UK Export Finance Public Sector Equality Duty Compliance: 2024-25
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-17)

This report shows how UK Export Finance complied with public sector equality regulations in 2024-25.

As outlined in UKEF’s 2024–27 People Strategy, we celebrate each other’s differences by listening, respecting and supporting each other through a collaborative approach, focussed on impact and outcomes. We recognise that having a diverse and inclusive environment, where people feel safe and valued, is critical to UKEF’s success.

Public Sector Equality Duty requirements

General duty

The general duty requires public authorities, in the exercise of their functions, to have due regard to the need to:
- eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other unlawful conduct prohibited by the act
- advance equality of opportunity between people who share and people who do not share a relevant protected characteristic
- foster good relations between people who share and people who do not share a relevant protected characteristic
These are sometimes called the 3 aims of the duty.

The relevant protected characteristics are:
- age
- disability
- gender reassignment
- pregnancy and maternity
- race
- religion or belief
- sex
- sexual orientation
Specific duties

The specific duties which apply to UKEF are to:
- Publish one or more equality objectives at least every 4 years
- Publish information on general duty compliance with regard to people affected by your policies and practices every year
- Publish information on general duty compliance with regard to your employees every year
- Publish gender pay gap data by 31 March every year
Evidence to support the meeting of the specific duties

Publish one or more equality objectives at least every 4 years

In 2025 we agreed new equality objectives:
- To increase the proportion of women in Senior Civil Service (SCS) roles by 31 March 2029
- To increase the proportion of staff with disabilities, both overall and within SCS roles by 31 March 2029
- To increase the proportion of ethnic minority staff within SCS roles by 31 March 2029
We are now in the process of agreeing actions to take in the coming months and years to support with achieving these objectives.

Publish information on general duty compliance with regard to people affected by your policies and practices every year

Although UKEF’s direct customers are businesses rather than individuals, we recognise that our policies and practices can indirectly affect people in the UK who share protected characteristics. In line with the Equality Act 2010 and the PSED, UKEF gives “due regard” to the three aims of the duty when designing products, shaping policy, and delivering services.

How UKEF ensures compliance

Policy and product development

Equality considerations are embedded in UKEF’s product development and policy review processes. Where relevant, Equality Impact Assessments are undertaken to assess potential impacts on individuals with protected characteristics.

Accessibility

UKEF is committed to ensuring that digital services are WCAG 2.2 AA compliant for accessibility, including auditing legacy systems and promoting inclusive design practices.

Proportionate approach

Because UKEF’s customers are companies, not individuals, the risk of direct impact on protected groups is limited. However, UKEF applies a proportionate approach to PSED compliance, considering indirect impacts on UK individuals where relevant, particularly in areas such as outreach to underrepresented business groups and regional access to services.

Record keeping

UKEF keeps a record of how equality considerations have been addressed in decision-making, in line with best practice and the Brown Principles.

This approach demonstrates UKEF’s commitment to embedding equality into its operations and ensuring that our services are accessible, fair, and inclusive, even where our primary interactions are with businesses rather than individuals.

Publish information on general duty compliance with regard to your employees every year

Diversity and inclusion is something which is considered through all elements of the employee lifecycle; there are various activities which are undertaken on an ongoing basis, and some which are specific to a particular year, depending on priorities which have been identified. These are detailed below:

