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Equality, Diversity and Inclusion action plan

This action plan outlines how we will continue to deliver our EDI strategy.

Key audiences of our EDI strategy include:

  • our members
  • our volunteers
  • our colleagues
  • our partner organisations
  • and the wider engineering and technology community.

Current priority areas are:

  • Disability
  • Gender.

We continue to focus on our progress areas which include:

  • LGBTQ+
  • Race and ethnicity
  • Social mobility

We understand the importance of considering EDI holistically and we consider intersectionality throughout all of our work.

Our responsibilities are to:

  • maintain and further develop an inclusive environment within IET workplaces and to ensure that the IET lives its values within EDI
  • embed EDI throughout the work that we deliver within those workplaces
  • continue to build an inclusive membership with a true sense of belonging which celebrates diversity
  • inspire the next generation and ensure inclusive access to engineering and technology
  • inform and support organisations and individuals in promoting and advocating for improved EDI across the engineering and technology sector.

We will meet these responsibilities through the following goals and activities:

1. IET workplaces are inclusive environments where everyone feels supported and able to bring their whole selves to work and succeed

  • Continue to monitor and understand the diversity demographics of our colleagues and how diverse and inclusive the IET is as an employer – we must maintain and further develop our colleagues awareness of EDI.
  • Review policies related to employment with a focus on inclusivity.
  • Maintain our disability confident employer status and continue to strive to achieve Leader status.
  • Undertake AFBE’s ethnicity index to better understand our progress by 2026.
  • Continue to monitor diversity demographics of our recruitment processes and ensure inclusive best practice.
  • Better understand the diversity demographics of our career progression processes.
  • Continue to encourage conversations around EDI focusing on our current priority areas.
  • Ensure our workplaces represent best practice in EDI.

For more information in this area see our People Strategy [PDF, 1MB].

2. Measured improvement in EDI performance through our core areas of activity

  • Use the Royal Academy of Engineering and Science Council D&I Progression Framework to monitor performance in EDI – we must progress our performance in the 2025 benchmarking exercise.
  • Prioritise actions in the areas in which we performed less well in the 2023 Royal Academy of Engineering and Science Council D&I Progression Framework self-assessment for improvements.
  • Use our digital accessibility action plan to ensure our digital offering is inclusive and accessible.
  • Improve our member and customer experience of accessibility and inclusivity of our physical events.
  • Measure and improve the inclusivity and diversity of our publishing practices by 2027.

3. The IET has an inclusive membership with a true sense of belonging which celebrates diversity

  • Continue to understand the diversity and sense of belonging of the IET volunteer base.
  • Better understand the diversity and sense of belonging of the IET membership.
  • Continue to grow our network of IET member EDI champions and advocates.
  • Provide peer-to-peer support through our EDI member networks and ensure these networks’ voices are heard in delivering improvements to inclusivity.
  • Continue to meet the commitments of our 2023 Neurodiversity in Engineering and Technology report.
  • Provide resources and practical guides to support volunteers and members within EDI, for example:
    • Tackling bullying and harassing behaviours.
    • Having conversations around EDI.
    • Inclusive committees.
  • Celebrate the diversity of our members and volunteers.

4. The next generation is inspired and feel able to access and progress their learning and progression into engineering and technology careers

  • Showcase diverse careers in engineering and technology.
  • Showcase the public commitment of IET volunteers and members to improve EDI within the sector.
  • Further develop our inclusive support for schools and parents, working with partners where appropriate.
  • Continue to showcase role models through campaigns such as Young Woman Engineer of the Year Award, Celebrating Impact, and more.
  • Increase the diversity of talent entering the profession through our education programmes of activity, mentoring programme and support to partner organisations.

5. Employers and individuals are supported and empowered to promote and advocate for improved EDI across the engineering and technology sector

  • We will deliver tools and resources to support organisations with improving EDI within their own reach – we must increase our touchpoints with industry through our WISE products and tools.
  • We will deliver research to further understand the barriers to employers improving EDI for underrepresented groups in relation to our current areas of focus.
  • We will deliver campaigns and toolkits to support individuals unsure how to best advocate for improved EDI.
  • We will articulate the importance of an inclusive engineering and technology workforce.

The responsibility for this action plan sits with the Head of EDI with oversight from the Director of Governance and External Engagement, the Executive Team, the EDI Board and the Board of Trustees.

The EDI team will work with and draw upon support from colleagues, volunteers and members and in particular members of the EDI staff committee, EDI Board, EDI networks and Board of Trustees.

Improving EDI within the IET and across the sector is a collective responsibility.

EDI Colleague Committee

Our EDI colleague committee supports, monitors and advises on the development and delivery of our internal EDI Strategy. The committee supports us to realise our full potential to advance EDI within our workplaces; within the activities, processes and services that we deliver; and within the wider engineering and technology sector.

EDI Board

Our EDI Board is responsible to the Board of Trustees for the planning and implementation of the IET’s EDI in terms of its membership, volunteers, and within the wider engineering and technology sector. It monitors, supports and guides the effective delivery of our EDI Strategy as delegated by the Board of Trustees.

EDI Networks

We have a range of networks – for colleagues and for members - that bring together individuals who may share characteristics, along with allies who wish to further enhance their awareness and offer support.

The networks aim to create a safe space for everybody to contribute to and offer recommendations for specific topics.

This activity benefits both colleagues and members and conversations often extend to IET processes. 

For more information on our networks visit our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion webpage as well as our EDI Year in Review reports for examples of activities undertaken by our networks.

To get in touch or to join any of our networks email us at inclusion@theiet.org.