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Inclusion and Diversity
at the IPO

In IPO we purposefully focus on developing the culture we want and need to be successful and where our people can thrive.

“We are adaptable, we value ideas and take opportunities to make the IPO better. We are accountable for our experience, development and performance and build effective relationships with colleagues. Together we deliver our strategy, share our successes and are connected to each other and our organisation.” 

Having the right culture will help us achieve and deliver our strategy, motivate our people to deliver great work, and give us all a sense of belonging and community. 

IPO Culture

Culture is what connects us and makes us who we are in the IPO. Having the right culture is so important to us, it will help us collectively to achieve our strategy, motivate us to deliver great work, and give us a sense of belonging and community. In 2023 we reviewed our culture to see where it was helping us and to identify where we might be able to do things better. As a result our Board agreed a culture statement to help guide our work and support delivery of our new Strategy.

We are adaptable, we value ideas and take opportunities to make the IPO better. We are accountable for our experience, development and performance and build effective relationships with colleagues. Together we deliver our strategy, share our successes and are connected to each other and our organisation.

Don’t just take our word for it…

Over the next few years we will be supporting our leaders and managers and our people to work in this way by giving them the skills and confidence in their roles, and by ensuring that the systems and structures they operate within support them. We’ll also lock in and keep building on the great aspects of our culture we already have in the IPO

IPO IT Academy: what inclusivity support is available?

Hear from our IT Academy Apprentice on Inclusivity support and how the IPO are working to improve equality in the tech sector.
A woman holding a sign, showing IPO that Women in STEM at the IPO support WISE’s #1oftheMillion campaign

Women in STEM at the IPO support WISE’s #1oftheMillion campaign

Inclusion for all

Feeling included is good for us as individuals. It’s good for teams and it’s good for the people and communities we serve.

We want our people to feel that they can be themselves at work, valued for the distinct perspective that they bring, and able to go as far as their talents will take them – irrespective of their sex, gender identity, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, faith, age or socioeconomic background.

A woman with a less visible disability working at a desk. She is stretching her back.

Accessibility and Workplace Adjustments

IPO offices have disabled toilet facilities on each floor, of which there are at least 2 on each level. We have a disabled toilet with a shower facility at each location if needed.

The IPO currently has 9 accessible toilets and gender-neutral changing facilities. We also have dedicated welfare parking bays available, which can be booked for users with particular needs. Full conference facilities with disabled access. THE IPO H&S Team carry out full assessments, such as DSE, PEEP and risk Assessments.

We understand that we must be able to provide support to employees with a disability or health condition and that this may be in the form of a workplace adjustment.
A workplace adjustment can be a change that removes a barrier or a disadvantage for employees with a disability or health condition. This could be a physical feature or a change in working arrangements. What constitutes a workplace adjustment will vary depending on the individual.

Equality law recognises that bringing about equality for people with a disability may mean changing the way in which employment is structured, the removal of physical barriers and/or providing extra support.

The IPOs Inclusive Staff Network Groups:

Women’s Inclusive Network

We aid people in the IPO, by highlighting and facilitating conversations about challenges faced by women within a supportive community. We cultivate an inclusive office environment which values the contribution of all marginalised genders. We work with the IPO to find solutions and improve services across the office from recruitment to HR policies. 

We recognise that women continue to face obstacles and prejudices both in and outside of work. We aim to support anyone affected by these challenges by creating a safe space to discuss and improve these issues. 

Two (2) colleagues with less-visible disabilities sitting on comfortable chairs, discussing a project together.

i-Pride Network

Our LGBTQ+ and allies network iPride is here for all those with shared experience in the realms of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression. We are passionate about being allies to our other networks and colleagues who need support or encouragement.

Men’s Network

The mission of the IPO Men’s Network is to create a safe community space for men to come together to learn, reflect and find positive opportunities to grow, change, support and co-mentor each other.

After having existed for several years now, during this year the Men’s Network underwent a major change and relaunch. This has significantly increased the Network’s membership as well as the scale and ambition of its activity. The renewed energy and direction of the Network has led to increased levels of engagement with events and intranet articles.

A man with a less-visible disability sitting outside with a colleague, he is wearing a sunflower lanyard.

Peer 2 Peer (The mental health support network)

The IPO mental health Peer-2-Peer support group aims to provide support to anyone experiencing mental health issues.

The support group has people of all ages and grades from right across the IPO. It aims to provide people with a supportive network of colleagues who can share their lived experience and how they are managing or overcoming their difficulties in a safe place.

Carers Network

Our Carer’s network is aimed at supporting the wellbeing of carer’s facing many day-to day challenges, juggling demanding roles outside of the office along with their work.

Our Carer’s Network offers those with caring responsibilities the opportunity to share their difficulties with one another within a safe space  Every day 6000 people become carers so it can happen to any of us.  Using the Carer’s network we have been able to consult with those who are living through the challenges faced by carers to make our policies more inclusive, building an environment in the IPO where everyone’s experience is valid and respected. Our fantastic flexible working policies along with our Carer’s passport have really made a difference to our Carer’s and it’s thanks to the dedication of our Carer’s network that we’ve been recognised as an Carer Confident Ambassador.

A woman with sight loss using a Braille keyboard and chatting to a colleague.

MERI (Multicultural Ethnicity & Racial Inclusion Network)

Our MERI (Multicultural Ethnicity & Racial Inclusion Network) is a network committed to increasing BAME representation and support in the IPO.

Our aim is to ensure that the IPO remains a brilliant place to work for ALL people and that we continue to encourage people of BAME background to join us working at the IPO

iBelieve Faith Network

Our faith and belief network. iBelieve is a network to support conversations around faith and belief (and no belief) at work that will help us feel comfortable talking about faith and belief at work.

All of us, have shared principles and values which frame our everyday lives but many people feel a bit uncomfortable talking about their faith or belief.

Three (3) women in a meeting together. One of the women is wearing a hearing aid.

i-Think Network

Our neurodiversity network iThink is a group committed to supporting colleagues in the IPO with neurodiverse conditions and parents of children with neurodiverse conditions by creating a safe space for support.

i-Can Network

Our Capability Action Network (CAN). iCAN network is a safe place where anyone living with a long-term illness or disability can talk, seek advice or just listen. As chairs of the network, we want to reengage allies to understand barriers affecting individuals so we can work with business areas. These partnerships allow for intersectional working across all the protected characteristics to ensure our policies, practices, services, and culture are inclusive.

Parents Network

The mission of the Parent’s Network is to support and inspire all IPO parents to succeed inside (and outside) of work through:

  • Helping new parents navigate the return to work.
  • Developing a peer-to-peer support network for all parents to share their experiences as well as a dedicated intranet resource for accessing information regarding the IPO’s family benefit.
  • Inspiring all parents to develop in their careers through highlighting relevant coaching, mentoring, or training opportunities and iv) facilitating discussion of parent specific health and wellbeing issues (e.g., post-natal health, infant and child-loss awareness, mental health of children/teens/students) 
Three people sitting together, looking at a computer on a desk

Explore more about IPO

Go back to our main menu to learn more about IPO, including what we do and what benefits we offer.

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We are focused on moving away from inaccessible content formats offering alternative versions of documents and making use of our in-house user research team to test content.

Spotlight on Inclusion – Words from our Staff Networks

A huge achievement of ours has been the creation and development of many staff networks, designed to create an environment where people feel that they belong.