During the year, we launched our new equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) strategy 2024–26, which sets out our EDI strategic vision for Imperial, supported by seven pillars of activity.
The aim of the strategy is to foster cohesion through activities that develop an even greater sense of trust and collegiality within our community, celebrate the diversity of thoughts, and respect for individuality. It also strives to identify gaps in our processes and procedures and initiate actions to allow us to meet our EDI ambitions.
Calibre programme
This year, we celebrated the latest cohort of the Calibre leadership programme. This flagship development initiative is designed to support disabled staff in achieving their full potential and addressing systemic barriers to inclusion. It equips employees with the leadership skills, confidence and tools to enable them to thrive in ways that suit them best.
"Calibre is one of the best learning experiences of any course I've attended – it's extremely supportive and the people you get to know in your cohort have incredible stories." Alex Mulley, Project Management Office Manager, Strategic Programmes and Change
20 years of Imperial As One
Launched in 2005, Imperial As One (IAO) is an advisory committee and university-wide network made up of Black, Asian and ethnically minoritised staff, postgraduate students and allies. The network helps raise awareness and set priorities on racial equality, diversity and inclusion. The 20th anniversary provided an important moment to reflect on the network’s contributions to equity, diversity and inclusion through a celebration event and internal communications.
EDI Seed Fund
The EDI Seed Fund supports the EDI strategy by enabling people and groups at Imperial to implement their ideas and innovations to make things better for students and staff. The Seed Fund offers a total of £10,000 each year and in 2024–25, out of a total of 15 applications, eight received funding for their projects. Imperial As One’s Say My Name initiative was awarded funding in 2023 and officially launched this year. The project aims to address issues of mispronunciation of names by introducing a system where staff and students can add an audio clip or phonetic label of their name to their email signature.
Spotlight on… President’s Award Winner
The Able Staff Network Disability Committee – President’s Award for Excellence in Culture and Community
In the past year, Able launched Imperial’s first Disability Pride Month. It has worked with teams across the university to embed accessibility into projects and policies and co-create events, including partnering with the Students' Union's new Neurodiversity Society to present lived experiences of neurodiversity as part of the Imperial Cohesion series. Able strengthens Imperial’s commitment to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and compassionate environment through the events it organises.