UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is committed to transforming research and innovation environments in order to ensure that they are safe, open and inclusive.
EDI Caucus
As major public funders of research and innovation (R&I), UKRI’s research councils, Innovate UK and the British Academy have a responsibility to ensure a thriving and diverse R&I system, now and in the future.
In June 2022, the Economic and Social Research Council, Arts and Humanities Research Council, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, Innovate UK and the British Academy opened a new funding opportunity. We invited applications for an interdisciplinary team to establish and lead an equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) Caucus.
In January 2023, we announced the outcome of the commissioning process and the work of the EDI Caucus began.
Evidence reviews
Two evidence reviews on EDI, carried out by Advance HE on our behalf, provide a picture of the key challenges and the effectiveness of different interventions and practices.
Key findings include:
- most interventions focus on gender (or sex) equality or ‘general’ EDI, such as diversity training
- most UK interventions focus on higher education and career progression, and changing working culture
- there is a lack of interventions in other areas, especially in innovation and non-STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) related areas
- data collection practices for EDI vary, hampering robust analysis
- there is wide variation in the way EDI activities are evaluated, meaning it is difficult to measure effectiveness
- more consideration is needed to the design of funding calls, such as the timing of calls and interdisciplinarity
The reviews find that successful interventions tend to:
- involve collaboration across the organisation
- have commitment from senior management
- embed EDI awareness and initiatives within organisational culture
View the UK review (PDF, 2MB) and the international review (PDF, 4MB).
Bullying and harassment
A thriving research and innovation system hinges on diverse talents and perspectives, and fostering safe, respectful and inclusive research cultures and environments.
Bullying and harassment behaviours have no place in research and innovation. These behaviours can have severe consequences for individuals and the organisations they work for, and lead to loss of talent and expertise from the research and innovation sector.
We are taking different approaches to tackle and prevent bullying and harassment in our role as a funder, partner, and employer. Although these different contexts need different approaches, they are all focused on creating workplace cultures where people and ideas can thrive.
Bullying and harassment in the research and innovation sector
As a funder, our expectations of the people and organisations we support are set out in our bullying and harassment position statement (PDF 981KB). This statement is informed by an evidence review of bullying and harassment in research environments, undertaken by the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London.
Our Preventing harm (safeguarding) in research and innovation policy is designed to support individuals and organisations to enhance their approach to preventing and addressing actual or potential harms in their research and innovation activities.
We require organisations receiving grants from us to have measures in place to prevent and address bullying and harassment. We follow guidelines from Acas (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) and expect organisations we fund to follow suit or mirror those standards.
Find out more about how we are preventing bullying and harassment in the research and innovation sector.
Addressing bullying, harassment and discrimination in the workforce
As set out in our workforce EDI (WEDI) plan, we are committed to a culture of dignity and respect, where there is no place for bullying, harassment and discrimination (BHD).
To develop an evidence-based plan to address BHD, we needed to understand better why it happens and how it manifests in our own culture. We commissioned an independent review of our policies and practices, workplace behaviours and experiences.
The findings informed our UKRI dignity, respect and anti-bullying, harassment and discrimination action plan.
Impact of COVID-19
We have responded to the Women and Equalities Committee parliamentary inquiry, ‘Unequal impact: COVID-19 and the impact on people with protected characteristics’.
View our response to the Women and Equalities Committee parliamentary inquiry (PDF, 168KB).
Last updated: 24 July 2024