Equality and Diversity Committee
The Equality Act was introduced to make UK organisations (especially public authorities such as Universities) more transparent as well as try to harmonise the various current equality strands into one single piece of legislation.
The Act proposed a general public equality duty on public authorities. Universities, as well as the funding councils, are subject to this duty. It replaced the three existing duties (relating to race, gender, disability) with a single duty covering the protected characteristics of race, sex, pregnancy and maternity, gender reassignment, disability, age, sexual orientation and religion or belief.
The duty requires HEIs to have due regard to the need to:
- Eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation.
- Advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.
- Foster good relations between persons who share a protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.
The College’s Equality & Diversity Committee (EDC) was established over five years ago and oversees all aspects of equality and provides annual reports for the College Executive Committee and College Council. The Committee is made up of representatives from each department, who are named Equality and Diversity Champions with the remit to drive forward the equality and diversity agenda at the College. Each Champion is working with their department to produce a departmental Equality and Diversity Action Plan based on the requirements set out in the Athena SWAN Action Plan and the College Equality Objectives and Action Plan. For further information please contact the Diversity and Inclusion Manager, Ferhat Nazir-Bhatti.
Equality and Diversity Champions
| Name | Department | Equality and Diversity Role |
| Christine Thuranira-McKeever | Pathobiology and Population Science | Chair |
| Ferhat Nazir-Bhatti | Professional Services Directorate - Human Resources | Secretary |
| Rebecca Costello | Professional Services Directorate - Human Resources | Departmental Champion |
| Lisa Haycock | Professional Services Directorate - External Relations | Departmental Champion |
| Sonja Jeckel | Pathobiology and Population Science | Departmental Champion |
| Madeline Campbell | Pathobiology and Population Science | Departmental Champion |
| Sarah Hellens | Clinical Science and Services | Departmental Champion |
| Daniel Ngugi | Pathobiology and Population Science | Departmental Champion |
| Donald Palmer | Comparative Biomedical Sciences | Departmental Champion |
| Caroline Pellet-Many | Comparative Biomedical Sciences | Departmental Champion |
| Charlotte Lawson | Comparative Biomedical Sciences | Departmental Champion |
| Michele Milner | Professional Services Directorate - Learning and Wellbeing | Departmental Champion |
| Jon Parry | Professional Services Directorate - Widening Participation / Trade Union | Departmental Champion |
| Derek Mills | Professional Services Directorate - Infrastructure Services / Trade Union | Departmental Champion |
| Dave Sherlock-Jones | Students Union | Departmental Champion |
| Carole Brendish | Finance | Departmental Champion |
| Karen Humm | Clinical Science and Services | Departmental Champion |
| Andy Marshall - Chaplain and Interfaith Advisor | Professional Services Directorate - Chaplaincy | Departmental Champion |
| Androniki Psifidi | Clinical Science and Services | Departmental Champion |
| Jackie Cardwell | Pathobiology and Population Science | Departmental Champion |
| Matthew Grigson | Professional Services Directorate - Secretariat | Departmental Champion |
| Claire Vinten | Clinical Science and Services | Departmental Champion |
| Hayley Carne | Clinical Science and Services | Departmental Champion |
| Brianna Smith | Clinical Science and Services | Departmental Champion |
| Ruth Goodwin | RVC Business | Departmental Champion |
| Anna Riddle | RVC Business | Departmental Champion |
| Robert Abayasekara | Comparative Biomedical Sciences | Departmental Champion |
| Elizabeth Jane Tessa Finding | Researchers Association | Departmental Champion |
| Hasita Dodhia | Students Union - Equality and Diversity Officer | Departmental Champion |
| Benjamin Blowers | Students Union - Equality and Diversity Officer | Departmental Champion |
Equality & Diversity Objectives and Action Plan
Equality Policies
The College has developed the following Equality Policies:
Dignity at Work
It is the intention of The Royal Veterinary College to provide a working and learning environment which promotes equality and diversity in all aspects of College life and activity, and to be a community which is safe, supportive and free of intimidation, bullying or harassment.
The Dignity at Work policy applies to all employees and students of the College and they are expected to comply with it. Its purpose is to:
- Promote an ethos and culture that is inclusive and safeguards the dignity and well-being of everyone
- Create a climate in which harassment and bullying are unacceptable behaviours which will not be tolerated
- Give individuals the confidence that any concerns they may have will be considered fairly and appropriately and that complaints can be brought in good faith without fear of detriment
Employees, students, visitors, consultants, clients and contractors to the College should be treated with courtesy, fairness and respect and are expected to treat others in the same way. This policy applies to all College premises, and all College Employees and Students working at other premises. Click this link to read the full Dignity at Work policy.
Dignity at Work Ambassadors
Dignity at Work Ambassadors are members of staff from different parts of RVC. They have been trained to offer informal support and information to anyone at work who feels they have been inappropriately treated, bullied, or harassed, whether this is by a peer, someone junior to them, or someone senior to them.
Refer to the Dignity at Work Policy for further information which is available on the RVC intranet. Alternatively you can contact the Diversity and Inclusion Manager, Ferhat Nazir-Bhatti: fnazirbhattit@rvc.ac.uk
| Name | Department | Campus |
| Ian Smith | Clinical Science and Services | Hawkshead |
| Nicola Read | Clinical Science and Services | Hawkshead |
| Sally Burton | Professional Services Directorate | Hawkshead |
| Karen Humm | Clinical Science and Services | Hawkshead |
| Holly Smith | Clinical Science and Services | Hawkshead |
| Laura Thorpe | Clinical Science and Services | Hawkshead |
| Emma Stansfield | Clinical Science and Services | Beaumont Sainsbury Animal Hospital |
| Daniel Ngugi | Pathobiology and Population Science | Hawkshead |
| Sarah Hellens | Clinical Science and Services | Hawkshead |
| Natalie Hubble | Professional Services Directorate | Hawkshead |
| Claire Vinten | Clinical Science and Services | Hawkshead |
| Caroline Pellet-Many | Comparative Biomedical Sciences | Camden |
| Naomi Groffman | RVC Business | Camden |
| Tom Moody | Professional Services Directorate | Camden |
| Rebecca Wombwell | Professional Services Directorate | Camden |