Launched by its Chief Executive in response to member demand, in 2021 the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) introduced three new member networks, to bring together and support people who may be in an under-represented group in their profession.
| Company | Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining |
| Industry | Membership organisation for Materials, Minerals and Mining |
| Location | London and Grantham, with members UK-wide and internationally |
| Company Size | 45 employees, 15,000 members |
| Intervention | Introduction of new community groups for members |
| Specific challenges | Making materials, minerals and mining topics accessible to everyone, against a background of declining uptake of qualifications in these areas and specific challenges for those in under-represented groups in their profession |
| Outcomes | Created a safe space for discussion, leading to new ideas and events being held. Next steps are to build up the groups, and adopt additional data collection to quantify the impacts. |
Photo Credit: IOM3. WIM3 Women in Materials, Minerals, and Mining Group celebrating International Women in Engineering Day in 2019
About IOM3
The Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (IOM3) is a professional engineering, environmental and scientific institution, a registered charity and governed by a Royal Charter.
IOM3 supports professionals in materials, minerals, mining and associated technical disciplines to be champions of the transition to a low-carbon, resilient & resource efficient society. It seeks to be the best professional membership body it can be by providing modern, flexible services; quality technical content; and value for money.
The Institute’s activities promote and develop all aspects of the Materials Cycle, from exploration and extraction, to characterisation, processing and application, to product recycling, repurposing and reuse.
Its mission is to promote the science, design, engineering and technology of materials, minerals and mining and their practical applications and facilitate qualifications, professional recognition and development, and to deliver knowledge, information and networking services to a global membership and wider community.
Background
IOM3’s heritage stretches back to 1869, with the establishment of the Iron and Steel Institute. In 2002, it became the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining following a merger with the Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, and in 2019 it celebrated the 150th anniversary since formation.
IOM3 is a not-for-profit membership organisation, with a membership of 15,000. Ages range from 18 to 100, with a wide array of networking and professional development opportunities on offer to all members. These include professional recognition, support for people to gain Chartered Engineer, Environmentalist or Scientist status, and community groups to connect with like-minded individuals in similar fields and technical communities.
Many members are active as volunteers, and give time and expertise to these groups and the IOM3 governance boards. These 1,500 dedicated individuals write content, share knowledge, and provide support to other members. IOM3 and its volunteers also actively support schools and teachers, through its Schools Affiliate Scheme. This provides services and materials, and helps to build science capital and problem solving skills for school age students.
Like other Professional Bodies in the UK, there are challenges for recruitment and retention of members. Many join at student age, but their future career paths influence whether they remain as a member. IOM3 takes the approach to support students to learn about career possibilities in their fields, but nationwide the uptake of materials, minerals and mining qualifications is dropping, courses being cancelled, and many overseas students leave the UK after their graduation.
As the global network for the materials cycle, IOM3 is committed to create a safe and welcoming environment for everyone, and to encourage participation of under-represented and minority groups in these fields. This stems from not only the evidence of the benefits of diversity and inclusion to organisations, but also a passion and belief that this is the right thing to do.
In 2019, building on the existing strong foundations, the incoming Chief Executive brought a focus on diversity and equal opportunities for all, introducing an overarching equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) policy and strategy.
IOM3’s Member Networks
IOM3’s member networks support members in their careers, and are part of a broader set of Communities. The member networks bring together and support people who may be in an under-represented group in their profession. They sit alongside 22 technical communities, covering the whole breadth of the materials cycle interests, Local Societies across most regions of the UK and International Societies around the world.
There are two long running member networks: the Student and Early Career Committee, and Women in Materials, Minerals and Mining (WIM3). In 2021, three new groups were launched: Ethnic Minorities in Materials, Minerals and Mining (EMM3), IOM3Pride, and Ably Different (ADM3).
Photo credit: IOM3. Members of the Student and Early Career Committee.
Student and Early Careers
The Student and Early Careers group began life back in 1967 as the Younger Members Committee. It holds many events and has enjoyed strong engagement over the 50 years it has been running.
In 2019, the IOM3 team started to consider the barriers of the term “younger”. While group members tended to include students, and people up to the age of mid-thirties, there were also people entering careers not through a university route, and others who start their career later in life – or perhaps return following a pause in their career, for example for caring for children. To be more inclusive of the diversity of early careers routes, the group was renamed to Student and Early Careers Group.
Women in Materials Minerals and Mining
Women in Materials, Minerals, and Mining (WIM3) was established in 2012, and is the second longest running member group. Its focus is to support women members in their careers, who make up around 16% of the society’s membership. This is greater than many of the other Professional Engineering Institutions, where 10% women members is more typical. WIM3 provides encouragement to women in education and at all career levels in materials, minerals and mining professions.
