Our Dignity Principles

What we stand for

Our dignity¹ principles below set out our expectations of how we behave as a community, both as individuals and as an institution, and inform our approach to taking appropriate action when these expectations are not met.

These principles facilitate an environment with the ability to voice ideas at its core, a place in which staff and students operate with mutual respect, with the confidence that equality of opportunity is accessible to all.

We commit to sharing these principles with all new students and staff members when they arrive at Warwick and underpin our desire to give students and staff the best experience possible whilst studying and working here. Dignity and respect are explicitly included in the terms and conditions of employment for every member of staff. At enrolment, each student agrees to abide by the University’s regulations.

We treat everyone with respect.

This means:

Everyone in our community has the right to be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their status.
Students and staff are expected to treat all colleagues, students, and external parties with respect and dignity and should be inclusive at all times. Examples of inclusive behaviours can be found here.
Students and staff must take responsibility for their behaviours, and failure to do so may result in disciplinary action.

We do not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or bullying

This means:

We value each other’s individuality. We do not tolerate discrimination, harassment, and bullying. Dependant on circumstances, this might include, for example (this list is indicative, not exhaustive):

Ageism.
Classism.
Disablism.
Homophobia or biphobia.
Islamophobia, antisemitism, or any other racism or abuse which targets expressions of religion, faith, or belief.
Misogyny.
Parental status.
Racism, colourism, or xenophobia.
Sexism.
Transphobia.

We do not tolerate any kind of violence or abuse. This includes hate crimes, meaning criminal offences which are perceived by the victim or another person to be motivated by hostility or prejudice based on race, religion, faith, or belief, disability, sexual orientation, or trans identity.
We do not tolerate bullying, meaning offensive, intimidating, malicious, or insulting behaviour involving the misuse of power. This includes cyberbullying (see the Online and Social Media Communications Policy). Power does not always mean being in a position of authority but can include both personal strength and the power to coerce through fear or intimidation. Actions may be bullying whether or not the person behaving in that way intends to cause offence.
We do not tolerate harassment, meaning unwanted behaviour or conduct which has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment. Actions may be harassment whether or not the person behaving in that way intends to cause offence.
We do not tolerate any conduct that otherwise breaches criminal or civil law, causing injury to others.
We do not tolerate victimisation, meaning conduct that subjects an individual to any kind of unfair treatment, disadvantage, or detriment because they have raised concerns or have in good faith provided information about harassment, bullying, or discrimination they have experienced, witnessed, or suspect is taking place.
Harassment or bullying may consist of persistent behaviour, although one single act may be considered sufficiently serious to warrant disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal of staff, or expulsion of students.
We remove all structural or systemic barriers to equality in the University, as outlined in our Social Inclusion Strategy.
In the course of reviewing any alleged breach of this policy, we will consider:

Freedom of expression, ensuring the right of people to express views (within the law) which are different, unpopular, or controversial. We encourage and support expression which is mutually respectful to enable discussion and debate. You can find more information about the University’s regulations on freedom of speech at the following links:

The right to academic freedom, meaning freedom (within the law) to question and test received wisdom and to put forward new ideas and controversial or unpopular opinions without risk of the loss of jobs or privileges in the institution or the likelihood of promotion or different jobs in the institution – as defined in the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023

If you have experienced or witnessed an incident, you can report it anonymously or speak to an advisor and request support through Report + Support.

We do not tolerate sexual misconduct or relationship abuse or violence.

This means:

We support anyone in our community who is subject to any form of sexual misconduct and relationship abuse or violence. Sexual misconduct means inappropriate and unwanted behaviours of a sexual nature including sex without consent, sexual abuse (including online and image-based abuse), non-consensual sexual touching, sexual harassment, stalking, abusive or degrading remarks of a sexual nature. Relationship abuse can be any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour and/or violence between those aged sixteen or over, who are, or have been in a personal relationship with the individual abusing them, regardless of gender or sexuality
We prioritise reporter’s safety and wellbeing, whilst ensuring the dignity of all those involved in any investigations or disciplinary proceedings
We ensure that that reporters are responded to in a safe, supportive, and trauma-informed environment
We listen to the voice of the reporter when considering sanctions.

Find out more about tackling sexual misconduct and relationship abuse or violence at Warwick and review the Student Sexual Misconduct and Relationship Abuse Policy and Staff Sexual Misconduct Policy.

We keep our campus and community safe.

This means we are creating welcoming spaces by:

Supporting our community to understand respectful behaviours, communications, and conversations through training and access to resources to explore and understand, diversity, respect, and inclusion. You can find information on inclusion training and learning on the Social Inclusion webpages: Inclusion Learning.
The Community Safety department is a team of individuals dedicated to protecting the safety and security of everyone who lives, works, and studies at the University. We have an on-Campus presence 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to give pastoral support to everyone within our community.
Staff and students can use Report + Support to report incidents of sexual misconduct and relationship abuse or violence, bullying, harassment, discrimination, or hate crime, whether it took place on campus, off-campus, or online. Report + Support is a secure and confidential online platform.
Creating a safe and inclusive physical environment on campus through the application of our Estates Inclusive Environment Statement of Principles.

“We” means all of us, students and staff alike.

This means:

We model the behaviours we expect. We show visible leadership to drive the cultural change needed.
We believe in education as a positive force. We support people to understand our expectations.
We speak out and challenge inappropriate behaviour, where it is safe to do so. We encourage, equip and support people to do so.
When our principles are not adhered to, we take prompt action.
We are open, transparent, and willing to learn from our mistakes.
We welcome feedback.
We hold ourselves accountable.

People Manager's responsibilities

In addition to their general responsibilities as staff and students, those in managerial and supervisory positions have a responsibility for:

Making themselves familiar with these principles, associated procedures, and good practice.
Explaining these principles to staff and students and taking steps to positively promote them.
Setting a good example by treating all individuals with dignity and respect and creating a culture of inclusion. Examples of inclusive leadership behaviours can be found here.
Being alert to and challenging unacceptable behaviour as an active bystander.
Conducting management activities in a way that creates a culture of inclusion, dignity, and respect.

Learn more about your rights and responsibilities at Warwick

These Moodle courses for staff and students communicate your rights and responsibilities as members of the Warwick community that enable us to create a working, living, and learning environment where everyone feels welcomed and safe to be themselves, everyone is treated with dignity and respect, and there is equal opportunity for all to reach their potential.

Take the course now:

Students Staff

Familiarise yourself with our policy and codes of conduct

Staff and students can read the Dignity Principles Policy in full, and related Codes of Conduct using the links below:

Trans Inclusion Code of Conduct.

If you have experienced or witnessed any incident of bullying, harassment, discrimination, sexual misconduct, relationship abuse and/or hate crime, you can report it anonymously or speak to an advisor and request support through Report + Support.

¹ Dignity can be defined in many ways, for example, being valued and respected, an acknowledgement of our equal worth as human beings. Not being treated with dignity and respect can lead to feelings such as humiliation and worthlessness. Our Dignity Principles outline behaviours which the University will not tolerate, as they undermine a person’s dignity.