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Equality, diversity and inclusion
We include equality, diversity and inclusion concerns at the strategic level as part of our discussions at the senior management team. I aim to create a nourishing work context that enables all staff to be successful in their professional journeys and achieve their development goals.
Professor Melanie Kreye, Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management, Associate Dean for EDI and Staff Development
Athena Swan
We received the Athena Swan Bronze award for the School in September 2023 in recognition of our work and commitment to promote gender equality. The School is committed to the Athena Swan Charter, and we are working towards achieving the Athena Swan Silver Award.
The implementation of our Athena Swan action plan considers an intersectional approach to equality and diversity issues. Our action plan focuses on:
- Culture, by embedding equality, diversity and inclusion into departmental norms, processes and practices. These cover priority areas such as support for work-life balance and recruitment and retention.
- Equality in career progression to the higher grades, staff training and career development support.
- Improved gender balance and wider representation of staff and students in the Department. This includes priority areas such as student careers and employability and widening participation.
As a disabled working-class woman, I have faced numerous barriers in my career, and I know from experience just how vital the Athena Swan activity is in achieving gender equality. I am proud to represent the School in the quest for the Silver Athena Swan Award, and to ensure that EDI work remains central to all our activities.
Susan Watson, Lecturer in Criminal Justice and Social Policy, Athena Swan co-lead
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Forum Events
The EDI Forum
The School for Business and Society EDI Forum was launched in November 2023. It focuses on how best we can inspire a sense of community and belongingness for all students and staff at the School as part of our EDI strategy.
The EDI Forum provides a space within which to further engage with our staff and student community. The EDI Forum consists of a series of events over the calendar year to celebrate equality, inclusion and the diversity of both our staff and students at the School for Business and Society.
This year's theme was Movement: Moving More for our Mental Health, to mark Mental Health Awareness Week.
Members of staff and students attending the EDI forum opening event.
Upcoming events
Intersectionality and Social Justice: New Challenges, New Directions - Wednesday 4 November 2026, 9am to 5pm.
The School for Business and Society and the Centre for Women's Enterprise, Leadership, Economy & Diversity (WE-LEAD) at the University of York are delighted to host a one-day interdisciplinary symposium exploring new challenges and directions in intersectional thought and practice.
Originally developed by Kimberlé Crenshaw, intersectionality has become one of the most influential frameworks for understanding how multiple dimensions of identity and systems of power shape experiences of inequality, exclusion, privilege, and belonging. Today, intersectional approaches inform research, policy, teaching, activism, and organisational practice across a wide range of disciplines and sectors.
Previous events
Seen, Heard and Recognised: Visibility and Excellence in Academia - October 2026
Leads: Chidozie Umeh/Juliet Kele
As part of Black History Month, this EDI Forum explores how visibility, recognition and academic excellence are experienced differently across academia. Featuring an expert panel, the session will spark thought-provoking discussion on whose voices and contributions are valued, when visibility creates opportunity or vulnerability, and how universities can foster more equitable recognition and inclusion for all.
Stories of my homeland - June 2026
Lead: Greg Avetisyan
This session centres on belonging, identity and cultural expression through the theme “stories of my homeland.” It creates a supportive space for staff and students to share and reflect on diverse cultural and lived experiences, particularly amplifying underrepresented voices.
Through creative contributions and discussion, the event encourages collective reflection on what “home” means and how the School can foster a stronger sense of inclusion and belonging.
Mental health, trauma and inclusion - May 2026
Leads: Bob Townley, Leonie Raymond and Juliet Kele
This EDI forum explores mental health and trauma through an inclusion lens, marking Stress Awareness Month and highlighting an often-overlooked dimension of EDI.
The session creates a safe, reflective space for staff and students to engage in open dialogue, raise awareness, and aims to spark meaningful discussion on how more EDI-informed approaches can better support those affected.
Inclusive teaching and learning podcast launch - April 2026
Leads: Greg Avetisyan, Paulina Melichova and Nick Glover
This session brings together inclusive teaching and learning and accessibility, with a soft launch of a feedback literacy podcast designed to support students in engaging more confidently with feedback and wider university provision.
