Sciensus achieves prestigious National Equality Standard (NES) accreditation

Diversity is a core value for Sciensus and one that drives innovation and excellence in everything we do.  With that in mind, we’re proud to announce that we’ve earned the prestigious National Equality Standard (NES) accreditation, a significant milestone in our journey to becoming one of the leaders in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). Here, HR Director Jackie Reeves reflects on the achievement and what it means to our organisation.

What is the National Equality Standard (NES) accreditation?

We’re thrilled to have achieved the National Equality Standard (NES). Many people and teams have worked hard and dedicated themselves to this achievement. We’re committed to building on our foundations and continuing our journey to deliver EDI best practices within our organisation.

Developed by Ernst & Young (EY), the NES is a benchmark designed to set clear EDI criteria for organisations to demonstrate best practices in inclusivity and equality. The assessment framework sets clear diversity, equality and inclusion criteria to work towards.

Sciensus’ NES accreditation highlights our ongoing commitment to building a working environment where everyone, regardless of background, can thrive and do their best work. Achieving this accreditation, a year ahead of schedule I should add, is a testament to the organisation’s dedication to embedding EDI at the heart of our operations.

Following the final assessment in September, EY was full of praise for our efforts. An EY spokesperson said: “We would like to congratulate Sciensus for achieving a NES assessment standard, and the significant efforts made. In particular, we recognise the marked improvement in Sciensus’ people policy provisions, detailed approach to the EDI strategy and implementation of a more structured EDI governance model.”

Dedication and progress

Our journey to the National Equality Standard accreditation began over two years ago when we set about designing and implementing a sustainable, long-term EDI strategy. This strategy was based on revising and enhancing our policies and practices to ensure EDI was woven into the very fabric of our organisation.

In partnership with EY, an initial assessment in August 2023 provided us with clear direction on how we could lead the way with our EDI practices. Over the following year, many people across our business worked tirelessly to implement EY’s actions and guidance, before being reassessed this September.

Some highlights of our strategy include:

• Enhanced maternity policy eligibility, reflecting our commitment to supporting all employees at a crucial stage of their lives.
• A comprehensive compassionate leave policy, ensuring that our colleagues are supported during difficult times.
• An ambitious, transparent and well-communicated EDI strategy, with measurable KPIs.
• Updates to our Human Rights Policy and Supplier Code of Conduct to meet our commitment to ethical practices across every part of our business.

Alongside a structured and sustainable approach to EDI, these changes have positioned Sciensus as a leader in diversity and inclusion at work. But for us, this really is just the tip of the iceberg.

What does NES accreditation mean for Sciensus?

Achieving NES accreditation is a powerful endorsement of our commitment to creating a fair and equitable workplace. The benefits of the practices we’ve adopted will be felt widely across our organisation, as well as by the patients we support, our customers and the wider community.

Our sustainable approach to EDI means that we’re more likely to attract and retain diverse talent, creating an engaged workforce which reflects the communities we serve. This, in turn, allows us to ensure that every patient receives the highest level of care, regardless of background. At Sciensus we truly believe in our value that ‘Together We Win’.

What’s next?

While we’re immensely proud of this achievement, we recognise that there is still much more to do. At Sciensus, we’re committed to continuous improvement. The NES accreditation is not the end of our journey, but a significant milestone as we seek to build on the foundations we’ve established. With a clear ambition and measurable goals in place, we’ll continue to drive forward our EDI plans and make more progress.

At Sciensus, it’s the driving force behind our success. Our ultimate goal is to create a workplace where everyone, regardless of their background, feels valued and empowered to succeed. We believe that by creating the right conditions for a diverse and inclusive working environment, we can deliver even better outcomes for the patients we serve and customers we partner with. We’re excited to continue this journey with the support and dedication of our incredible team.