Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

As a force, we are committed to developing the overall structure of equality, diversity and inclusion across South Wales Police: in our workforce and into the services we provide to the diverse communities we serve.

The Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 sets out the characteristics that are protected by law and behaviour that is unlawful.

The nine protected characteristics covered under the Act are:

• Age
• Disability
• Gender reassignment
• Marriage and civil partnership
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Race
• Religion and belief
• Sex
• Sexual orientation

Through the Equality Act 2010, the Public Sector Equality Duty has been established. This came into force on 5 April 2011.

Public Sector Equality Duty

The Public Sector Quality Duty instructs on the commitment Public Service bodies have in regard to implementing the three main aims as set out in Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010. In summary these require that the Police must, across all action and exercise, have due regard to the need to:

• Eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under this Act.
• Advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.
• Foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.

Recruitment

South Wales Police is an equal opportunities employer and is determined to attract, employ and support a workforce which is representative of the diverse society which it serves.

• We are committed to achieving a working environment which is free from any form of harassment, intimidation, bullying or victimisation.
• Applications are welcomed from all under-represented groups and support will be made available for all applicants as and when requested. 
• We also aim to ensure that all our employment practices, including recruitment, are applied consistently and fairly. We expect that all staff involved in the recruitment process share this commitment. 

The members of staff and assessors involved in our recruitment processes are trained to reflect our high standards, including a requirement to complete Unconscious Bias training. This ensures that the principles of the Equality Act are adhered to.