The session will explore British Sign Language provision and also introduce practical considerations around digital accessibility, including alignment with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines guidance, offering timely and actionable insights at School level.
Be yourself at work: exploring your LGBT+ identities - February 2026
Lead: Fabien Baugard
This EDI Forum marks LGBT+ History Month 2026, offering a space to reflect on identity, inclusion, and lived experience in professional settings. Recent national developments have placed LGBT+, especially transgender rights at the centre of public debate, making this conversation both timely and essential.
Black History Month Event: From Progress to Pushback? - October 2025
Leads: Chido / Juliet
As part of Black History Month, we were delighted to welcome Professor Nelarine Cornelius and Professor Doyin Atewologun. Their contributions sparked rich discussion about identity, justice, and the value of diverse voices in academic and organisational life.
Living your ethnicity - Listening to Lived Experiences at York - October 2025
Leads: Ali/Chido/Juliet
A relaxed, open forum where colleagues and students could speak honestly about their experiences and hopes for the School. The emphasis was on listening, learning, and building trust across the community.
EDI Forum: Community, Belonging and a Shared Future (Joint No-Gaps Student-led Event) - July 2025
Lead: Juliet / Victoria / Michaela
Partnering with the wider No Gaps Project at the University of York, this student-led event focused on understanding and reducing gaps in experience, participation, and outcomes. An interactive workshop where staff and students explored what “community” really means at the School. Discissions began to shape how we live, learn and work together: a practical step towards the University’s vision of being a place of belonging and public good.
Autism Awareness - April 2025
Lead: Anna Ainley
An engaging and honest conversation about autism, neurodiversity, and how we can make our learning and working environments more welcoming. The session was supported by Leonie Raymond from the SBS Wellbeing Team and highlighted small adjustments that can make a big difference to people’s everyday experiences.
Accelerating Impact: Leading Change Across Hospitality, Retail and Leisure - March 2025
Lead: Fabien Baugard
Guest speaker Joanna Aunon invited us to think about how everyday leadership in these sectors can be more inclusive. The discussion offered practical insights and encouraged colleagues to reflect on how positive change can start locally.
Family and carers support - January 2025
Lead: Nadina Luca
A warm, open space for staff and students to share experiences of parenting and being a carer while studying or working. Contributing to wider Athena Swan discussions, the session helped strengthen community connections and highlighted the different ways the School can support families and carers more widely.
Being Muslim at the Intersections of Professional Life - November 2024
Lead: Ali Naqvi
A thoughtful conversation led by Dr Shafaq Ali, exploring what it means to be Muslim while building a career in higher education and beyond. The session encouraged open reflection, understanding and allyship across the School.
Mental Health Awareness Forum - May 2024
Lead: Anna Ainley/Juliet Kele
A forum for staff and students during Mental Health Awareness Week, exploring wellbeing, support, and reducing stigma. Speakers shared practical strategies and resources, helping build a more caring and inclusive School community.
Neurodiversity at Work Forum - March 2024
Lead: Nadina Luca (with Dr Josephine Go Jefferies)
Part of Neurodiversity Celebration Week, this event highlighted the strengths of neurodivergent staff and students. Discussions focused on creating inclusive workplaces and learning spaces, reinforcing York’s ethos of belonging and public good.
I strive to help create a community where every individual can thrive - shaped by thoughtful practice rather than circumstance. We are committed to ensuring that equality becomes a shared reality for all.
Zhe Jiang, Senior Lecturer, Athena Swan Co-Chair
Supporting staff and students
At York, we have various sources of support and information about equality, diversity and inclusion. Every department has an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champion who acts as a visible and proactive advocate of EDI within their department.
Regular events are held to raise awareness of present-day barriers and highlight ongoing work to remove such challenges across the University.
Advice, guidance and information for students, and for staff supporting students, on equality related issues.
Information about University-wide EDI initiatives, staff networks, and health and wellbeing support.
