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Nearly three in four professionals say they experience ‘discriminatory or exclusionary’ workplace behaviour

New research from The Young Foundation – conducted on behalf of 12 professional membership and regulatory bodies including the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) – reveals that while equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives are increasingly commonplace, there is growing scepticism among professionals that these are ‘box-ticking’ exercises.

The report, Beyond Buzzwords, cautions that unless change is urgently prioritised, recent progress risks unravelling.

The research incorporates insights from more than 7,000 professionals across accountancy, engineering, health and safety, facilities management, human resources, insurance, law, management, procurement and public relations.

It finds nearly three-quarters of respondents had experienced barriers to career progression (73%) or some form of 'discriminatory or exclusionary’ behaviour in their workplace since the start of 2019 (72%). Negative experiences were even more pronounced among those with multiple marginalised characteristics. 

“For many years, the professions have shown real commitment in taking action on EDI. Yet we need to drive greater change, with organisations pushing forward higher standards,” said lead researcher Alice Bell.

“The findings highlight the critical role of professional and regulatory bodies as agents of change. The organisations driving this research together represent more than 750,000 UK workers, and they possess the influence, expertise and networks to raise standards and drive progress on EDI through training, guidelines and support for members.”

Dr Laura Norton, Head of EDI at the IET, added: “The report findings are concerning and it’s no secret that the engineering profession faces barriers when it comes to equality, diversity and inclusion. Organisations can’t become the blueprint for EDI overnight, but there is huge value in leading by example and creating robust policies and processes, as well implementing small but meaningful actions.

 “In order to design and engineer inclusively and ensure we serve all of society, we need to involve many different people with different backgrounds and experiences. The engineering profession needs to be creating more inclusive learning environments and harnessing everyone’s unique capacity for knowledge, creativity, and innovation. That’s how we engineer a better world – and create a talent pipeline that ensures the future of engineering is sustainable.”

Key concerns emerging from the research include:

  • Widespread scepticism that ambitious EDI goals are being translated into meaningful actions, with a perception that rhetoric and box-ticking exercises bring few tangible improvements. As a result, support for EDI efforts seems to be waning.
  • Access and entry routes into many professions that remain challenging for people from minority backgrounds, with systemic barriers related to affordability of qualifications, accessibility issues, and lack of role models. This contradicts notions that professional success is based on merit.
  • Many professionals feeling excluded from informal networks and opportunities to develop. More than half (53%) have considered leaving their employer or profession due to EDI concerns, related to feeling undervalued or having limited scope to progress.

However, the research shows that tailored solutions can have significant impacts. It reveals a range of initiatives viewed as effective when well-executed: from normalising flexible working and creating accessible learning resources, to targeted development programmes and removing biases in hiring.

To drive change, the report proposes professional and regulatory bodies can raise the bar for accountable, ethical professions with respect to EDI. It also includes further recommendations, categorised by audience, for organisations involved in this research, policymakers, employers, and individual professionals. Ultimately, achieving systemic change demands multi-stakeholder commitments.

Full report

Beyond buzzwords

Embedding a systemic approach to EDI across the UK’s professions.

This link goes to an external website and opens as a PDF

Go to https://youngfoundation.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Beyond-buzzwords-Embedding-a-systemic-approach-to-EDI-across-the-UKs-professions-full-report-1.pdf?x59628

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Recommended action plan for professional membership and regulatory bodies

  • Put EDI at the heart of what it means to be a professional by committing to:
    • updating codes of ethics/ conduct, with corresponding reviews of professional standards, to embed EDI principles.
    • reframing EDI as non-negotiable, and integral to all decision-making.
  • Set higher standards for professionals by committing to:
    • embedding EDI across all learning and development opportunities.
    • ensuring members are not granted with the highest levels of chartership or accreditation without core competencies around EDI.
  • Actively involve professionals in change by providing meaningful opportunities for members, learners and employers to shape action around EDI in their profession – including:
    • creating working groups for professionals to be involved in reviewing key actions.
    • ensuring accountability mechanisms through which professionals’ feed back about activities, and communications is acted upon.
  • Become role models for good practice by:
    • ensuring all strategies, policies, procedures and practices are approached with an EDI lens.
    • continuously monitoring progress.

About The Young Foundation

The Young Foundation is the UK’s home for community research and social innovation. As a not-for-profit, The Young Foundation brings communities, organisations and policymakers together, driving positive change to shape a fairer future. Working to understand the issues people care about, The Young Foundation supports collective action to improve lives, involving communities in locally-led research and delivering distinctive initiatives and

Programmes to build a stronger society. The Young Foundation also powers the Institute for Community Studies.

For more information, please contact Jess Moore or Sarah Hogg at communications@youngfoundation.org or on 07940 281470.

The professional membership and regulatory bodies involved in the research

  • ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)
  • The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII)
  • CILEx Regulation (CRL)
  • The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
  • The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)
  • The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR)
  • The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS)
  • The Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
  • The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS)
  • The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)
  • The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)
  • The Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM)

About the IET

  • We inspire, inform and influence the global engineering community to engineer a better world.
  • We are a diverse home for engineering and technology intelligence throughout the world. This breadth and depth means we are uniquely placed to help the sector progress society.
  • We want to build the profile of engineering and technology to change outdated perceptions and tackle the skills gap. This includes encouraging more women to become engineers and growing the number of engineering apprentices.
  • Interview opportunities are available with our spokespeople from a range of engineering and technology disciplines including cyber-security, energy, engineering skills, innovation, manufacturing, technology, transport and diversity in engineering.
  • For more information, visit theiet.org
  • Follow the IET on Twitter.

IET Media enquiries

Rebecca Gillick
External Communications Manager
Email: rgillick@theiet.org

Sophie Lockyer
Senior Communications Executive
Email: slockyer@theiet.org