The Equity and Diversity Committee works to ensure that the Department of Environment and Geography embraces, celebrates and raises awareness of equity, inclusion and diversity. We identify barriers that prevent us from reaching our full potential as a department and create solutions to overcome those barriers.

E&D is embedded throughout the department and a standing item on all departmental committees.

Our Terms of Reference (ToR) document (including membership list) was last updated in September 2024.

We have enthusiastically adopted the Athena SWAN charter of gender equality. We are delighted to receive the Silver Athena SWAN Award in December 2022. This is in recognition of the support we offer to all staff, especially female staff in the Department. For instance, with departmental support, there has been a significant increase of senior female academics (Reader and above) from 1 FTE to 7.1 FTE over the last few years. Over the same period, the department has also seen an increase of female professors from 0% to 43% of professors.

Athena Swan Application and Action Plan

The Department holds a Silver Athena SWAN award, received in December 2022.

The Department’s Silver Award submission documents are available from the University Research Athena Swan pages

You can also find out more on the departmental webpages

EDC events.

Glossary of EDI&I Terminology

DEG Dignity contacts:

Dignity Contacts are members of staff from the department who have volunteered to listen to the experiences of reporting students and staff who have concerns about harassment, bullying, hate incidents and/or discrimination as outlined in the University’s Dignity at Work and Study policy. They provide advice and guidance on the Dignity at Work and Study Policy and procedures, and provide information on how to navigate informal and formal reporting procedures.

Speaking to a Dignity Contact does not commit you to taking any further formal or informal action. A conversation with a Dignity Contact is not the start of any procedure, but an opportunity for you to discuss your concerns in a supportive and non-judgemental space and explore options, before deciding whether, or how, to proceed with further action.

You can also reach out to our dignity contacts if you have any general EDI related concerns, for example, if you feel being marginalised, your voice/concerns not being heard by your representatives, committees and in other departmental settings and activities.

This role also sits within a wider university network of dignity contacts, so if need be we can pull further support from the university.

DEG dignity contacts:

Dr Samarthia Thankappan (email: samarthia.thankappan@york.ac.uk)

Angela Purdham (email: angela.purdham@york.ac.uk)

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