Kent Downs National Landscape is on a journey to make the countryside a welcoming and accessible place for all to enjoy. We believe diversity at all levels of our organisation will help us conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the Kent Downs, as well as make it accessible and welcoming to the widest audience possible. Our aim is to attract the best talent to our organisation and create a culture where everyone feels included – being able to contribute ideas and challenge us to be better. Through our strategic partnerships, we intend to listen and respond to the needs of different community groups, to remove barriers and foster engagement and belonging, so everyone can enjoy the beauty and benefits of the Kent Downs.
We will do this by:
- Ensuring our education and engagement programmes feel welcoming to all: by working closely with partners who are experts by experience, considering inclusion at the inception of our programmes and seeking input from experts of experience and feedback from people who attend our events.
- Achieving organisational diversity: by reaching into communities currently under-represented in our workforce, reviewing our recruitment processes and evaluating our progress.
- Striving to be sector leaders in EDI: by diversifying our JAC, upskilling our people, collating and sharing sector specific knowledge and insights.
What does Equity, Diversity and Inclusion mean to us?
Equity – to create equal access to our national landscapes and country parks, we acknowledge that different people need different things. Equality is not sameness. Different people experience different barriers and opportunities to access and enjoy the countryside. By addressing and acknowledging these differences we improve equity of access.
Diversity – we want people from all walks of life to value, visit and enjoy our National Landscape, attend our education and outreach programmes, and to work with us. Our beautiful landscapes and rich cultural heritage attract people from all over the world, and we want to celebrate this and encourage everyone to value, visit and enjoy by making the Kent Downs both accessible and welcoming. We want to attract and celebrate people who are diverse not only in age, gender, race, religion, disability, and sexuality but who also have a diversity of experience. Afterall, the countryside doesn’t care where you live, what you know or how much you earn. We want both those who feel at ease in the countryside and those who are new to exploring it to feel encouraged to visit.
Inclusion – it isn’t enough to just encourage diverse communities to visit or apply to work with us, we want people to get involved, share their opinions, and challenge us to be better. We will do this through working with existing organisations who are community focused, listening to their needs, and creating new partnerships. We will keep seeking feedback from people who work with us and those who attend our events, to understand where we can continue to grow and hear when we are getting it right.
Our Goals
Goal 1. Ensure our Engagement and Education initiatives are accessible, welcoming and inclusive to all
We are dedicated to making our Engagement and Education programs within the Kent Downs accessible and welcoming to everyone, regardless of their background or abilities. Our aim is to create an environment where every individual feels valued and respected. This involves
actively identifying and removing barriers to participation, fostering a culture of inclusivity, and ensuring our initiatives reflect the diverse communities we serve. By promoting inclusivity in all our projects and programmes, we aim to provide meaningful and enriching experiences that deepen the connection to our natural heritage and promote a shared stewardship of our outstanding landscapes.
Goal 2. Attain Organisational Diversity across all levels of the Kent Downs Team, Operations and Governance
We recognise a diverse organisation is crucial for innovation and resilience, especially in the context of managing the Kent Downs National Landscape. Our goal is to ensure our policy approach, programmes, team, leadership and the JAC reflect the rich diversity of the communities we serve as we recognise the value of diversity for driving innovation, problem solving and the great insight perspectives shaped by different lived experience bring. We will implement strategies to attract a wide range of talents, providing equitable opportunities for professional growth, and fostering an inclusive workplace culture. Embracing diversity at all organisational levels, we will enhance our ability to protect and promote the natural beauty and cultural heritage of the Kent Downs.
Goal 3. Achieve Sector Leadership in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)
We acknowledge that environmental and landscape management is one of the least diverse sectors in the UK. We aspire to be leaders in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) within the conservation and National Landscape sectors. Our commitment is to not only meet but exceed industry standards, continuously seeking innovative ways to advance EDI. We will engage with our partners, share best practices, and advocate for systemic changes that promote fairness and equity. By championing EDI, we aim to inspire other organisations and contribute to a more inclusive and equitable and therefore effective approach to natural beauty conservation. Our dedication to this goal will be reflected in our policies, practices, and the positive impact we have on the communities and landscapes of the Kent Downs. We want to be the organisation that others look to for best practice in EDI.