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Spotlight on Sarah Guise

15 December 2011

This week the spotlight is on Sarah Guise, Head of Equalities and Diversity, Human Resources.

What is your role and what does it involve?

I am Head of Equalities and Diversity and my role involves co-ordinating action across UCL so that our staff and student body is more representative of society as a whole and our staff and students are treated fairly. It's hard to describe the breadth of my team's work succinctly, but this variety is something I really like about the work.

My team is based in Human Resources. This is useful because it means we have the opportunity to input into staff policies and procedures at an early stage in order to raise awareness of the particular needs of different groups.

For example, our staff benefits and family-oriented policies make explicit mention of lesbian, gay and bisexual partners, and our leave and work-life balance policies detail some of the reasons why staff from different ethnic and religious groups may request leave, such as to visit family abroad or celebrate religious festivals.

Every February, we organise a number of Diversity Month events to raise awareness of topical equality issues, celebrate difference and profile some of UCL's diversity-related research. We also have informal social events, which are much needed in dreary February.

My team coordinates UCL's staff equality groups such as the Race Equality Group, the LGBT Equality Group and the new 50:50 gender group. We work with students in partnership with the Sabbatical Officers, the Dean of Students and UCLU, among others.

The next big area of activity for my team will be working with departments, divisions and faculties to assist them in developing action plans in relation to the equality objectives outlined in UCL's Equalities and Diversity Strategy. For me, equality initiatives only become truly meaningful when they are devised and led locally, with my team in an advisory, supportive role.

How long have you been at UCL and what was your previous role?

I've been at UCL for three years and am only just beginning to feel like I understand the organisation; such is its size and complexity. My previous role was Gender Policy Advisor at the Equality Challenge Unit (ECU), a non-profit organisation that gives advice on equality and diversity to the higher education sector.

One of the main projects I worked on was the Athena SWAN Charter for women in Science, Engineering and Technology (SET). The charter gives university departments formal recognition for their efforts in creating an inclusive working environment for female academics, researchers and students. Originating from the Royal Society, it's one of the few diversity initiatives I'm aware of that is championed by academics and researchers.

While I was working at ECU, I was privileged to meet some truly inspirational women working in academic science. I was struck by the scale of their achievements and how much they cared that younger female scientists wouldn't have to face the same career hurdles as they did.

What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of?

I'm proud of coordinating UCL's Religion and Belief Equality Policy for students. Religion and belief can be a sensitive topic and given UCL's inclusive, secular history, I thought it was important that there was consistent policy and confident language in this area. The reason I'm proud is twofold: firstly, I have an interest in secularism and education as I wrote a dissertation on the topic, so it was not only very interesting, but also rewarding to put theory into practice.

Secondly, I don't exaggerate when I say it took a very long time to consult with all the relevant stakeholders and gain consensus on a UCL approach.

It took a certain doggish persistence on my part to drive the policy development forward after numerous drafts, but I'm glad I did, as feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive. Students of different faiths are reassured that their needs are taken seriously and staff working directly with students and in timetabling have clear, practical guidance.

What is your life like outside UCL?

I live in south London with my husband. Even though I agree with the sentiment that "when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life", we're both nature lovers at heart and try to get into the countryside as often as possible. I'm really into the arts, particularly music and cinema, and like going to gigs as well as playing the ukulele (very badly) at home.

I love travelling, and particularly like going to warm places where I can practice my rusty Spanish as well as to the hillier, wilder and less populous parts of the UK such as Northumbria and Scotland.

As is common these days, I'm pretty obsessed with food and my idea of a fun evening is where I cook something spicy and have a few good friends over for dinner, and - I'm afraid to say - partake in a spot of after dinner karaoke. I'm told that my heartfelt rendition of 'Je ne regrette rien' is especially good.