Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) is a core part of our ethos. It informs the way we work, the decisions we make, and how we interact with the world around us.
What we are committed to…
- Championing a more diverse range of perspectives in our investigations and analysis.
- Telling stories that give voice to and resonate with a wider range of people.
- Ensuring our staff and those we interact with feel comfortable being themselves.
- Removing barriers to enter the sector and/or engage with our work.
- Creating safe spaces to discuss and debate challenging subjects.
Why is this important
Understanding the full range of human experiences in the past is only possible by including a diverse range of perspectives in the present. Our EDI work therefore improves our ability as archaeologists to interpret the archaeological record, and as a result the value we offer wider society.
We recognise our field has a deep history of inequality and discrimination. Our EDI work provides opportunities to confront these often-uncomfortable truths – with the aim of learning from and correcting damage made in the past.
EDI also supports the wellbeing of our staff and those we work with – empowering people to be themselves and realise their full potential.
How we are doing this
Our EDI strategy is led by a dedicated working group made up of staff from across the organisation. This includes members of our Senior Leadership Team and Board of Trustees. Each year the group develop an EDI Improvement Plan, which engages with staff across the organisation and external partners to work towards meeting the aims outlined above.
Our EDI work is also supported by our staff-led Network for Ethnically Diverse Staff and LGBTQIA+ Network.
What we are currently doing
Our current EDI Improvement plan includes some of the following areas of focus:
- Putting in place an EDI reporting system to effectively monitor and challenge inappropriate, offensive, or discriminatory behaviour.
- Delivering role-specific EDI training across our organisation.
- Supporting initiatives that aim to diversify the themes and narratives told through our research and projects.
- Evaluating our recruitment systems and processes to ensure opportunities are accessible to a more diverse range of applicants.
If you would like to find out more about our EDI work, please contact our EDI Working Group lead, Louise Fowler.
Gender pay gap
Like other organisations with over 250 employees, we are required to report on our gender pay gap. It highlights the difference between pay distribution for men and women within our organisation. The gender pay gap records the average hourly difference in earnings between men and women.
For the financial year ending 2023 - reporting in April 2024 - our gender pay gap was 7.4%, which differs slightly to the same period 12 months ago at 6.5%. Our median pay gap, which measures the difference between employees in the middle range of male wages and employees in the middle range of female wages, is 5.1%. This essentially means the mid-point of all male pay rates combined is 5.1% more than the same data set for female employees (the median is the mid-point of the entire pay range).
Whilst our workforce has a fairly even gender balance, we recognise we need to continue working to close the gap between men and women’s pay. We will work closely with staff and their representatives to help identify opportunities to improve our gender pay balance. We will also continually examine our policies, practices, and actions to ensure we are taking affirmative action to address our pay gap.
A full breakdown of the data can be downloaded below alongside our observations and actions we are taking in response.
