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We are delighted to announce that IEMA, in collaboration with the Diverse Sustainability Initiative (DSI), will partner with the University of Strathclyde, which has been awarded funding by the Economic and Social Research Council’s Impact Acceleration Account. The partnership will develop mentoring that supports People of Colour (PoC) working as sustainability and environmental professionals in order to enhance the UK’s green transformation.
One of the key findings from the 2022 Racial Diversity in Environment Professions report, co-funded by Students Organising for Sustainability UK, IEMA and the Natural Environment Research Council, highlighted that environmental professionals are among the least racially diverse in the UK. Only 4.81% of individuals in this field identify as Black, Asian, or from other minority ethnic groups, compared with 12.64% across all UK professions. The PoC Network, established in response to other statistics indicating a lack of racial diversity in the profession, has identified significant barriers, including limited career progression opportunities and a lack of PoC in leadership roles.
The mentoring scheme aims to find out what is most valued and needed in a mentee/mentor relationship in order to break down these barriers.
The scheme will work with small numbers and will run for six months. It will prioritise supporting early-career IEMA members of Colour, with a view to expanding the initiative after a further review. It may eventually support a broader range of underrepresented individuals. Mentees and mentors will be supported throughout the process, with an opportunity for training and networking.
Watch this space for more information. We have set up a dedicated email for this project: [email protected]. If you are a Person of Colour interested in joining the DSI’s PoC Network, please register at www.diversesustainability.net
