Our commitment to diversity
As the water regulator, Ofwat has an important role to play in delivering public value and encouraging water companies to provide a service that is accessible and inclusive for everyone. At Ofwat we have committed to listening to a diverse range of customers more directly to better test our policies and guide where and how we hold companies to account. We have also asked companies to work with others within and beyond the sector, reflecting the needs of the places in which they operate, so it is vital that both we and the sector are equal, diverse and inclusive.
Our aim is to create an environment where colleagues feel comfortable being themselves and bringing their whole self to work. We want Ofwat to be a place where everyone is treated equally, empowered to thrive, irrespective of their background, age, gender, location, ethnicity/race, religion/belief, marital status, sexual identity or disability. We are committed to creating an organisation which values all our people and their contribution, so that together we achieve our vision of improving life through water.
Find out more about our latest Gender Pay Gap and Ethnicity Pay Gap data.
What have we been doing?
EDI remains a key priority for Ofwat, and it is more than just values that we uphold; it is fundamental to the culture we strive to build every day. Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy for Ofwat ‘Being Ourselves, Welcoming All’, sets out our approach and it builds on the positive foundations that we have already created here at Ofwat.
While we are proud of the strides we have taken, we recognise there is always more to do. We are not afraid to tackle the uncomfortable questions, and we have continued to open up the space to be able to talk so that we can create an environment where everyone can truly be themselves at work. We have encouraged everyone to be inquisitive and curious while being respectful about EDI issues.
This strategy outlines the ways we are already delivering against this commitment, as well as how we intend to strengthen our position, and the actions we take on EDI as Ofwat continues to grow.
We are committed to building on the great work we have delivered so far. With our refreshed EDI Strategy, our approach to creating a truly inclusive and diverse workplace will be bolder than ever before. We are an organisation that prides itself on our culture, and this is due to the great people we have working here. By strengthening our position on EDI, we can continue to attract the best people and get the best out of them.
Diversity of thought leads to better decision making, minimising risk, supporting innovation and creativity by bringing together different experiences, backgrounds, and skills. We know there is more work to be done to make Ofwat an inclusive place to be where everyone can be themselves and bring their whole self to work.
Ofwat’s wider involvement in EDI
As part of our membership with the UK Regulator’s Network (UKRN), Ofwat has committed to a set of diversity and inclusion pledges which seek to collaboratively drive forward diversity and inclusion work across our organisations.