Christine Yates
(Human Resources)
shares her experience of Imperial as One – the College’s race equality advisory group
Imperial as One was initially set up in response to the Race Relations Amendment Act, specifically, as a way of communicating and consulting with the College’s black and minority ethnic (BME) employees, and as a way of exploring ways to address wide-spread under-representation. One purpose was to gain greater opportunities to listen to, and learn from staff’s experiences in respect of organisational policies, procedures and processes, and collectively create initiatives to overcome any potential barriers. Photo right: Imperial as One launch.
My strongest memories of the group have been seeing large numbers of BME staff gain in confidence and enthusiasm. They have taken the lead in communicating and hosting various events, often within a colourful backdrop of international attire and flags representing the large numbers of countries our staff and students are drawn from. Photo left: Imperial as One celebrating Diwali.
Seeing Imperial as One activities given a high profile and endorsement from the Rector and senior management champions has also demonstrated to the College the benefit of members’ efforts. I know members truly value the commitment shown by the College in resourcing and supporting the work, and have seen first-hand greater proactivity of all involved in promoting the Imperial as One agenda, including greater numbers of white managers and academics. Photo above: Diwali celebrations.
"It's a privilege to be a member of Imperial as One. It has given me the opportunity and the platform to professionally rediscovering myself. What an awesome prospect this is for any member of staff to embark upon" – Althea Hartley-Forbes, Department of Chemistry
"I get a great sense of satisfaction working together with Imperial as One. I feel very privileged and valued to be part of the group to enrich the workforce and making the best use of a pool of talent to promote equality and diversity across the College." – Betty Yue, Centre for Professional Development
"Being of Caribbean origin, I recognise the importance of positive role models in society. As a member of Imperial as One, I believe the establishment of this group has been a great step in the right direction. It provides a forum for staff at all levels to share their experiences and provides a source of positive encouragement for others. ... We should not underestimate the symbolic importance of having a group such as IAO as it sends a clear message both internally and externally that the College will not support discrimination on any grounds. IAO helps take advantage of the rich pool of talent that exists across all communities whilst fully recognising prior and existing contributions made to the College by people from such groups, leading to more positive benefits in the future” – Dr Mark Richards, High Energy Physics Group
© 2007 Imperial College London
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