Our diversity makes the difference
"Working in national security engineering means taking on the most demanding challenges and the most determined adversaries. Throughout our history, ingenuity and free thinking have helped us stay ahead, but we know we can only keep that creative edge if we continue to reach out and embrace the extraordinary diversity of talent our country has to offer.
At HMGCC, we thrive on the spark you get when different minds meet. That’s why we’re on a mission to bring together the most diverse and representative team, drawn from all parts of the UK and all walks of life. People from different backgrounds, with different cultural heritage. People with different perspectives and lived experiences. People from the mainstream and from the fringes.
Our unique work demands a startling range of different skills from across engineering, design and innovation. And our community and culture welcomes anyone with the expertise, energy and passion to play their part."
Chief Executive Officer
HMGCC
Inclusivity
HMGCC is committed to ensuring inclusiveness and equality of opportunity for all employees, through fair employment policies and practices that value diversity. We aim to recognise the value of individuals' differences and embrace them so that everyone can be themselves at work.
Ethnic Minority Network
We have an affinity group to support our Ethnic Minority colleagues at HMGCC.
This group is certainly not restricted to Ethnic Minority colleagues only! If you have any related comments, queries or simply information to share, the group would love to hear from you once you join us.
Working across government and with partner organisations here at Hanslope Park, we’ve set ourselves this vision:
Gender Equality Network
HMGCC have a team of volunteers across the organisation that dedicate an amount of time to work within I&D. The volunteers are either involved in various network groups or are network allies across the business and range from our engineering and technology domains to senior management sponsors and the HR team. We also collaborate with other government departments to help us fulfil our commitment and reach our goals.
Working across government and with partner organisations here at Hanslope Park, we’ve set ourselves this vision:
We aim to:
- raise the profile of Gender Equality Network, and to seek greater engagement and more volunteers to the committee.
- work with our senior sponsor, the Inclusion & Diversity (I&D) team and other I&D network and affinity groups across government to contribute to improving I&D.
- identify and take on specific work to address gender equality issues
We arrange and measure outcome from network events/talks as well as feedback from the areas we work with to ensure that our work has had positive impact.
Mini Blogs
I started at HMGCC five years ago as a Production Engineer. Since then, I have moved into a new department as an Evaluation Test Engineer. HMGCC is the first company that has given me the opportunities to progress in engineering, as previously in the private sector I was classed as a Technician and struggled to achieve promotion despite my experience, qualifications and skill set. HMGCC engineering domain is male dominated, there is no denying that, but this does not stop me progressing in my chosen career path or job satisfaction. There are many development opportunities here at HMGCC, both technical and personal to enable you to grow within your career.
As a woman who happens to be an Engineer, I am quite invested in promoting engineering opportunities to others, as well as the next generation, and therefore have become a STEM ambassador through the company scheme as well as an I&D representative. I have also achieved professional registration with the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) through line manager encouragement and support. I appreciate that the company strives to make gender equality better in male dominated professions, as well as other diversity areas, even if they don't get it right all the time, it is a journey I am proud to be part of.
LGBTQ+ Network
The LGBTQ+ affinity group supports colleagues at HMGCC. The group is made up of a dedicated team who give a proportion of their time to creating a more inclusive culture at HMGCC. The group covers everything from social events, help and support for colleagues in work, recruitment, policy and procedural changes, and group members also sit as observers on the HMGCC executive board to guide the wider organisation.
Working across government and with partner organisations here at Hanslope Park, we’ve set ourselves this vision:
Mini Blogs
As a trans woman joining any organisation, I've always been worried by how I will be seen. It was fantastic to join HMGCC and to be met by people from the LGBTQ+ group. Seeing people wear rainbow lanyards and the rainbow flag flying really gave me a feeling that I wouldn't have any issues when I joined, and I didn't.
