IDS is committed to eliminating discrimination and to embedding and supporting equality, diversity and inclusion among our workforce, in our work and in all our activities including recruitment and selection. 

We have an Equality diversity and inclusion policy.pdf which aims to ensure that no member of staff or job applicant receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and/or belief, sex and sexual orientation as set out in the Equality Act 2010. We are also committed to avoiding discrimination on any other basis, characteristic or identities not specified in the Act, and we are committed to avoid stereotyping or assumptions based on actual or perceived characteristics. 

The values IDS holds as an organisation means that we believe we have a particular responsibility to promote diversity in all aspects of our work. We endeavour to move beyond just complying with the law to promote diversity and to address discrimination in all its forms. We want to be an inclusive employer where we value every individual and the skills they bring to IDS.

We are proud of what we have achieved but recognise that there is more to be done. For job applicants we have a number of processes and procedures to help ensure that this aim is achieved. Currently these include:

• Wide advertising of most vacant posts
• Use of job descriptions and person specifications setting out the minimum criteria needed to fulfil the duties of the post against which candidates are assessed
• Use of standard online application forms to ensure all candidate information is presented in a similar format
• Personal details kept separate and confidential from the application details that are considered by the shortlisting panel
• Shortlisting against the criteria on the person specification
• Shortlisting and interviewing applicants with a disability who meet the essential criteria
• Use of a range of assessment methods to identify knowledge, skills and experience relevant to the post applied for
• Interviews undertaken by a panel rather than one individual
• Structured interviews where all candidates are asked broadly the same questions to assess their relevant skills and knowledge against the criteria of the person specification
• Decision making based on the information gained through the selection process assessed against the criteria of the person specification. Prior knowledge of candidates and any irrelevant information is disregarded
• Making reasonable adjustments for applicants with disabilities
• An application form that is designed to adhere to accessibility standrds for creating web pages and therefore responds to web browser plugins/tools.
• We work with Access to Work to enable employees or potential employees with a disability to take up or continue employment with us
• Provision of unconscious bias training for those sitting on interview panels
• An active Equalities Champions group who help identify improvements to our approach

Please see the anti-racism public statement from the IDS Director

Please refer to our Accessible building page for further information if you will be visiting the building and have accessibility needs.