London 17 October 2024
EIDA was delighted to hold our Conference on 16 October in partnership with Hestia and the Vodafone Foundation, kindly hosted by our Beacon member, Google.
The theme of the Conference was “Joining forces to tackle domestic abuse. How can employers help create societal change?”. Leading employers came together with experts from across the domestic abuse sector, Government, key agencies, academics, and survivors of domestic abuse. The purpose of the Conference was to share learnings, to identify further transformative work that we can undertake, and to inspire other employers to take effective action against domestic abuse. Speakers addressed critical issues, including the role of tech as a tool for employers to support their employees, dealing with employees who are perpetrators of domestic abuse, and how employers can ensure their interventions are effective. At the centre of the Conference were the voices of survivors of domestic abuse. We are grateful for the work of our inspiring group of Ambassadors, who use their experiences to raise awareness and support others.
Safeguarding Minister, Jess Phillips MP, encouraged employers to be bold and ambitious in the action that they take to support their employees impacted by domestic abuse, as well practical steps to support their customers. Nicole Jacobs, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales, shared examples of good practice she sees from employers, including measures by banks against financial abuse and safe spaces created in shops across the UK.
“It was a privilege to attend EIDA’s conference and discuss the work of the government, sector and employers to tackle domestic abuse. Employers play a crucial role, which is why it is so important that workplaces develop robust policies, provide training for managers and share best practice to ensure all employees feel supported and empowered. The government has set out an unprecedented mission to halve violence against women and girls over the coming decade – and a vital part of this is ensuring victims of domestic abuse receive an effective and specialist response. Our recent commitments to embed specialists in 999 control rooms and launch a pilot for new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders in November are just some of the ways we are taking action to deliver this.”
– Jess Phillips MP, Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls
“Workplaces can be a lifeline for victims and survivors of domestic abuse, offering a place of respite and safety. I have seen excellent examples of employers offering tailored responses to victims and survivors including paid domestic abuse leave, flexibility with working patterns, and special safety measures. But the true impact can only be felt when more organisations commit to making their staff domestic abuse response a priority. EIDA have developed excellent resources and guidance for employers to create a supportive environment for victims and survivors of domestic to seek help. I am grateful to EIDA for this work, as well as their ambition to help organisations hold employees who cause harm to account. I hope that EIDA’s work, and the many good practice examples that I have seen, will inspire all employers to do everything they can to respond effectively to domestic abuse in the workplace.”
- Nicole Jacobs, Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales
It was a privilege to welcome so many of our members and other employers to the Conference and to host exhibitions from leading domestic abuse organisations. EIDA now has over 1,700 employer members across the UK. We raise awareness of domestic abuse among employers, provide the tools employers need to take effective action, support employers to share best practice with each other, and work with government, partners, and academics to provide the latest guidance and to champion change. Employers can join EIDA here.
"EIDA’s vision is for every employer to take effective action on domestic abuse, leading to a society where survivors thrive, and where domestic abuse is not tolerated. By joining forces and working together, we can make it happen. We call on all employers to develop a domestic abuse policy for your organisation if you don’t already have one, to measure the impact of your policy to make sure it is effective and, importantly, to inspire other employers to do the same."
- Susan Bright, EIDA CEO