I came out as lesbian to my colleagues after having worked with them for five years. I worried beforehand about how they would treat me but they were so accepting of me. Their attitude made me feel safe to be myself at work and enabled me to be the best that I can. Eleven years on and I work with the same team and I enjoy dedicating some of my work time to running the LGBTQ+ support group at HMGCC. I hope it benefits all of my current and future colleagues.
I joined the organisation over 9 years ago now. I'm an open gay man and can't say I've faced any discrimination at work. I have seen HMGCC strengthen its understanding of people who are different, unique... whether that's gender, sexual orientation, neurodiversity and other things that make us one-offs. The atmosphere feels friendly and familiar and our differences are seen as a positive influence on our work.
I've recently joined as an ally to the LGBTQ+ group at HMGCC. My personal mission is to show that you don't have to be part of the LGBTQ+ community to care about LGBTQ+ issues, just like you don't have to be BAME to deplore racism. Everyone at HMGCC has been very welcoming and it's lots of fun to be involved in such a lively group!
Disability Support Network
Our Disability Support Network leads the way to ensure HMGCC creates a safe, inclusive and diverse working environment by providing support to individuals, helping to increase awareness of disability matters and contributing to workplace Inclusion & Diversity.
Disability covers health conditions, physical impairments, mental health and neurodiversities*.
*We are working on setting up a separate neuro-diversity support group
Disability Confident: Employer
HMGCC is proud to be a level 2 Disability Confident Employer. This means we are committed to employing disabled people and will:
- actively look to attract and recruit disabled people
- provide a fully inclusive and accessible recruitment process
- offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job
- be flexible with assessing people so disabled applicants have the best opportunity to demonstrate that they can do the job
- make reasonable adjustments as required
Offer Of Interview Scheme
As part of being a Disability Confident Employer we are proud to offer candidates the opportunity to apply through the Offer Of Interview Scheme. The scheme ensures eligible candidates are selected for an interview as long as their application meets the minimum criteria for the post.
To meet the 'minimum criteria' candidates must provide us with evidence in their application form which demonstrates that they generally meet the level of competence required for each competency as well as meeting any of the qualifications, skills or experience defined as essential in the Job Description.
If you consider yourself to be disabled and you wish to apply for the Offer of Interview Scheme then please complete the relevant section of the form when submitting your application. Whether or not you are seeking an interview under the scheme, please advise us if you consider that you have a disability and will require reasonable adjustments in order to participate in the interview process.
Please note: Any false declaration of disability to obtain an interview under the Offer of Interview Scheme will subsequently invalidate any offer of a post.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Equality Act 2010 defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect (more than 12 months) on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
HMGCC is proudly committed to the employment and career development of disabled people.
We use our application form to identify candidates who have declared a disability and wish to be considered for the Offer of Interview scheme. Click on the 'Apply' tab at the top right of this page or click here (opens in a new window)
We're committed to the fair treatment of employees, potential employees, customers or suppliers, regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, pregnancy, maternity, race (which include colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), sexual orientation, religion or belief, or because someone is married or in a civil partnership.
Armed Forces Covenant
We, HMGCC, will endeavour in our business dealings to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, which are:
- no member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen
- in some circumstances special treatment may be appropriate, especially for the injured or bereaved.
HMGCC recognises the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our business. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, by:
- Promoting the fact that we are an armed forces- friendly organisation;
- Seeking to support the employment of veterans young and old and working with the Career Transition Partnership (CTP), in order to establish a tailored employment pathway for Service Leavers;
- Striving to support the employment of Service spouses and partners;
- Endeavouring to offer a degree of flexibility in granting leave for Service spouses and partners before, during and after a partner’s deployment;
- Seeking to support our employees who choose to be members of the Reserve forces, including by accommodating their training and deployment where possible;
- Encouraging employees to be cadet helpers or instructors;
- Accommodating current reservists with their training by offering two weeks paid leave per Leave year to attend training camps
HMGCC have published these commitments on our website, setting out how we will seek to honour them and are happy to invite feedback from the Service community on how we are doing.