Amphibian & Reptile Conservation Trust

Who we are

Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) is a UK-based wildlife charity dedicated to the conservation of two important groups of animals. We do this through our staff and our volunteers, by working with partners and by influencing others through advocacy, education and increasing awareness. 

Our science-based expertise and practical experience of habitat management, along with our passion, underpins our commitment to providing long-term benefits for amphibians and reptiles, for other wildlife and for people. 

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

ARC is committed to promoting equality and diversity, promoting a culture that actively values difference and recognises that people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences can bring valuable insights to the workplace and enhance the way we work.ARC is committed to promoting equality and diversity, promoting a culture that actively values difference and recognises that people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences can bring valuable insights to the workplace and enhance the way we work.

ARC aims to be an inclusive organisation, where EDI is valued, respected and built upon, enabling people from a range of lived experience and backgrounds to feel passionate about amphibians and reptiles.ARC aims to be an  inclusive organisation, where EDI is valued, respected and built upon, enabling people from a range of lived experience and
backgrounds to feel passionate about amphibians and reptiles.

Our Vision

ARC aspires to a world where amphibians and reptiles are thriving and valued by people. We aim to ensure people from all walks of life have opportunities to participate in and benefit from engaging in herpetofauna conservation. ARC will underpin this through our core practices and through having embraced inclusivity as a core element of our culture.

We commit to embed EDI positive practices through:

(i) Creating an organisational ethos that embraces diversity and inclusion among our staff, volunteers and supporters, respecting and valuing people regardless of their background or lived experience, including those from marginalised groups
(ii) Providing support though training and mentorship to enable inclusion.
(iii) Increasing accessibility to our field activities and working to remove barriers to participation, particularly for people from marginalised backgrounds, so that they can become connected to nature. ARC is committed to promoting equality and diversity, promoting a culture that actively values difference and recognises that people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences can bring valuable insights to the workplace and enhance the way we work. 

ARC aims to be an inclusive organisation, where EDI is valued, respected and built upon, enabling people from a range of lived experience and backgrounds to feel passionate about amphibians and reptiles.
 

All of our working practices will be peer reviewed to ensure we look to integrate EDI principles throughout the planning and delivery of our work. To guide the development of this approach to working, we will put in place an action plan and a framework for its evaluation that reflects good charitable governance for staff and communities ARC engages with across the UK

Our EDI Charter

We recognise that many people experience discrimination and disadvantage or have other lived experience which creates barriers to engagement. ARC is committed to ensuring that all staff, volunteers, Trustees, and stakeholders are treated with dignity, respect and feel valued.

It is every employee’s and Trustee's responsibility to ensure that they do not discriminate against people. ARC staff and Trustees should consider any potential inequalities or ways in which colleagues and stakeholders may experience discrimination or disadvantage due to who they are. We all have a role to play in promoting a culture of dignity, respect,
empowerment, and adaptability in all our work, to create a positive working environment.

It is the Trust’s policy to actively promote an inclusive culture and to avoid any direct or indirect discrimination generally and specifically with regards to the recognised protected characteristics of age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

 

Our Commitments

The Trust will fulfil its commitment addressing EDI barriers by:

❖ Exceeding our legal obligation under the Equality Act 2010 and other associated legislation and appropriate case law to      advance equality, diversity and inclusion within our sector.
❖ Fostering shared values of diversity, inclusion, dignity and respect internally.
❖ Ensuring equal opportunities are a core part of our recruitment and evaluation     processes.
❖ Periodically reviewing our recruitment, appraisals and work processes to maintain a system where individuals are       selected, promoted and treated on the basis of their relevant aptitudes, skills and abilities alone.
❖ Periodically reviewing our recruitment practices and selection criteria to identify and remove barriers to employment for under-represented groups.
❖ Periodically reviewing our employment policies and staff handbook to ensure that all staff are supported and encouraged to reach their full potential e.g. by providing access to appropriate training and personal development opportunities.
❖ Training staff in, and undertaking impact assessments of new and updated strategies, policies, practices, services, and projects.
❖ Ensuring all staff are supported, including through the provision of appropriate training, to promote and advance equality for all and to take action to improve equality, diversity and inclusion within their working practices.
❖ Integrate EDI training into staff inductions and subsequent CPD.
❖ Appointing equality, diversity and inclusion staff leads and EDI representation on the Board and ensure they have training and support, though an internal working group reflecting Principle 6 of the charity governance code.
❖ Maintaining processes for any employee who believes that they have been unfairly discriminated against, to raise the matter through their line manager.
❖ Regarding any deliberate discriminatory action, including harassment, by any employee as a disciplinary offence.
❖ Ensuring ARC’s activities and systems become increasingly accessible and that barriers limiting people’s engagement are reduced. This includes barriers created through geographic, physical or socio-economic circumstances or perception.