Our Commitments

To ensure sustained improvement, we continue to look at focused initiatives and accountability through aspirational targets. We continue to work towards our 50% gender and 14% ethnic minority employee representation targets at all levels of Post Office by the end of 2024

We have signed up to the below charters and pledges which offer guidance, support and encouragement as we work towards these targets.

The British Retail Consortium Diversity & Inclusion Charter

This charter focuses on embedding EDI into every aspect of our business. Signatories pledge:

• Our CEO will be accountable for Diversity and Inclusion in our business and will appoint an Executive with ownership for D&I
• We will ensure there is no bias in the recruitment process and will undertake a transparent process of audit
• We will take positive action that supports open career opportunity and progression and will undertake a transparent process of audit
• We commit to Contributing data on our diversity in the workplace which will feed in to the BRC Better Jobs dashboard
• We commit to create a respectful, inclusive work environment within which every employee has the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the company’s vision and values
• We believe supporting equity in the workplace is the responsibility of all line managers

The Race at Work Charter

This charter requires us to sign up to, and action, the five Race At Work commitments. These commitments are:

• Appoint an executive sponsor for race.
• Capture ethnicity data and publicise progress.
• Commit at board level to zero tolerance of harassment and bullying.
• Make clear that supporting equality in the workplace is the responsibility of all leaders and managers.
• Take action that supports ethnic minority career progression

The Pregnancy Loss Pledge

Developed by the Miscarriage Association, we are committed to ensuring colleagues feel supported and able to recover in a way that works best for them following pregnancy loss, alongside our pregnancy loss policy.

• Encourage a supportive work environment where people feel able to discuss and disclose pregnancy and/or loss without fear of being disadvantaged or discriminated against
• Understand and implement the rules around pregnancy-related leave, ensuring staff feel able to take the time off they need
• Show empathy and understanding towards people and their partners experiencing pregnancy loss
• Implement a pregnancy loss policy or guidance, or ensure it is included in sickness, bereavement or other workplace policies – being mindful of the needs of partners, too
• Encourage line managers to access in-house or external guidance (such as that available on the MA website) on how to support someone experiencing pregnancy loss
• Support people back to work by being responsive to their needs and showing flexibility wherever possible

The Menopause Pledge

We are committed to talking openly, positively and respectfully about the menopause, and actively supporting and informing colleagues affected by it through our menopause policy.

• Recognising that the menopause can be an issue in the workplace and women need support
• Talking openly, positively and respectfully about the menopause
• Actively supporting and informing your employees affected by the menopause

HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter

We are proud to be working alongside the HM Treasury and over 200 other organisations to support the progression of women into senior management roles and build a more balanced, fair and representative industry.

In August 2017, we signed up to the HM Treasury’s Women in Finance Charter. The charter reflects the government’s aspiration to see gender balance at all levels across financial services firms. We are proud to be working alongside the HM Treasury and over 200 other organisations to support the progression of women into senior management roles and build a more balanced, fair and representative industry. 

When we first signed the charter, we had 37.5% female representation at senior management level at Post Office. We also outlined at that time that we wanted to increase this to 40% representation by the end of 2018. We were very pleased to have exceeded this target early; by September 2018, female representation at senior management level at Post Office was 41.1%. This positive trajectory continued, with female representation at senior management level improving again to 42.1% in 2019. In 2022, our senior leader representation was 42% and we continue to work towards a senior leadership team that is gender balanced (50% men and 50% women) by 2024. In 2023, our female senior leader representation is at 43.2% and overall for the whole organisation we have 53% female representation.