the experience of members marginalised due to their protected characteristics is positive, equitable and inclusive at university, when looking for work, and at work

Supported by the guiding principle: Fair and equitable treatment in training and in work is central to developing a profession that understands, celebrates and works towards achieving diversity and belonging across all protected characteristics and more widely. All of our members should be able to achieve their full potential.

Outcomes

• A measurable reduction in the discrimination or less favourable treatment of members due to their protected characteristics across all relevant areas of working and university life
• Where there is discrimination, members know what level of support is available and where and how to access that support, have confidence in that support and report feeling well supported in challenging unfair treatment
• The current disproportionate number of Asian CSP members who are referred to the Health and Care Professions Council is reduced or eliminated and work has been carried out to identify any disadvantage related to other protected characteristics
• There are processes to assess students which close the attainment gap between those with certain protected characteristics and others

Aim 4 – to increase representation of members marginalised due to their protected characteristics among those who are leading and influencing the profession at all levels

Outcomes

The proportion of the physiotherapy workforce with certain protected characteristics in senior roles is equivalent to the proportion of those in less senior roles

• CSP members who are marginalised due to having certain protected characteristics feel confident that they will be treated fairly and equitably when applying for leadership development opportunities and senior roles
• CSP members who are marginalised due to their protected characteristics have equitable access to professional and career opportunities, including in all aspects of digital physiotherapy and in other emerging and innovative roles
• CSP members who recruit and manage others have the knowledge and skills to do so in an anti-discriminatory and inclusive way

Aim 5 – to encourage and enable members with different needs, identities, backgrounds and experiences to be active within the CSP by building a culture that makes people feel that they belong and adapting to meet changing individual preferences for how and when they want to get involved

Outcomes

• Our membership reflects the diversity of the physiotherapy workforce
• Members with different needs, identities, backgrounds and experiences feel they belong within the CSP
• Members with different needs, identities, backgrounds and experiences are encouraged and enabled to be active within the CSP, when they want to be and in ways that are appropriate to their circumstances and needs
• The preferences and needs of our members marginalised due to their protected characteristics are taken into account when planning and evaluating how we engage with members

Aim 6 – to build and maintain an inclusive organisational culture, where we promote diversity and where discrimination and unfairness are identified and challenged

Outcomes

• We have a clear cultural vision and plan for inclusion which all our employees and Council and committee members are equally responsible for achieving
• Employees and Council and committee members with different needs, identities, backgrounds and experiences are able to be themselves at work and feel they belong in the CSP 
• We are actively an anti-racist, anti-oppression and anti-discriminatory organisation. Everyone has a right to work and practise free from any form of discrimination, harassment or victimisation
• We promote and provide equity of opportunity and fair treatment for employees and Council and committee members with different needs,
• identities, backgrounds and experiences

Aim 7 – to challenge and remove any structural barriers within our organisation to achieving equity of opportunities and experience for everyone. This includes affirmative action in policies, procedures and organisational behaviour

Outcomes

• We attract, retain and develop all employees, Council and committee members from the widest talent pool which increases diversity in our decision making and improves business outcomes
• The diversity of employees and Council and committee members reflects the diversity in society
• Our policies (including guidance and advice) support an inclusive and fair culture − they are accessible, clear, supported by legislation and
• good practice, and allow everyone to carry out their roles effectively, in support of our aims
• Our policies and procedures are clearly understood by everyone, promoting equity and transparency and allowing challenge
• Our governance helps us to effectively monitor our progress in achieving our equity, diversity and belonging aims
• We support employees and members to get involved in the conversation and welcome opinions and criticism

Aim 8 – to build a leadership that reflects the diversity of society and actively engages with and is accountable for equity, diversity and belonging across the organisation

Definition of CSP leaders: Leadership includes Council and committee members, the chief executive, directors, assistant directors, heads of function, managers, and all staff willing to take up leadership roles on equity, diversity and belonging. [Members who are elected to or volunteer for country boards, the boards of regional and diversity networks, stewards and safety reps are covered by aim 5, as these roles are not responsible for how we are governed.]

Outcomes

• Employees and members with different needs, identities, backgrounds and experiences are able to identify with people similar to themselves in leadership positions
• The diversity of our leaders reflects the diversity in society
• Our leaders promote and support issues and speak out against discrimination – using their influential position to achieve change through effective allyship
• Our leaders lead by example, by being inclusive, gathering different views, and welcoming challenge from everyone
• Our leaders take responsibility for promoting equity, valuing diversity and encouraging belonging into our organisation