Purpose
The purpose of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board is:
(a) to be responsible to the Board of Trustees for the planning and implementation of the IET’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy in terms of its membership, volunteers, and within the wider engineering and technology sector;
(b) to provide assurance to the Board of Trustees concerning the effective delivery of strategic programmes as delegated by the Board of Trustees;
(c) to monitor performance of strategic programmes as delegated by the Board of Trustees.
Terms of Reference
The Board shall:
Strategic Advice and Support
(a) support and guide the delivery of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy in terms of its membership, volunteers, activities, and within the wider engineering and technology sector;
(b) review the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy on an annual basis and make recommendations to the Board of Trustees;
(c) support Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategic direction and context within the Strategy;
(d) promote understanding of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion to members, volunteers, and the wider engineering and technology sector;
(e) endorse the IET’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion work and act as Equality, Diversity and Inclusion advocates where appropriate;
(f) to contribute to and collaborate with other Main Boards to ensure Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is established and maintained as a foundation within the IET;
(g) to enable the IET to realise its full potential to advance Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
Supporting the Effective and Efficient Delivery of the IET Plan
(h) to ensure the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy contributes and enhances the wider IET long-term plan and strategy;
(i) receive and review Equality, Diversity and Inclusion reports;
(j) identify new opportunities to improve performance in relation to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for members, volunteers and the wider engineering and technology community;
(k) keep under review the portfolio of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion activities to ensure that they are continuing to meet needs;
(l) provide input during the creation of the IET Plan, identifying requirements for new initiatives, and the adjustment or cessation of activities;
(m) provide assurance to the Board of Trustees that the final draft IET Plan is aligned to its longer range strategic objectives and that it has had the appropriate opportunity to input to the planning process;
(n) support the promotion of IET Equality, Diversity and Inclusion events and campaigns;
(o) establish and support any Committees, which are deemed relevant to be created for the advancement of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion activities to support the IET Plan;
(p) receive the Minutes of any Committees that report to the Board, note the decisions taken by these Committees and, if necessary, report to the Board of Trustees any decisions that require its attention.
Stewardship, Assurance and Risk Management
(q) ensure that supporting governance and other groups are co-ordinated, guided, monitored and well-motivated to deliver the IET Plan;
(r) monitor performance in relation to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion using KPIs, such as membership data, volunteer data and any other data as appropriate, and ensure that progress is being made;
(s) provide advice on longer range issues that might impact the effective and efficient delivery of the IET Plan and identify mitigations;
(t) in respect of those risks, the management of which has been delegated to the Board, operate a risk management process and, in respect of the IET’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion activities, identify and respond to other significant and material risks to the IET’s ‘licence to operate’ and its capability to deliver its long-term objectives.
(u) provide a process to ensure that Equality, Diversity and Inclusion activity, irrespective of where it is delivered, complies with the strategy and IET Plan.
(v) act as role models for inclusive behaviour.
Stakeholder Management
(w) operate a process to identify and manage all key stakeholders;
(x) identify key issues and create plans to engage members and other stakeholders both pro-actively and in response to their needs and expectations;
(y) ensure that IET products, services, processes and activities are inclusive;
(z) liaise with other Main Boards.
Reporting
(aa) provide written and/or oral progress reports and assurances to the Board of Trustees at least quarterly;
(ab) notify the Board of Trustees immediately of emerging risks or issues that might adversely impact on the delivery of the strategy or IET Plan are identified.
Constitution
Subject to the remainder of this paragraph 3, the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board shall be made up as follows:
Chair – appointed by the Board of Trustees from the elected Trustees
Senior staff member – Director of International, Strategic Marketing and Engagement
Six or seven Ordinary Members, who are Ordinary Members of Council, appointed to the Main Board by the Board of Trustees, on the recommendation of the Nominations and Succession Committee.
A Deputy President.
The Honorary Treasurer
Representatives of the Awards and Scholarships Committee, Communities Resourcing Committee and Young Professionals Committee.
As required, up to two non-members to bring in expertise, skills and experience from the wider Equality, Diversity and Inclusion sector, appointed to the Main Board by the Board of Trustees, on the recommendation of the Nominations and Succession Committee.
Casual vacancies will be filled in accordance with clause 17 of the Council Regulations.
Quorum
The quorum necessary for the transaction of business by the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board shall be six.
Meetings
(a) The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board shall at least twice per year and otherwise as required.
(b) Members of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board participate in a meeting of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board when:
(i) the meeting has been called in accordance with paragraph (c) below; and
(ii) they can each communicate to the others any information or opinions they have on any particular item of the business of the meeting.
(c) In determining whether members of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board are participating in a meeting of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board, it is irrelevant where any such member is or how they communicate with each other. If all the members of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board participating in a meeting of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board are not in the same place, they may decide that the meeting is to be treated as taking place wherever any of them is.
(d) Meetings of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board shall be called by the Chair.
(e) Unless otherwise agreed, notice of each meeting of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board confirming the venue, time and date, together with an agenda of items to be discussed, shall be forwarded to each member of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board and any other person required to attend, no later than 5 working days before the date of the meeting. Where available, supporting papers shall be sent to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board members and to other attendees as appropriate, at the same time.
(f) The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board shall keep minutes of the proceedings and resolutions of all Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board meetings, including the names of those present and in attendance.
(g) Draft minutes of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board meetings shall be circulated promptly to all members of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board. Once approved, minutes should be circulated to all members of the Board of Trustees unless in the opinion of the Chair (acting reasonably) it would be inappropriate to do so.
Other Matters
The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board shall:
(a) have access to sufficient resources to carry out its duties, including the access to the Governance Team for assistance as required;
(b) be provided with appropriate and timely training, both in the form of an induction programme for new members and on an ongoing basis for all members;
(c) give due consideration to laws and regulations and any applicable rules as appropriate; and
arrange for periodic reviews of its own performance and, at least annually, review its constitution and terms of reference to ensure it is operating at maximum effectiveness and recommend any changes it considers necessary to the Board of Trustees for approval.