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Conference themes

Conference Themes

We have a broad theme for our conference this year, returning to basics to ask ourselves some critical questions about the direction of the EDI travel so far. We want to carry out an assessment to understand the nature and effectiveness of current diversity interventions in private, public and third sector organisations. The Making Diversity Interventions Count Annual Conference 2024 will provide a platform for taking stock and reflecting on the journey so far into developing and implementing diversity interventions. We invite critical theoretical and/or empirical research including, but not limited to, the questions listed below. This also includes research and good practices from across all disciplines and sectors, encouraging interdisciplinary and non-traditional research and practice on diversity interventions. The scope of the abstracts for the current call may cover private, public, third sector organisations and government policies and interventions.

  • What are the key diversity interventions we have developed thus far?
  • What lessons have we learnt from developing diversity interventions?
  • How have our approaches to implementing diversity interventions worked?
  • How do we develop stronger EDI structures in organisations?
  • A peep into the future – where do we go from here?

Sub-themes

Evaluating diversity interventions

Abstracts are invited evaluating the effectiveness of interventions in the following areas:

  • Diversity interventions in different sectors – education, healthcare, local councils, schools and colleges, and for-profit and not-for-profit organisations.
  • LGBTQ+ interventions
  • Ethnicity diversity interventions
  • Gender diversity interventions
  • Age diversity interventions
  • Disability interventions
  • Socio-economic disadvantage

Abstracts are not restricted to specific industries, sectors, or geo-locations.

EDI practices within and across different sectors

Abstracts are invited covering the following areas:

  • Encouraging robust staff network participation: responsibilities of line managers.
  • Workplace authenticity.
  • Promoting greater access and participation in HE.
  • Creative inclusive diversity culture in Health and Social Care.
  • Workplace toxicity – causes and solutions.
  • Creating inclusive spaces for difficult conversations.

Beyond Allyship: Actions are louder than words

Abstracts may cover the following areas:

  • Sharing the struggle for equity/equality.
  • Advancing social change through activism.
  • Leaders as activists.
  • Transforming diversity awareness into action.
  • Leading anti-discrimination.

We welcome abstracts covering areas that are not specified here including: Diversity interventions in the development of AI and climate change.

Conscious inclusion

Abstracts are invited detailing organisational strategies for making conscious efforts towards inclusion rather than trying to avoid unconscious bias:

  • Transcending the realm of diversity.
  • Minimising unconscious bias.
  • Creating inclusive cultures.
  • Adapting Diversity competent leadership frameworks.
  • Stories of Transformational Diversity
  • Positive/inclusive communication including Accent bias in the workplace.