The Church Perspective
The Methodist Church seeks to live out theological conviction that God’s love is for all, and that Our Calling bears witness to this.
In 1999, the Conference adopted the report Called to Love and Praise, on the nature of the Church, which spelled out that “Wesley’s call to personal faith and to holiness reflected a concern for justice and integrity in everyday life, and also an optimism about what the grace of God could accomplish in human lives.”
Building on these foundations, the Faith and Order Committee produced a theological resource in 2015 to underpin the Methodist Church's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) EDI Toolkit.. The document states:
"It is the Church's intention to value every human being as part of God's creation and the whole people of God. At the heart of the Methodist community is a deep sense of welcome, hospitality and openness which demonstrates the nature of God's grace and love for all."
The 2021 Conference adopted a report which sets out a Strategy for Justice, Dignity,
Strategy for Justice, Dignity and Solidarity (JDS)
The Methodist Conference further strengthened this commitment in 2021 through the adoption of the Strategy for Justice, Dignity and Solidarity (JDS). The strategy calls for:
- A profound change in the culture, practices and attitudes of the Methodist Church so that all people can participate fully in the life of the Church.
- The eradication of discrimination, exclusion and coercive behaviours within the Methodist Church.
- The recognition and celebration of the rich diversity of God's people as a source of thanksgiving, praise and strength.
EDI and JDS in Lay Employment
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and the principles of Justice, Dignity and Solidarity (JDS) are not standalone initiatives. They underpin every aspect of lay employment within the Methodist Church and should inform all employment-related decisions and practices throughout the employee lifecycle.
This includes:
- Workforce planning and role design.
- Recruitment and selection.
- Safer recruitment and pre-employment checks.
- Induction and probation.
- Performance management and supervision.
- Learning and development.
- Flexible working and wellbeing support.
- Pay, benefits and reward practices.
- Managing workplace concerns and grievances.
- Disciplinary processes.
- Family-friendly policies.
- Ending employment.
Managing Trustees, local line managers and all those involved in employment decision-making are expected to ensure that employment practices are fair, transparent, inclusive and free from unlawful discrimination. This includes actively considering how decisions may affect people with protected characteristics and taking appropriate steps to remove barriers to participation and employment.
All employees, office holders and volunteers share responsibility for creating working environments that reflect Methodist values of welcome, respect, dignity and inclusion.
Recruitment and Selection
Particular care should be taken during recruitment and selection processes. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion principles should be embedded at every stage of recruitment, including:
- Designing job descriptions and person specifications.
- Advertising vacancies.
- Shortlisting applicants.
- Interviewing and assessment.
- Making reasonable adjustments.
- Appointment decisions.
Recruitment decisions should be based on objective, role-related criteria and should support the Methodist Church's commitment to fairness, inclusion and equal opportunity.
The Legal Framework
In addition to its theological commitments, the Methodist Church must comply with employment and equality legislation.
Key legislation includes:
- Equality Act 2010, which protects individuals from discrimination based on the protected characteristics of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
- Part-time Workers (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2000.
- Fixed-term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002.
Further information can be found in the Employment Legislation section of the Lay Employment Resource.
Further Information
For more information about the Methodist Church's commitment to Justice, Dignity and Solidarity, visit The Inclusive Methodist Church pages.
A template Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy and associated monitoring forms are available within the Downloadable Templates section of the Lay Employment Resource.
Additional guidance is available from the Equality and Human Rights Commission:
🔗 https://www.equalityhumanrights.com
Key Principle:
Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Justice, Dignity and Solidarity should be regarded as foundational principles that underpin all lay employment practices within the Methodist Church, from workforce planning and recruitment through to retirement, resignation or other employment exits. These principles are integral to how the Church seeks to be an employer that reflects its theological values and witnesses to God's love for all.
For further details please go to the Employment Legislation section.
Other useful Sources of Information:
Additional information is also available the Equality and Human Rights Commission website:
www.equalityhumanrights.com