Dear Colleague,

Updating your personal data
We’re updating our information about University staff, to make sure we have up to date emergency contact details, understand your needs, and can comply with government requirements. We need your help to make sure your details are up to date, and we’re also asking for some new information.

What new information is being collected?
Staff personal records now include information provided by individuals on their sexual orientation, and religion and belief. Recording this information will help us to provide relevant services and support and have a better understanding of our diverse University community.

It is also considered good business practice and an important management tool for all large organisations to meet statutory reporting requirements, to monitor policy and performance, and to develop appropriate equality aims and objectives.

For example, if you tell us your sexual orientation, you will help us to find out the percentage of our staff members who identify as LGBT and we can help to make sure the appropriate services and support are in place. Informing us of your religion and belief will help us to understand and celebrate different religions and their associated festivals, and to ensure that appropriate awareness events are held, so that our community is inclusive.

If you have a disability and have not disclosed this to the University, please consider doing so, as this will help you and your line manager to ensure that you have the appropriate support and any required reasonable adjustments are in place to assist you to carry out the duties of your role.

Why do we need to do this?
The University is required to collect and report on demographic data by legislation and the Higher Education Statistics Agency. We also need to collect personal information to comply with the requirements of HMRC and the Data Protection Act 1998.

It is not compulsory for staff to provide responses to these questions, however legal guidance suggests that we ask you for this information and therefore we’re obliged to seek this information.
The Equality Act 2010 identifies protected characteristics of race, gender, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion and belief, pregnancy, maternity and paternity. These groups are protected from harassment, victimisation and discrimination. If we know how many staff belong to these groups, we can monitor their experiences and have a full understanding of what support needs to be in place.
How is my information protected?

Your personal information is created, stored and transmitted securely in a variety of paper and electronic formats by the University in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 and related legislation. Access to your personal information is limited to colleagues who have a legitimate interest in it for the purpose of carrying out their contractual duties. You would never be identified in any corresponding monitoring reports, as these will only be based on statistical information.

How do I respond?
We appreciate your help in ensuring that our Human Resources records are complete and accurate and we ask that you spend a few minutes to review the data we hold for you via the following link.

If you have any queries, please contact the HR Shared Services team on 024 7652 2244.

Please submit your form to us by Friday 11 September, whether or not you make any changes, to confirm the accuracy of your data.

Thank you.

Sara Lloyd
Human Resources