IMechE launches new diversity and inclusion strategy

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers is launching today a new strategy to hardwire diversity and inclusion into all the Institution’s activities, with the aim of making engineering more attractive and welcoming to a wider community.

Combining members and employees from different backgrounds, ethnicity and experiences, brings huge benefits to an organisation and creates a more productive and innovative environment.

One of the main goals of the strategy is to ensure that the Institution, which has 115,000 members globally, is “visibly more inclusive to all”.

President Terry Spall said:

“I’m proud to launch this new strategy today. Helping to ensure all our members and staff feel valued and included will make the Institution stronger. By sharing and appreciating our differences we create a better culture which encourages fairness, trust and transparency.”

The strategy is a five-year plan which includes tracking the Institution’s performance including monitoring diversity data, setting targets, and analysing trends. It also includes training courses for staff and members to increase the awareness of the benefits of a positive diverse culture as well as developing specific action plans to support the strategy.

We will be holding discussions with boards and committees about the strategy and the way forward throughout 2021.

To develop the plan, the Institution commissioned an external consultant, Mark McBride-Wight from EqualEngineers, to assist with running focus groups and leading discussions with staff and members. The purpose of these discussions was to determine where we are now, where we want to be and what are perceived barriers within the Institution, and the wider engineering profession.

“Our journey has started, and we are making progress. There is much more to do to encourage a change in culture and behaviours throughout the Institution and we welcome the challenge.

Diversity and inclusion need to be embedded as part of the Institution’s DNA, whereby an inclusivity lens is applied to every decision, campaign or project undertaken.”

One specific aspect of the plan is the Institution’s Anti-Racist Pledge. As part of this pledge, the Institution has committed to engage with all communities including colleagues from Black, Asian and other ethnic minority backgrounds to ensure all feel welcomed by the Institution and the wider engineering profession.

Please consider D&I in all your decisions and projects. If you have any questions about the strategy or need support in this area, please contact us at diversity@imeche.org 

Please access the summary report of the D&I strategy