The TransFIRe Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) programme exists to inform and support adoption of best practice for EDI within the UK foundation industries and beyond. We believe EDI to be requisite to embed the new learning, behaviours, process, and innovation required for industry transformation for a sustainable future and to achieve the net zero 2050 goals.
Our goal is to establish foundations and leadership for EDI within the foundation industries to create and sustain this industry transformation.
EDI Challenges in the foundation industries
It is becoming increasingly apparent and widely accepted that equity, diversity and inclusion are of paramount importance in the success of any organisation or project. Yet the foundation industries face a specific set of EDI challenges. Research by UKRI has highlighted
• Lacking representation, particularly of women and younger people
• An aging workforce and loss of skills lost through retirement
• Challenge keeping pace with evolving skillsets particularly for digitization and new technologies
• Developing the talent pipeline poses challenges especially for small businesses.
• Bespoke, sector specific training is lacking. Engagement with higher education on curriculum is needed.
• No research has yet been conducted beyond gender and age, so little is known about the representation and inclusion of diverse identities more broadly
• Lacking business case specific to EDI for the foundation industries
• Sector image and culture are not attractive to new entrants
Our EDI Strategy
Our EDI strategy has been developed in response to these challenges. We consider all aspects of diversity within the TransFIRe project including, but not limited to, race/ethnicity, gender, social class, disability, and sexual orientation.
We have developed a strategic action plan that will:
• Establish self-sustaining industry practices regarding EDI and a forum to drive strategic leadership, to develop and share best practice.
• Identify gaps in knowledge and build a body of research of equity, diversity and inclusion in the foundation industries.
• Align the EDI agenda to Net Zero, future skills, digitisation and innovation goals to paint a compelling, holistic future vision and business case for EDI in the foundation industries.
• Establish structures and build capabilities to attract, retain and progress diverse talent across each of the foundation industries.
To help us to deliver on these goals, EDI is represented throughout TransFIRe’s Governance structure.
Get Involved
Contact us to join our EDI Working Group. The working group guides our priorities, captures best practices and helps us to build connections to organisations and people championing EDI within the foundation industries
EDI Industry Survey Report
The TransFIRe EDI team have brought together a series of findings in a “State of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the UK Foundation Industries 2022” report. Please download the full report and its findings here.
EDI Playbook
The EDI Playbook is a work in progress, continually growing set of resources and case studies to support organisations within the foundation industries to increase EDI in their teams
Equity Edge Podcast
Coming soon! The Equity Edge Podcast is all about shaping tomorrow’s foundation industries, with a focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), and how it can help us achieve a sustainable and fairer future
Blog
Materials Processing Institute (MPI) EDI Focus Group
30 January 2023 Following a tour of the Teesworks Industrial Zone conducted by Project Manager Simon Bailey, the TransFIRe EDI team visited the Materials Processing Institute (MPI) in Middlesbrough, where we were hosted by the [...]
TransFIRe Report: State of EDI in the UK Foundation Industries 2022
The TransFIRe EDI team have brought together a series of findings in a "State of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the UK Foundation Industries 2022" report. It is becoming increasingly apparent and widely accepted that [...]
Getting out and about
As part of the EDI team’s activities, Mike Thakoordin, TransFIRe Post-doctoral Research Associate at Durham University, undertakes a number of site visits to companies within the foundation industries. This month has been extremely busy with [...]
How can we make sure Awards are inclusive?
"How can we make sure Awards are inclusive?" was a question posed this week in TransFIRe’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Working Group. I love our monthly meetings for questions like this, and the discussion that [...]
TransFIRe Mid Term Review Workshop
On the 2 November 2022, the university partners of the Transfire team met up in Peterborough to discuss progress at the 18 month stage; half way through the 3 year project. It was great to [...]
Ethnic Minorities into Leadership Conference
On 22 October, Mike Tharkoodin, TransFIRe Post Doctoral Research Associate, and I attended the Ethnic Minorities into Leadership Conference in London to gain insight on best practice that we could apply to TransFIRe Equality, Diversity, [...]
UK Metals Expo: 14-15 September 2022
The UK Metal EXPO 2022 UK Metals Expo | 14-15 September 2022 | NEC was held in Birmingham a few days after the sad passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The expo was the [...]
Ciel Newton
I am Ciel (pronounced - CL), the TransFIRe EDI Project Manager in the team lead by Prof Sue Black. I have previously worked in the aviation industry, diplomatic service, and volunteer for a [...]
Jo Stansfield
I’m Jo, and I’m an engineer turned business psychologist, specialising in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. I am founder and director of a social enterprise, Inclusioneering Ltd, helping organisations in the tech and engineering [...]