College achieves Investors in Diversity Award

Loughborough College has achieved Investors in Diversity accreditation following a campaign to create an even more diverse and inclusive environment on campus.

In 2020, the College embarked on a mission to improve how it recognises and celebrates inclusion and diversity, including updating policies, enhanced training for staff and students, promotional events and embedding it in staff appraisals and performance reviews.

Now, the College has received official accreditation from the National Centre for Diversity (NCD). , Principal & CEO at Loughborough College, launched the college’s improvement campaign shortly after taking the helm in April 2020.

She said: “I am thrilled that we have achieved Investors in Diversity accreditation because we know that no organisation can truly flourish without embracing the rich diversity of the communities they serve.

“I’m particularly pleased for our staff and students who have worked so hard across College to tell us what we do well and what we could do better. We listened to that feedback and worked together to make positive changes.

“Our mission is to create great experiences for our students and to do that, we need to be able to attract, and retain, the best possible talent from every part of our community and beyond. Being a recognised inclusive and diverse organisation will help us do that.”

In a letter to College, the National Centre for Diversity said: “On behalf of the National Centre for Diversity, I would like to congratulate Loughborough College, their staff, and stakeholders on the successful achievement of the Investors in Diversity award following the assessment process.

“The Investors in Diversity journey and achievement of the standard gives a positive message to all the stakeholders, internal and external, and each person should be congratulated for their input and success of the organisation.”

Key to the College’s success was the introduction of the NCD’s FREDIE values which stand for Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement.

FREDIE has become part of the College’s day-to-day culture and is included in everything from staff performance reviews and communications to job adverts and policy decisions.