First Bus has become the first coach or bus operator to be accredited with bronze status by the Inclusive Employers Standard (IES).
IES measures inclusion and diversity within an organisation, asking businesses to answer 35 questions on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).
As part of the exercise, First Bus provided more than 250 pieces of evidence via a total of over 10,000 words.
Kevin Green, First Bus Chief People Officer, says: “What we’ve achieved throughout our transformation journey over the past couple of years is incredible, and it’s thanks to the hard work and commitment of everyone at First Bus.
“We’re incredibly proud of this achievement, but recognise we’ve still got lots to do on our journey to being a place where everyone feels welcome, can be their true selves and succeed.
“The report from Inclusive Employers will support us to drive further positive change in the EDI space and we are looking forward to progressing future plans.”
Emily Pattinson, Inclusive Employers’ Senior Standard Programme Lead, says: “By having such an inclusive purpose and strategic approach, it demonstrates First Bus’s true commitment to ensuring that EDI is centric to its organisation.
“Achieving this bronze may only be the start of the journey, but it is an acknowledgement of strong inclusive foundations that will only lead to even stronger work in the future.”
