Simon Peevers
Senior Advisor External Communications, Bristol, United Kingdom +44 1454 667 587
Engineering consultant Atkins is the only firm in its sector to currently hold the title.
Atkins and Faithful+Gould – both part of the SNC-Lavalin Group – have continued their outstanding Clear Assured progress by achieving Gold Standard accreditation for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I).
The Gold Standard is awarded to organisations that can provide evidence of fully integrating Equality Diversity and Inclusion into everything it does, with all policies and practices reflecting and reinforcing its strategy.
Atkins is currently the only company from the engineering sector to be accredited with the Gold Standard, following almost two years of work with the Clear Company.
During that time Atkins and Faithful+Gould have moved up through bronze and silver accreditation before now reaching gold as part of the UK-wide initiative – following on from the launch of the #Differentmakesadifference campaign earlier this year.
Inclusive leaders are an essential part of this progress, not only by demonstrating a progressive approach to ED&I but also by integrating the policy into all of its activities.
This has the essential impact of making ED&I ‘business as usual’ in all elements and phases of the employee lifecycle enabling all employees to understand and own the strategy.
“Achieving Clear Assured Gold accreditation is a marvellous milestone on Atkins’ inclusion journey,” says Anna Makinen, Head of Clear Assured. “Atkins, along with Faithful+Gould, has evidenced that its leadership is developing an in-depth knowledge of issues, that they actively support underrepresented groups and inclusive leadership is integrated into its ED&I activities.”
Richard Robinson, UK and Europe CEO at Atkins said the accreditation was an important endorsement of the company’s commitment to its ED&I strategy.
He said: “It is not only a great achievement for Atkins to be awarded the Gold Standard for our ED&I programme, but also to be the only engineering sector business currently at this level is exceptional.
“At Atkins we recognise the vital importance of ensuring ED&I runs through everything we do. For me that includes what we are actually doing every day in the business to demonstrate that commitment, and how we’re changing our behaviours to live up to the strategy.
“For the strategy to be effective, it obviously has to go beyond just being a plan on a page. So, the journey we’ve been on with Clear Assured since early last year has helped us train a laser focus on that activity, resulting in this very welcome accreditation.
“That said, we don’t do this for the recognition and I am very clear that our work does not stop here.”
Making ED&I part of the culture
On its way to gold, Atkins evidenced thought leadership and an intersectional approach to ED&I through data analysis, training, and policy reviews.
Performance Management training has been provided for Line Managers, and Inclusive Interviewing training for all Hiring Managers. Consistent processes in collecting and analysing performance and exit interview data, by diverse groups, allows trends and future actions to be identified.
Policy frameworks have been reviewed through an ED&I lens leading to a best practice approach in areas such as Onboarding and Inductions. Atkins has incorporated and built on feedback from the Clear Company audit, and all of this fantastic commitment to ED&I will continuously support its plans as the company now looks to Platinum accreditation.
Clear Assured, the global Diversity and Inclusion Standard, is an ED&I web application that provides organisations with the expertise and direction needed to support their appetite for authentic and fundamental culture change.
Containing the Clear Company’s knowledge, rigorous processes, and understanding of what works, the Global Standard is regularly updated with the latest thinking and directs users to activity with proven benefit.
Notes to editors
For more information:
Smita Singh
Marketing Executive, Clear Company
Tel: +44 1925 407400
[email protected]
About Atkins
Atkins is one of the world’s most respected design, engineering and project management consultancies, employing over 18,300 people across the UK, North America, Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific and Europe. We build long-term trusted partnerships to create a world where lives are enriched through the implementation of our ideas. You can view Atkins’ recent projects here.
About the Clear company
The Clear Company are recognised global leaders of inclusive recruitment and talent management insight, training, and technology. Over more than 18 years, the Clear Company has continuously enabled UK and global clients to deliver meaningful change and create an authentically inclusive culture both internally and throughout supply chains, communities, and inclusive customer solutions.
About Faithful+Gould
Faithful+Gould is a world leading integrated leading project and program management consultancy. Operating at the forefront of our industry for 70 years, our integrated approach delivers business improvements and efficiencies across every environment and every sector. Faithful+Gould is a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group.About SNC-Lavalin
Founded in 1911, SNC-Lavalin is a global engineering professional services and project management company and a major player in the ownership of infrastructure. From offices around the world, SNC-Lavalin's employees think beyond engineering. SNC-Lavalin’s teams provide comprehensive project solutions – including capital investment, consulting, design, engineering, construction management, sustaining capital and operations and maintenance – to clients across the EDPM (engineering, design and project management), Infrastructure, Nuclear, and Resources businesses.
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