It was terrific to partner with the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Science Council in 2016, to create a new tool on diversity and inclusion for professional engineering institutions and scientific bodies (the professional bodies of the science and engineering worlds).  The process of developing the first ever bespoke Progression Framework on diversity and inclusion for the professional bodies was a truly collaborative – and rewarding – experience, not only between scientists and engineers, but between all of those involved in the Steering Group, and the companies who piloted the Framework in its final stages, and of course collaborators with for business sake too.

‘But what is a progression framework?’, I hear you ask.  Well, this one is a bespoke diversity and inclusion ‘maturity model’, which describes generically what progress on diversity and inclusion looks like for professional bodies at four levels of attainment, from Level 1 to Level 4.  We called the four levels Initiating, Developing, Engaging and Evolving.

It’s also a step-by-step account of what each level of attainment means in practical terms for eight functional areas in the everyday work of these organisations, from leadership and governance to marketing and communications.  In this way the Progression Framework helps people working day-to-day see what they can do to ‘mainstream’ or ‘integrate’ diversity and inclusion into their areas of the business.

You can download an overview of the Progression Framework and examples of each level of attainment for each functional area by clicking on this link.

for business sake’s chief collaborator and 50:50 partner on this work was Dr Gillian Shapiro, whose site you can visit here: Shapiro Consulting ltd.  As ever it was wonderful to work with her.  Helpful advice and new insights were also provided by Tony Belgrave of Positive Deviant and Helen Wollaston, Director of WISE.

Wishing you all a collaborative 2017!