Diversity and Inclusion User Group
14th December 2020
As specialists in Diversity, Inclusion, and Unconscious Bias, Marshalls was delighted last week to hold a Marshall Diversity and Inclusion User Group meeting with nine universities to discuss diversity in higher education.
Representatives from Exeter, Liverpool John Moores, Staffordshire, St Andrews, Cranfield, Dundee, St Andrews, Stirling, and Canterbury Christ Church joined the User Group Zoom meeting which was set up to provide an opportunity for clients to discuss diversity and inclusion issues that are pressing and important to them, and to explore how Marshalls can overcome specific challenges.
The meeting was hosted by Ann Allcock, Marshall’s new Head of Diversity, and we were joined by Maggie Semple, OBE, who spoke to the Group about how leaders can move from merely having an interest in the subject of race equality, to taking action.
Amongst other things Maggie is a member of the Queen’s Counsel Appointments Panel, serves on Cambridge University’s HR Committee, and is a Fellow of the City & Guilds Institute. She is also the presenter of Marshall’s new Let’s Talk about Race in the Workplace e-learning module.
What were the key outcomes?
During the meeting, the clients discussed positive action, (the process of proactively increasing the number of employees from underrepresented groups), race equality in Scotland, and language and identity.
The universities felt it was very important to engage with the theme of Allyship – which at its most basic level is concerned with the ongoing process of advocating, supporting, and being a voice for people who experience daily structural inequalities and microaggressions.
“Thank you to clients who joined our User Group and to Maggie Semple for her fascinating and inspiring contribution on how to engage senior leaders on race equality action. It’s great to connect with our customers, and to hear what’s on their diversity and inclusion agenda so that Marshalls can align our products and services with their priorities.” – Ann Allcock, Marshall’s Head of Diversity
What’s next?
Following on from the success of this User Group, our aim is to hold regular quarterly Client Group meetings – whether these will all be online or face to face in the future, largely depends on what happens in 2021 with the pandemic.
In addition, Marshalls is currently developing an e-learning course on Allyship in partnership with the University of Coventry, which will be available in the first quarter of 2021.
Marshalls offers a range of diversity training modules and institutions are increasingly moving to our subscription service where they can obtain all modules for a fixed price. For more information on this and how Marshalls can help support your company through its diversity training and consultancy services, please email Ann at aallcock@marshallacm.co.uk or call +447479 460782.
