A tenant with disabilities sits in her living room smiling at the camera.

Our mission is to help people in our Sussex communities live well and we want to do everything we can to overcome any barriers or inequalities that might be getting in the way of this for our clients, tenants, staff, and partner organisations.

Since 1972, we’ve championed the rights of our clients and supported equal opportunities among our employees. We are committed to providing people with the resources, support, choice, and control necessary to achieve their full potential. We will advocate for the people we work with and create an inclusive culture where difference is celebrated, voice is encouraged, and co-production is a natural way of working. We are proud of our achievements and the positive feedback we receive from external audits.

The principles of equality, equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) are at the heart of Southdown’s reason for being. We believe that having a diverse workforce with lived experience that is representative of our clients and our broader Sussex communities will help us:

  • Remain relevant to our clients
  • Make better decisions
  • Be more creative
  • Be an employer and service provider of choice

This means making EDI part of our DNA and creating a truly inclusive culture where individuals feel a sense of belonging rather than a requirement to ‘fit in’. “This is Us” is our framework for delivering this ambition. We are continually learning and see this framework as a live document which will be updated as necessary to reflect best practice and the contributions of our people and partners to EDI in Southdown.

A graphic that explains the differences between Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice.