As the UK’s national institute for health data science, we know that we can do more and deliver better results by bringing together a wide range of people, skills, ideas, opinions, beliefs and experiences. This is how we define diversity and we know that it strengthens each part of HDR UK. It helps us to be stronger and better – by generating new insights and innovations from different perspectives, diverse data, different skills, and different populations.

We embrace diversity and all the ways we are different – visible and non-visible. We commit to providing equal opportunities to ensure no individual or group is treated differently or less favourably. We will create an environment where people with diverse backgrounds, insights and experiences can work together openly and with respect. By working in this way, we embody our values of transparency, optimism, respect, courage and humility and create an environment that is inspiring, collaborative and delivering at pace and scale.

As an institute we are committed to being fair, inclusive and facilitate diversity in all aspects of our work. This includes the people that make up our workforce, represent us and benefit from the work we support; the perspectives we seek to guide the work we do; the training that the next generation of data scientists need to deliver health data research to make discoveries that improve people’s lives; and the data we unite across the UK’s varied populations.

A lack of diversity in any of these areas will hold us back from bringing together the sharpest scientific minds, providing access to rich health data that represents the UK’s entire population, and better understanding diseases to prevent, treat and cure them.