Reaffirming our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

I’m delighted to be able to share the news that the Police Digital Service (PDS) has joined the Tech Talent Charter (TTC).

The TTC was created in 2015 to address the UK’s tech talent shortage and diversity problem through collective action. It is a government-supported, industry-led membership group that brings together 700+ Signatory organisations and equips them with the networks and resources to drive their diversity and inclusion efforts.

We want everyone to have a sense of belonging here at PDS, with staff feeling accepted and supported to reach their full potential.

During the past year we have launched our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Strategy and made efforts to improve diversity across the organisation. Around 85% of our employees now share their diversity data with us, which means we have a greater understanding of where we are with achieving our DE&I goals, and the work that still needs to be done.

Over the past six months our ethnicity data shows that 6% of our employees identify as Black or Black British (compared to 4% of the population according to the latest census data) and 4% identify as LGBTQA+ (compared to 2.7% nationally according to the Office of National Statistics research from 2019). We’ve also made strides towards greater gender parity within the organisation: 58% of our staff identify as male and 37% as female (5% have not disclosed), a change from 66% identifying as male as recently as May 2022. We’re pleased to have also seen a 13% increase in the number of women in management roles.

While these statistics are promising, there is still much work to be done, and joining the TTC reaffirms our commitment to DE&I. Membership will give us access to a range of toolkits, DE&I specialists and events, where, for example, knowledge, experience and best practice can be shared. These will aid us on our continuing journey to develop a diverse and inclusive environment, where all differences of thought and outlook are not only respected but are expected, valued, and celebrated.

Ian Bell

CEO, Police Digital Service