Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has been recognised as achieving the UK’s National Equality Standard, and in doing so has become the first company in the transport sector to reach the standard.

The National Equality Standard (NES) was launched in 2013 and developed by Ernst and Young UK LLP. It defines robust Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) criteria against which companies are assessed. It is the UK’s leading diversity assessment framework and has become the UK’s accepted standard and is also increasingly being used globally. It was developed in partnership with the UK government and in collaboration with 20 public and private sector organisations, and over 400 organisations have now engaged with the framework.

The framework contains 35 competencies, against which the diversity and inclusion policies of Govia Thameslink Railway were assessed using reviews of evidence, interviews, and consultations. As well as achieving the requisite number of competencies to meet the standard, Govia Thameslink Railway also scored highly in categories relating to strategy and governance, action planning, and implementation.

In making their assessment, Ernst and Young identified good practice with policies such as unconscious bias training for all hiring managers, engagement with employee network groups, a robust coaching and mentoring programme, and active community social responsibility actions through various employment schemes.

Zoey Hudson, Head of Talent, Diversity and Inclusion at Govia Thameslink Railway, said: “We’re really proud to be the first transport company to be honoured with this accolade. Over the years we’ve worked hard to make our workplace as fair as possible, and we welcome people from all backgrounds with open arms. Of course, there’s always more to do, but this accreditation demonstrates our commitment to equality and building an inclusive culture for our people, which is a huge priority for us.”

Jelena Eremic Newson, EY UK Partner in Climate Change and Sustainability Services who assessed GTR said:“GTR has put substantial effort into diversity and inclusion activities over the last few years and this is beginning to have a positive impact on the organisation.

“A robust strategy supported by the Executive team is driving progress. It is encouraging to see a strong commitment from leadership, an array of internal and external communications channels along with strong efforts to support positive mental health.”