Sunderland City Council - Equality and diversity

Sunderland City Council is committed to ensuring that equality and fairness are at the heart of everything we do. We believe that everyone who works for us and uses our services has the right to be treated fairly and with respect. We will ensure that employees and prospective employees are not discriminated against on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex (including non-binary identities and any other gender identity or gender expression), sexual orientation and marriage and/or civil partnership.

Sunderland City Council encourages disabled people to apply for advertised vacancies. The Council commits to:

1. Interview all applicants with a disability who meet the minimum criteria for a job vacancy and consider them on their abilities.

2. Ensure there is a mechanism in place to discuss, at any time, but at least once a year, with disabled employees what both parties can do to make sure they can develop and use their abilities.

3. Make every effort when employees become disabled to make sure they stay in employment.

4. Take action to ensure that all employees develop the appropriate level of disability awareness needed to make these commitments work.

5. Each year, to review these commitments and what has been achieved, plan ways to improve on them and let all your employees and the Employment Service know about progress and future plans.



Supporting Equality Network

The Supporting Equality Network works in partnership with the Council to ensure a positive and inclusive working environment for all employees so that no employee is marginalised on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex (including non-binary identities and any other gender identity or expression), sexual orientation and marriage and civil partnership. Information on how to join the Supporting Equality Network will be available to employees in their induction programme. All staff are welcome and indeed encouraged to join.