Best practice case study project

We are promoting and showcasing the best examples in recruitment and retention where initiatives and schemes have successfully improved the diversity of the workforce, in particular the representation of women, disabled people and those from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Our best practice case studies include case studies from Atkins, BAE Systems, B-MEntor, BT, Caterpillar, the Department of Health, FDM, IBM, Jaguar Land Rover and Microsoft; as well as North Energy Associates. The next call for submissions will open in Autumn 2015.

Atkins
“Atkins’ endeavours have demonstrated that we are prepared to push ahead and offer something new to prospective employees, which should stand us out from our competitors.” 
Read the case study (PDF)

BAE Systems
“At BAE Systems we value diversity because it benefits our people and helps our business grow. There are many ways in which we are supporting a more diverse and inclusive environment, and one such opportunity we saw was to create an additional route into our summer internship programme for individuals who are female and/or from a Black, Asian or minority ethnic group.”
Read the case study (PDF)

B-MEntor
B-MEntor is a cross-institutional mentoring scheme to support BME early career researchers and is run by 3 London based universities: University College London (UCL), Kings College London and Queen Mary University of London. B-MEntor was launched in 2012 and some of its aims include encouraging BME staff to take on leadership and decision-making roles and to make a positive difference to BME staff with sustainable outcomes.
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BT
“BT is very proud of its well established and diverse networks for employees. The networks create a communication channel between members and the business; create developmental opportunities for members; enhance the corporate brand and work with our Inclusion team to plan and implement our diversity and inclusion strategy”
Read the case study (PDF)

Caterpillar
"Caterpillar recognises that one of its key competitive edges, and therefore the reason for its success as a business, is its employees and the talent they bring to the organisation."
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Department of Health
The Department of Health (DH) currently has 11 recognised staff networks spanning most of the protected characteristics defined in the Equality Act 2010. The networks in DH cover: Disability, Race, LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender), Religion, Women, Maternity and Flexible working. DH also has a number of Staff Groups that provide targeted support to staff, such as domestic abuse, health and wellbeing and dyslexia.
Read the case study (PDF) 

FDM
“Only 17% of IT professionals in the UK are women; FDM is committed to addressing this imbalance!”
Read the case study (PDF)

IBM – The Girls’ Outreach Programme
“Girls consistently outperform boys in IT related subjects at school yet they rarely continue with these studies or choose careers in technology. The Girls’ Outreach Programme was established to address this declining pipeline of female talent.”
Read the case study (PDF)

Jaguar Land Rover
“Jaguar Land Rover has created the Women in Engineering Sponsorship Scheme- a unique scheme to support the training of female engineers alongside their degree.”
Read the case study (PDF)

Microsoft
“Confidence is key for women progressing within IT so by bringing the components of role models, inspiration and sponsorship together we hope to create interest in women to follow a career path they might not previously had the opportunity to follow and to tap in to the huge number of women who are qualified to work in IT but have never pursued it.”
Read the case study (PDF)

Individual case studies 

Charlotte Hatto – Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Consultant and Life Cycle Assessment Practitioner, North Energy Associates
“With a physics degree and research experience from UMIST, I felt that I had much to offer potential employers, but had virtually given up hope of ever finding a job to suit my lifestyle and interests.”
Read the case study (PDF)

Helen Wilson – Reader in Mathematics, University College London
“Since my first maternity leave I have been appointed Deputy Head of Department; since my second, things have really taken off for me and I have been appointed to a surprising number of national and international bodies. There are times when the demands of two small children and a full-time job feel too much; but my institution is really doing its best to make things work for me.”
Read the case study (PDF)