Provision of toilet facilities policy

Please note: This statement is currently under review following the Supreme Court judgment given on 16 April 2025. The University is giving careful consideration to the implications of the judgment and will act to ensure that our policies and guidance protect the legal rights of all members of our community.

In recognition of the diversity of its community of staff, students and visitors, Imperial College London (the “University”) commits to ensuring diversity of provision of toilet facilities. We aim to have provision of toilet facilities that is proactive and forward-looking, serving all members of our community.

1. The precise level and mixture of provision shall be reviewed every two years by Estates (in consultation with EDIC) in light of expected changes in the demographics and needs of the college community. This review will be reported to and approved by the EDI Strategy Group.

2. The University will meet in full its legal obligations for provision of single sex toilets where fully enclosed gender-neutral toilets are not available.

3. The University will also meet its full legal obligations for provision of accessible toilets and ensure that this is sufficient to serve the requirements of disabled students and staff.

4. The University will commit to increasing the provision of gender-neutral toilets in each existing building on campus, unless practical and/or fiscal constraints make this impossible.

a. If a building currently has no gender-neutral toilet, opportunity will be sought through refurbishment works to create new facilities. Prior to such refurbishment, there will be consultation between Estates and local users (students and staff), the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Centre (EDIC), the Legal & Regulatory Affairs team, and appropriate representatives of LGBTQ+ and disabled students and staff.

b. Estates will appoint a named individual to be responsible for ensuring this consultation takes place.

5. Gender-neutral toilet facilities should be single cubicle toilets, with integrated washing facilities and floor to ceiling doors.

6. The University will commit to the provision of gender-neutral toilets in each new building on campus. The extent of provision will be determined through consultation between Estates, EDIC and staff and student representatives (as in 4a above). A minimum of one gender-neutral toilet per floor should be attained, subject to item 4 above, but this does not define the limit of ambition of our policy.

7. Estates will maintain a database of all existing toilet facilities. This will include single sex, gender-neutral and accessible toilets. These existing facilities will be advertised on the Imperial web-site and clearly indicated on campus maps.

8. Estates will maintain a database of all scheduled refurbishment works that will add to gender-neutral toilet provision; these will be advertised on the Imperial web-site to facilitate consultation.

9.  The conversion of single sex women’s toilets to gender neutral toilets is not to be used as a solution to increase overall capacity in a building.

10. The University will clearly communicate its position on provision of toilet facilities to students and staff.

11. Gender-neutral toilets will be identified/badged using the word ‘Toilet’.

12. This position statement will be reviewed every two years. The next review is scheduled to take place by 2027.

University Management Board

May 2025