End of Year Summary 2025 to 2026
This summary highlights the progress made during 2025 to 2026 to improve equality, diversity and inclusion in Surrey, and where we need to do more.
Our progress
Supporting residents and communities
- We created a new approach to understanding inequality using data and feedback from residents.
- We began new research into the health and wellbeing of minority ethnic communities.
- We improved how decisions are reviewed to make sure services are fair and inclusive.
Improving accessibility
- Work is underway on a new accessibility strategy for future council structures.
- We are identifying and addressing accessibility issues in buildings through audits.
- We have improved how accessibility concerns are raised and resolved.
Tackling inequalities in services
- Research, including “Speaking For Ourselves”, has improved collective understanding of lived experiences.
- Staff and partners are receiving training to deliver inclusive services.
- Good practice in areas like youth justice has been recognised nationally.
Community safety and cohesion
- We are working with partners to respond to hate crime and community tensions.
- A new strategy focuses on:
- preventing hate crime
- improving reporting and support
- strengthening partnerships
- promoting inclusion and belonging
Supporting our workforce
Building an inclusive workplace
- Staff networks have been strengthened and are supported by senior leaders.
- New Wellbeing and Inclusion Champions are helping staff across the organisation.
Training and awareness
- All staff now complete Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) training as part of their learning.
- Managers receive additional support to lead inclusive teams.
Supporting disabled staff
A new Workplace Adjustments service helps ensure staff get the support they need quickly.
Improving employee experience
- We improved support for international recruits and staff on visas.
- The Reverse Mentoring programme continues to support learning between staff and senior leaders.
Understanding our workforce
Staff have been encouraged to share information about themselves voluntarily to help improve inclusion.
Leadership diversity
Work is underway to increase diversity in senior leadership roles and address barriers to progression.
Challenges
Some areas need further improvement:
- Digital accessibility – not all online services meet required standards
- Digital inclusion – progress has slowed due to limited resources
- Capacity – some training and improvement work has been delayed
- Long-term inequality work – more coordination and investment is needed
Our priorities for 2026 to 2027
For residents and communities
We will:
- Use data to better target and reduce inequality
- Make sure decision-making considers equality impacts
- Improve accessibility across buildings, services and digital platforms
- Reduce digital exclusion
- Strengthen community cohesion and responses to discrimination
For our workforce
We will:
- Improve workforce data to better understand and support staff
- Continue delivering EDI training
- Embed the Workplace Adjustments service
- Continue reverse mentoring and leadership development
- Work with underrepresented groups to improve inclusion
- Develop plans to increase diversity in leadership
Summary
We have made strong progress this year in improving equality, diversity and inclusion.
However, continued focus and partnership working will be essential to ensure everyone in Surrey feels included and supported and are able to thrive.