Equity, equality, diversity and inclusion

Our commitment

• Equity & Equality.  Everyone is given the right support and opportunities to achieve equal success. Everyone is treated fairly and has equal opportunity.
• Diversity.  Everyone is individual and we recognise and value differences.
• Inclusion.  Everyone is welcome, accepted and is supported to achieve their very best.

Our EDI vision

Tommy’s is here for every baby, parent and parent-to-be as we work to stop the heartbreak and devastation of baby loss, and make pregnancy and birth safe, for everyone.

Whoever you are or wherever you live, everyone should be able to have a healthy pregnancy and baby and we want to bring about change so fewer babies die during pregnancy and birth and fewer people experience pregnancy complications.

We know that Black women, Asian women and women from other minoritised ethnic groups are currently at highest-risk when it comes to poorer pregnancy outcomes, as are women and birthing people from communities with high levels of deprivation. A key strategic goal for Tommy’s is to tackle inequity and improve care, so we are working to target these inequalities and support people who currently experience the greatest disparities to have the best possible pregnancy experience and take babies home.

At Tommy’s, we aim to embrace and harness the talents, skills and experiences of everyone who wants to help us in our mission to make pregnancy and birth safer for all, such as the researchers who are discovering our next medical breakthrough, the midwives running our support line, the partners we engage with to help us reach those most in need, and the passionate team who are raising the money needed to make pregnancy safer.

We are working towards becoming a more diverse workplace in skills, experiences and capabilities at all levels. In doing so, we aim to be a better and more innovative organisation and able to have a bigger impact.

We are determined to be an organisation that truly values all that people contribute to help us stop the devastation of baby loss, and we will be there for anyone who needs our advice and support.

Our approach to embedding equality, equity, diversity and inclusion at Tommy’s 

• Our people – attract, develop and retain people from a diverse range of backgrounds to help us drive forward our mission
• Our culture – create and champion an inclusive culture
• Our impact – become a leading force in tackling inequity in maternity care and pregnancy outcomes

Our Equity, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion group is at the heart of our workplace and strives to make sure our work and culture reflect the families that we work with, our supporters, and the baby loss community. It is sponsored by a member of the senior leadership team and reports to the Board of the Trustees annually.

We recognise that we are on a journey as an organisation and there is work to be done to make sure we have the structures, processes and people to help us achieve our aims.

Anti-racism  

We know that there are clear racial disparities in maternal and baby deaths in the UK, linked in part to systemic racism.

Black women are 4 times more likely to die in pregnancy and childbirth. Stillbirth rates for babies of Black ethnicity are over twice those for babies of White ethnicity, and Tommy’s Lancet series showed Black women are at 40% increased risk of experiencing a miscarriage.

Tommy’s is committed to working with communities, organisations and experts to help break down these barriers, tackle inequity and improve care for all.

We take a zero-tolerance approach to racism. As part of our work on equality, equity, diversity and inclusion, we are working to be an actively anti-racist organisation. 

Visit our website for more information about Tommy’s Black and Black Mixed-Heritage helpline, in partnership with Five X More, and other resources for Black and Black Mixed-Heritage women and birthing people.

Our responsibilities   

Everyone who works at and with Tommy’s has a responsibility to promote and champion equity, equality, diversity and inclusion. We are all accountable for challenging inequity, unfairness or discrimination, highlighting areas of improvement and living Tommy’s values.

We know how important it is to recognise, value, and celebrate differences in our team. This is how we are building a passionate, effective workforce who are all driving together to meet our vision to stop the heartbreak and devastation of baby loss and make pregnancy and birth safe, for everyone.

We understand that every individual is unique and has many intersecting identities and experiences which can affect how they experience the world. We are committed to reviewing our internal structures, processes and policies, using our awareness of systems of oppression, to create an organisation where people are free and able to present their true selves.