RIBA invites members to sign Inclusion Charter and commit to increasing inclusivity in architecture
RIBA has recently introduced their Inclusion Charter, encouraging members to acknowledge the urgency for inclusion in architecture and commit to increasing diversity.
Signatories will be required to commit to setting inclusion targets and an EDI action plan, whilst also becoming more transparent and accountable by publicly reporting on their progress.
The campaign is designed to break down barriers and is committed to driving change. Not only will signatories have access to best practice guidance, but they will also receive support from RIBA’s EDI Team to help increase the diversity in their workforce, ultimately resulting in their business providing equal access and opportunities.
By signing RIBA’s Inclusion Charter, practices, and individuals:
- ACKNOWLEDGE the urgent need for inclusion in the architecture profession and wider construction industry.
- COMMIT to setting inclusion targets and an EDI action plan for their practice.
- COMMIT to developing their workplace culture, talent pipeline and ways of working to support inclusion.
- COMMIT to publicly reporting on progress of their EDI plan – transparency and accountability are vital to drive cultural change.
- COMMIT to embedding inclusive design in all projects and contributing to the development of inclusive environments.
We need to work together
At urban we believe that everyone should be able to reach their full potential based on their skills and abilities, not their background and by increasing the diversity within your workforce, organisations are more effective, more successful and more profitable. We have been working alongside clients and candidates to transform the approach to recruitment within the architecture industry. The Inclusion Charter equally understands the positive effect of diversity and how actions need to be taken to stop the current discrimination and lack of inclusion in the industry.
Our Operations Director, Mark Nagle, recently spoke about the current effects of low recruitment on BAME communities within the sector. He argued that practises could miss out on the best talent.
“The problem is that the current state of the sector means many companies believe they are not in a position to recruit. As a result, the profession is facing the potential loss of a whole generation of diverse talent, with multiple consequences. To avert this, practices need to take action to build a more inclusive sector.”
He also discussed how to make a positive change within the current market. You can take part in urban and the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust’s initiative, the #BeMoreInclusive programme, which encourages clients to start making meaningful changes to their practices and to support young people from under-represented backgrounds into architecture.
“So much can be done to avert all of this. Organisations such as the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, with which we have formed a partnership with to help practices recruit diverse candidates, are doing great work to tackle inclusion and build vital networks to support young people from BAME communities into architecture careers. But they need support from within the built environment industry.”
To make a change and to BeMore inclusive, we need to work together as an industry.
Resources:
https://www.architecture.com/about/equality-diversity-and-inclusion/inclusion-charter