We are dedicated to creating a borough where everyone is treated equally and can succeed.
We believe embracing diversity is key to building a vibrant, cohesive community. Our work breaks down barriers to opportunities while promoting fairness in everything we do.
Our mission, vision and objectives
Our mission: to create a vibrant and inclusive community where diversity is embraced as our greatest asset, inclusion is the cornerstone of our interactions, and every individual is empowered to contribute meaningfully to our shared success.
Our vision: a thriving borough of Rochdale, where diversity is our strength, inclusion is our norm, and every individual is empowered to contribute to our collective success.
Our objectives: by 2029, through our "READI" objectives, we aim to:
- Reduce inequalities and improve outcomes: we aim to reduce the gap in health, education, and employment outcomes between the most deprived wards and the borough average by 10 per cent through targeted interventions.
- Embed equity, diversity and inclusion in our way of working: we aim to make sure that 90 per cent of the decisions we make and projects we carry out are supported by Sustainability and Equality Impact Assessments. By 2026, we aim to make sure at least 80 per cent of our staff are trained in equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).
- Actively consult, engage, involve, and communicate with our communities: we aim to conduct at least 6 annual consultation events, increasing participation from underrepresented groups by 20 per cent and use what we learn to co-design services.
- Develop inclusive leadership, workforce, and culture: we aim to increase ethnic minority representation in leadership by 15 per cent and the proportion of disabled employees by 10 per cent through positive action programmes.
- Improve access to information services and data collection: we aim to achieve 100 per cent compliance with the Accessible Information Standard and provide public materials in the borough of Rochdale's 5 most spoken languages.
How we work towards equity, diversity and inclusion
Equity, diversity, and inclusion aren't separate initiatives at Rochdale Borough Council; they are part of everything we do.
Making EDI a regular and important part of everything we do means we make these principles part of all of our policies, services, and decision-making processes. This approach makes sure that inclusivity and fairness are considered in every aspect of our work.
We achieve equity, diversity and inclusion by:
- Building EDI into all council strategies and plans.
- Training staff to understand and apply EDI principles in their roles.
- Engaging with diverse communities to co-design and shape services.
- Using robust data and evidence to inform decision-making.
How we work with our communities
We actively work to create a fair and inclusive borough. We take a proactive role in addressing inequalities that affect our residents.
Through listening to our communities and engaging with residents, organisations, and stakeholders to understand diverse experiences and needs, we aim to:
- Deliver inclusive services: by making sure that all council services are accessible, inclusive, and equitable, tailored to the varied needs of the population of the borough.
- Build reflective leadership: by committing to diversity and inclusion at every leadership level to drive cultural change across the organisation.
- Use evidence to drive change: by monitoring and analysing equity data to address disparities and measure the impact of our policies and practices.
How you can help
We invite residents, organisations, and partners to join us in shaping a borough that is fair, inclusive, and supportive of all.
By working together, we can make sure that our borough is a place where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute.
To have your say, get in touch using the contact details on this page.