The group is member-led and has organised a series of successful events around the UK, and regularly publish podcasts and articles of inspiring women. Each year, International Women in Engineering Day (23rd June) is celebrated with a networking event.
Introducing new Groups: Ethnic Minorities, IOM3Pride, and Ably Different
In 2021, the Institute looked to broaden out their support to other members from under-represented and minority groups. They wanted to provide a place to connect, not just at an intellectual level. The new groups aim to identify and remove boundaries that hold people back, and will promote and influence creation of inclusive policies within the Institute. These groups help people meet other people like themselves, who are doing something they aspire to. This helps to build science capital, and inspire and support people in their career.
Outcomes
No data is yet collected, so the outcomes from introducing and updating the member networks are not quantified, rather understood from a qualitative perspective from people’s stories and feedback.
The groups appear to have had a positive effect to the Institute’s reputation and brand image. They have created a safe space for discussion, and each action is like slowly opening a door. Many webinars have been sparked from conversations that originated within the groups. Individuals have also found their involvement in the networks helpful in raising both general awareness and their own profile professionally.
Looking Ahead
Now the groups are launched, the work is really beginning.
In their early stages the new groups have been inward focused, and events advertised only to their members. Upcoming, there will be a programme to build engagement and grow group membership.
Data is an important next step. Without data, it is hard to know the impact of the groups. IOM3 is beginning to implement its plan to collect wider diversity data, which will enable further measures including membership growth over time, and identification of correlations with events, member updates and promotions.
The Institute is also planning new means for support to members. The Members’ Benevolent Trust fund (MBT) currently provides financial support to members with difficulties. Following the launch of Ably Different, understanding of disability has grown and neurodiversity is now also considered. The MBT will introduce assessment for neurodiversity as part of its support offer.
Behind the Scenes: Skills and resources needed for the success of the programme
Photo credit: IOM3. EDI Speakers at the IOM3 Presidential Address 2023
Catalyst for Change: Leadership from the top
In 2019, the new Chief Executive, Colin Church, brought a new passion for equity, diversity and inclusion for all to the Institute. Under his leadership, IOM3 introduced an overarching strategy and policy, and reinforced its code of conduct for all members.
The Chief Executive led the initial programme to introduce and update the groups, and then assigned a member of staff as a lead of each group.
The Trustees and other members in the governance boards also provide support. For example, there is now a lead Trustee for EDI who ensures Board discussions take due account of issues, including those identified by the different networks. IOM3 has also changed its governance rules to give a seat on its Advisory Council to each of the Chairs of the member networks. Finally, the current (2023-24) President has identified EDI as one of her priorities for her term.
Building blocks
The programme has been built as an evolution, each step building from the previous, and continuously asking “what more can we do?”.
Start internally
Continuous learning about EDI topics, and getting people talking internally in the staff team matters. IOM3 has spent time to create a safe space internally before taking the work out to the members – if they don’t believe, no one will. One example is an internal inclusion week event, were people shared food and stories from their cultures. Education to build awareness about topics is also provided. An upcoming example is a menopause awareness session, to build awareness of symptoms of menopause and how they manifest at work.
Knowledge sharing
Alongside learning from the group members themselves, IOM3 shares knowledge with the other Professional Engineering Institutions at quarterly meetings for the group. They identify obstacles preventing people from certain communities joining the profession and as members.
IOM3 is a participant in the Royal Academy of Engineering/Science Council Diversity and Inclusion Progression Framework.
Steps to launch the networks
There were a few months of preparation needed ahead of launch.
Some technical set up was required. A new CRM system enables members to select and sign up for groups they are interested in.
The launch campaign involved communications to members through a number of channels, including the Institute’s magazines, the other member networks, the governance boards, and LinkedIn pages.
Regular communication and promotion is ongoing.
Skills
Some technical expertise was required to set up the CRM. However, the main attribute needed has been passion. Passion to be part of the groups, to champion internally, and passionate members of staff to provide support from the Institute.
Success Factors
Desire from the top of the organisation has been the most important factor for success, and making the necessary resources available when needed.
Communication to raise awareness about the groups has also been important.
Advice for other organisations
We spoke with Collette Marriott, Director of Business Support. Her advice for other organisations is:
- Start from within, and lead from the top.
- Make sure you have the support available to do work internally in the staff team
- Provide a safe space for the team. If we don’t believe, no one else will follow
- Continuously learn about EDI topics, and get people talking
- It’s not possible to change the world’s problems in a heartbeat. Don’t be disheartened if it doesn’t happen all at once. Changing hearts and minds takes time. It’s a growth process not a big bang, and a learning curve for everyone.
Written by Jo Stansfield