CRD gains Athena Swan silver award

Posted on 10 December 2025

We are delighted to have been awarded an Athena Swan silver award following on from our bronze level award granted in 2020.

Members of the CRD EDI group

The application, which was co-produced by the CRD Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Group and CRD staff, builds on work completed since 2020. It has both an inward focus on ensuring continued equality within the department and an outward look at how we can use our research expertise and evidence synthesis projects as a driver for increased research inclusion for societal benefit and public good.

Bob Phillips EDI Group Chair said:

“The report emphasised the values of shared working, acknowledged intersectional challenges and reinforced our commitment to championing equality”.

Lesley Stewart CRD Head of Department and member of the EDI Group said:

“It is excellent that our approach to gender equality and EDI more broadly has been recognised through this award. I am proud that we have become more diverse since 2020, and that we are a department where women continue to hold senior roles and where all can thrive”.

We look forward to working on our action plan, which includes paying attention to retaining CRD’s culture in a hybrid working environment and working towards gold.