Diversity and inclusion

We believe that diversity drives innovation and enriches the experiences of both our co-owners and clients. We are dedicated to developing a company that reflects a wide array of perspectives and skills. Our goal is to foster an inclusive environment that respects individual differences and values the unique contributions of each co-owner.

Supported by our Diversity and Inclusion voice group, we’re on a mission to challenge biases, put inclusion at the heart of our processes and decision making, and promote a culture where everyone feels supported to meet their full potential.

We ensure accountability for these goals through transparent policies, continuous training, and open dialogue. Annually, we review our practices to confirm we are progressing towards a more inclusive workplace.

Employee engagement D&I score

People from all demographic backgrounds have equal opportunities to provide opinions and input at Torchbox - 75% of our co owners agree or strongly agree with this statement.

We champion inclusive design as both a moral imperative and a strategic advantage for our clients. By embedding an inclusive approach throughout every step of the design process - from brand accessibility audits to regular usability testing with real users - we ensure our designs are practical and accessible.

Our Human-Centred Design (HCD) team actively challenges our assumptions and biases, maintaining strong connections with the wider international design community. This keeps us informed on emerging topics like trauma-informed design, sustainable design and the ethical use of AI. We engage deeply in our community of practice sessions, which foster passionate discussions and lead to shared insights through our regular publications of blogs and webinars.

Content is equally important in allowing us to build websites that cater to everyone, irrespective of their needs, experiences and abilities. We prioritise clarity and inclusivity in our writing, using straightforward language and concise sentences to ensure comprehension for all. Our content is crafted for easy scanning and we respect our readers’ time by focusing solely on relevant and useful information. By structuring content in a logical, linear fashion we ensure it’s fully accessible for users of assistive technology and for people with cognitive disabilities.

To be a truly inclusive workplace, everyone must take an active role in promoting and supporting diversity. We run regular training sessions to help us all learn and grow as individuals, promoting awareness and understanding of different lived experiences.

Recent sessions have included topics such as

• support for neurodivergent people at work
• non-binary inclusivity
• overcoming imposter syndrome
• menopause support

Remote and flexible working are standard at Torchbox, allowing everyone to tailor their workday and environment to better suit their needs. Taking regular breaks is encouraged and many of our co-owners work shorter weeks, start and finish earlier or later to make it easier to maintain a good work-life balance. To support this balance, our office has a wellbeing room set up to provide a calming space for breastfeeding, prayer, meditation, or to escape for a moment of quiet. We support remote workers with accessibility aids to help get their workspace set up with everything they need to do their best work.

We’re also careful to make sure everyone feels welcome at our events and socials too. We aim to make all of our get-togethers as inclusive as possible. That means choosing accessible venues, covering travel and attendance costs, and booking activities that allow people to take part in the way that they feel most comfortable.

We’ve redefined our recruitment process to make it as inclusive as possible, so we can build a workplace where everyone thrives. We’ve already made a lot of important changes, but we know it doesn’t stop there. We’re learning and evolving with each recruitment experience.

We’re committed to being open about our full recruitment process, setting clear expectations for candidates and providing them with recruitment timelines. This creates a smoother experience for everyone and empowers candidates to bring their best selves.

Some of the ways we do this include:

• Telling candidates upfront about interviews, including tasks and decision-making timeframes.
• Providing detailed information about interview tasks early, so there’s plenty of time to prepare.
• Writing job descriptions in plain language.
• Including details about flexible working hours, locations, benefits and salary in all job adverts.
• Providing quality part-time positions, including senior positions.

Making our recruitment process more inclusive isn’t enough on its own. It’s also important that our jobs are seen by a wide range of people. By placing our job adverts where they’re more likely to be seen by marginalised applicants, we’re expanding our reach and welcoming a broader array of talent, using platforms like Mumsnet, BME Jobs, Evenbreak and LGBT Jobs.