They value the diversity and wide range of perspectives that people from different backgrounds bring to their work and to ecology.

It is their policy to ensure that no member, volunteer, potential author, award or grant applicant or recipient, job applicant or employee, visitor or event participant is disadvantaged or receives less favourable treatment because of factors including but not limited to: age; physical and mental disability; physical appearance; gender identity; marriage or civil partnership; pregnancy, maternity or paternity; race, nationality, religion and belief;  gender;  sexual orientation or socio-economic background.

Everyone at the BES has a role to play in ensuring that individuals are valued, treated with dignity and respect and that discrimination does not occur. Every member of staff and the Board of Trustees are responsible for implementing relevant policies, objectives and working practices linked to equality and diversity to ensure equal opportunity at all stages of engagement with the BES.

They will identify, and invest in tackling, barriers to participation and create a culture in which equal opportunities and equal treatment are a priority for all members, staff, volunteers and others who engage with them.  They will proactively promote a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion within their discipline by:

• Using their Equality and Diversity Working Group (EDWG) to develop and oversee the delivery of the Society’s equality and diversity work.  Equality and diversity is something that should be embedded into every operation of the BES and the EDWG is responsible for ensuring that happens
• Planning and implementing a SMART programme of work to embed the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion into their current organisational policies, practices and behaviours, and enhance the equality of opportunity in their activities as an employer and as a learned society
• Assessing and reflecting on their progress annually and developing new programmes of activity to promote equality and diversity