Actions taken on an ongoing basis
- UKEF has four core values, one of which is “Respecting All” - “We value difference, building an inclusive workplace that encourages authenticity and celebrates individual and collective success”. These values are woven into our performance management system as part of a mandatory objective relating to behaviours expected of all employees.
- UKEF has six Staff Diversity Networks, each with an SCS level champion; they are self-led and set their own priorities for the year.
- HR meet with each of the six Staff Diversity Networks at least twice per year to discuss any topics raised by the networks and agree any actions to be taken forward to support with diversity and inclusion
- UKEF has Disability Confident Level 3 (Leader) status, demonstrating our commitment to recruiting, retaining and developing disabled people
- We have guidance published on holding inclusive meetings, helping all employees consider the needs of others when planning and managing meetings
- Our HR frameworks are generally based on central Civil Service model documents, which have undergone equality assessments
- We have a workplace adjustments process published, which details when workplace adjustments are considered and implemented both at recruitment stage and for the duration of employment; this goes above the legal minimum requirements relating specifically to reasonable adjustments
- Our performance management process includes reminders to consider workplace adjustments when setting objectives and throughout the year
- We have a Mentoring/reverse mentoring framework in place with a range of mentors available and an SCS level Mentoring champion which is published to staff
- All staff undertake mandatory learning on Civil Service Expectations, which includes a topic on why Diversity and Inclusion matters
Ongoing recruitment specific activities
- All recruitment adverts reference UKEF’s commitment to D&I. (Women in Finance Charter; Disability Confident; Mental Health at Work Commitment and Race at Work charter) this includes highlighting the various staff networks we have as well as Appropriate Behaviour Champions/Employee Assistance Programme and Mental Health First Aiders
- All candidate packs reference the disability confident scheme and as part of the sifting process. Candidates who meet the essential criteria, will be invited for an interview
- Anonymous recruitment - At the sift stage all applications are anonymised (no details in terms of name/gender/DOB/ethnicity etc).
SCS recruitment
- At procurement stage - agencies will be asked to articulate in their tender document what their process is for attracting a diverse pool of candidates.
- When engaged as part of the initial briefing exercise D&I will be reinforced and the appointed agency will be expected to provide a long list with both gender and ethnically diverse candidates.
- We are in discussions with Cabinet Office regarding the Care Leavers scheme.
New actions taken in the previous year
- Several webinars relating to neurodiversity, including ADHD and Dyslexia, have been developed with and delivered by Lexxic, to support with understanding of neurodiversity across UKEF
- An all-staff briefing was provided by HR and our Disability, Carers and Neurodiversity network to highlight the use of Workplace Adjustment and Carers Passports
- Following the end of an existing one, a new Occupational Health contract has been agreed, which includes the provision to provide support relating to neurodiversity
- A new Values Framework was introduced and adherence with this now forms part of the mandatory behaviours’ objective for all staff; the Values Framework includes various references to the importance of diversity and inclusion for all staff
- Two new training courses, Conversational Integrity and Managing Banter training, were made available to staff. These were part of a commitment to deliver department-wide training relating to expectations of behaviours at work, and includes discussions on making comments relating to protected characteristics and how these can be dealt with
- New Line Manager Standards being embedded with the People strand focussing on everyone feeling respected, valued and included.
- Following consultation with the Disability and Careers network UKEF introduced a “quiet room” this has provided a dedicated space for staff who have neurodiverse needs, but also available to all staff where they require a quiet environment with no distractions.
- Ethnicity pay gap calculations - As part of the Equality (Race and Disability) Bill, the Government has committed to introducing mandatory Ethnicity and Disability Pay Gap Reporting for large employers. UKEF is presently engaging with Cabinet Office and are awaiting guidance around the publication of data. Notwithstanding this, as a department UKEF is undertaking analysis of its 2025 data and will work with the networks to discuss trends.
- HR is working closely with the various networks and trade unions to better understand the impacts of annual pay remits and performance awards and the impact that this has on both UKEF’s Gender Pay Gap and Ethnicity Pay Gap. Prior to implementing any award’s, detailed analysis is undertaken to better understand the impacts especially when considering gender, ethnicity and disability, this analysis is shared with both UKEF’s Executive Committee and Board for their comment.
Equality information relating to employees – information correct as at 31 March 2025

Gender by grade

Age by grade

*50-69 age grouped to protect anonymity

Ethnicity by grade

Disability by grade

*Senior Civil Service data has been suppressed to protect anonymity

Sexual orientation by grade

*Senior Civil Service data has been suppressed to protect anonymity

Religion or belief by grade

Marital status by grade

UKEF’s gender pay gap information is contained in a separate publication. The latest one can be found here (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-export-finance-gender-pay-gap-report-2023-to-2024/uk-export-finance-gender-pay-gap-report-2023-to-2024).