British Antarctic Survey cultural values

“Our people are key to our success”

The people who work for British Antarctic Survey (BAS) create who we are, and define what we want to become. At BAS, we are committed to creating a workplace that is fair, inclusive, and which welcomes diversity. At BAS we value our employees, recognise their contributions, and we are committed to realising the potential of every individual. Our cultural values are built on mutual respect, inclusion, commitment and excellence.

Integrity	Collaboration	Innovation	Excellence
Recognises, respects and values different working styles, and embraces the diverse range of talents from different backgrounds and perspectives. Listens to others and ensures everyone has an opportunity to be heard. Creates an environment that allows people to feel included and have a sense of belonging. Communicates with transparency and consistency. Acts as a role model and brings the best out of others.	Seeks to build relationships across the organisation and to work for the overall good of BAS and UKRI. Works cooperatively with colleagues and considers their needs and the impact of decisions on them. Able to find common ground and gain trust. Encourages collaboration and engagement where everyone feels valued and included.	Demonstrates the ability to lead and foster change to guide the research and innovation agenda in the UK. Shows flexibility and the desire to acquire new knowledge and ideas. Accepts and supports the need for change and looks for new ways of solving problems. Remains committed to continuous improvement.	Builds BAS and UKRI’s reputation by growing the best and brightest talent to provide the high quality standards and service required to support the research and innovation agenda in the UK. Shows commitment and drive to achieve objectives. Willing to act decisively and takes ownership. Does not give up and can be counted on to deliver. Is action oriented. Strives to build, maintain and value a diverse and inclusive workforce.

If you share these values, and want a career in Polar science, we want to hear from you.

Safety Together: Putting people and prevention at the heart of our safety culture

In summer 2023 we launched our Safety Together campaign; a joined-up approach to safety that incorporates mental health and social wellbeing into our safety culture.

We know that our working conditions directly impact our mental health. When they are not good it can lead to human error, accidents, and misunderstandings. We want to make sure we have the right work conditions and environment to foster a safe culture and build resilience. We will do this with continual learning, a focus on prevention and constant improvements for all aspects of the way we work. By sharing our experiences and knowledge we can all play a part in looking after our own and our colleague’s safety.

Listening to our people

BAS believes that equality, diversity and inclusion must be ‘for everyone, by everyone’. There are many places at BAS where our community can gather so that we can share ideas and learn from each other.

• Staff Forum is a BAS-wide space for staff to come together to develop, promote and improve BAS science, strategies and staff.
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Network plays a crucial role in building a more inclusive workplace where diversity can thrive.
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champions are working to enhance and embed equality, diversity and inclusion across BAS.
• Diversity in Polar Science Initiative is a UK-wide group working to boost diversity by promoting careers in Polar science to under-represented groups.
• BAS staff have access to a range of staff networks at UKRI level that provide peer to peer support, information sharing and promotes inclusion.

Supportive employer

We want to build a positive culture where the health, safety and wellbeing of our staff and students are supported during their time working with us.

To support our staff and students we offer a range of welfare services. These include:

• An Employee Assistance Programme that offers confidential advice
• Access to trained Welfare Officers and Mental Health First Aiders
• Access to UKRI’s wellbeing services
• Subsidised gym memberships

We are  committed to promoting good working practices and a productive balance between work and life outside work. To support this, we offer a range of family-friendly policies, including generous parental leave policies and flexible working options, which you can find on our Employee Benefits page and the UKRI’s Employment Policies page. We also offer 3 days free emergency backup care to support employees with caring responsibilities.

Developing our people

• Development programmes to support leadership and those new to line management
• Personal Development Plans designed to enable staff to think about, and plan for, their own personal, professional and career development in partnership with their manager and the Learning & Development team
• Access to a coaching and mentoring scheme, secondments, job shadowing opportunities, both at BAS and UKRI level
• Inclusive recruitment training focusing on understanding and reducing unconscious bias to better support the recruitment and development of a diverse workforce
• Neurodiversity training for staff and managers to support staff and help create a neurodiversity-friendly workplace
• Active Bystander training and Anti-Bullying and Harassment training to support an inclusive culture
• The UKRI is a signatory to the Technicians Commitment which aims to ensure visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability for technicians across all disciplines working in higher education and research. You can find the UKRI Technicians Commitment Action Plan here