At The Brilliant Club, we believe that building an inclusive and equitable workplace is essential to our success as a charity. Our mission is to increase access to higher education for pupils from underrepresented backgrounds, and we know that we can only achieve this by cultivating a workforce that reflects and values diversity in all its forms.
Equality, diversity and inclusion are not add-ons to our work. They are embedded at the heart of our culture, decision-making and strategy. We are proud to be an organisation where everyone is encouraged to bring their whole self to work, and where care, respect and inclusion guide how we support one another.
We actively celebrate the differences that make each of us unique, including (but not limited to) race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, neurodivergence, age, religion or belief, socioeconomic background, parental or carer status, and education history. We also value diversity of thought, experience, personality and perspective.
We are committed to creating a working environment where all colleagues feel safe, valued and empowered. This includes providing flexible working opportunities, fostering strong staff networks, and ensuring open, transparent communication across the charity.
Our goal is to build a culture where everyone feels they belong, and where allyship and inclusion are seen as shared responsibilities across the whole organisation.
We regularly collect and review demographic data to better understand who makes up our workforce and how we can support everyone to thrive. This includes a minimum of an annual workforce survey, with additional data captured through engagement tools and feedback channels throughout the year.
Our most recent data shows that we are ahead of national averages in some areas of representation, and we are continuing to focus our efforts on areas where we want to do more. By reviewing this data and listening to our team, we are able to take targeted action and ensure meaningful progress.
We apply the same approach to our Board of Trustees, collecting and reviewing demographic information and skills data on an annual basis.
We are committed to transparency and accountability. As part of this, we publish our gender pay gap report annually.
We also voluntarily conduct an ethnicity pay gap analysis using CIPD-recommended methodology. The findings are reviewed by our People Committee and shared internally to support continuous improvement.
We regularly evaluate our progress on equality, diversity and inclusion. This includes using tools such as the Social Mobility Index and the Disability Confident Leader template. Our strategies are shaped by the voices of our staff and the data we collect, ensuring that we stay responsive and grounded in evidence.
We are proud to use inclusive, skills-based recruitment practices that prioritise fairness and reduce bias. We design our recruitment processes to ensure every candidate has the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and potential.
To learn more about how we recruit, please visit our Careers page.
We believe that everyone at The Brilliant Club should feel supported in their professional development. We encourage creativity, collaboration and ambition in how colleagues shape their learning and progression.
All staff have access to annual professional development days and a wide range of internal training and learning opportunities. These sessions reflect both professional goals and personal passions, helping build a learning culture that is open, ambitious and inclusive.
We are proud to have six thriving staff networks, open to all colleagues. These networks offer spaces for connection, support and community building. They are also key contributors to shaping our organisational culture.
Allies are actively encouraged to join and take part in the work of our networks. Each group hosts learning sessions, events and discussions, creating space for reflection, solidarity and celebration.
The Gender Equity Network (or GEN, to friends) aims to explore gender equity, address the experiences of those affected by sexism and the patriarchy, and destigmatize these topics in the workplace. We also create a space to connect with others who experience gender-based oppression. GEN offers a space to connect with colleagues from across the organisation and discuss the issues of the day, be it in work or the wider world. It’s a space to rant, reflect, or put the world to rights.
The Neurodiversity Umbrella Network (NUN) is a group where we discuss all things neurodiversity, as well as other areas of disability and mental health. We are an open group comprised of neurodivergent people with diagnoses, who are investigating diagnoses, and neurotypical allies. Being a member of NUN means being part of a supportive community that celebrates a wide range of neurological differences. We raise awareness for (as examples) dyslexia, ADHD and autism with inclusion events, and challenge societal norms and stigma against neurodivergence. We aim to shift focus to the strengths neurodivergent people can offer the workplace. My favourite aspect of being a NUN member is the interesting discussions we have around perceptions of neurodiversity, living with neurodivergent conditions, and current events.
Our EDI Core Committee includes members of our Executive Leadership Team, HR and our Staff Engagement Lead. This group collaborates closely with our staff network leads and plays a central role in setting priorities, monitoring progress and embedding EDI across the organisation.
We use a wide range of tools to guide our decision-making, including staff survey feedback, demographic analysis and best-practice frameworks. Our work is also informed by regular engagement with staff across the organisation.
The Board of Trustees provides active governance and oversight. Our People Committee receives annual updates on our EDI work, and the full Board undertakes a diversity and skills audit every two years. We recruit new trustees through open processes and align our governance practices with the Charity Governance Code Principle 6 on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
We are proud to be:
Flexible working helps us support the diverse needs of our team. Whether balancing family life, studying for a PhD, or simply seeking more balance, we are committed to helping staff work in ways that suit them and their goals.