#1 Winner of Best Culture, Diversity and Inclusion Initiative at the 2021 AMBA & BGA Excellence Awards
150 countries represented across our Business School community
£2²Ñ invested in building and enhancing a culture of inclusion

Building a culture of integrity, fairness and respect for all

At ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Business School we are committed to embedding inclusivity across the School community. Our university-wide Values and Behaviours underpin this culture, and a structure of committees and working groups will deliver on our aims. We work within a framework of honesty, transparency and respect, a clear support structure for students and staff alike, and a promise to keep striving to do better.

We are committed to contributing to society. By partnering with the private sector, other business schools and our local community, we ensure that our collective expertise addresses key global challenges. Through societal engagement our research empowers those beyond the School.

Our cultural ethos starts with inclusion and cohesion at the top, recognises that we still have some way to go, and ensures that together, our community is involved in its development.

Chaturvedi, Sankalp IBK author profile

At ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Business School we are dedicated to fostering a culture of integrity, fairness, and respect. We aspire to create an inclusive and collaborative Business School where every member is valued, empowered, and treated with dignity and where inclusivity encompasses ‘respect for all’ in its broadest sense.

Professor Sankalp Chaturvedi Associate Dean (People and Culture) - Professor of Organisational Behaviour & Leaders

How will we achieve our aims?

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Set ourselves high aspirations

Our student population is 90% international, with representation from over 100 countries, from Liechtenstein to the Northern Mariana Islands. We were one of the first Business Schools to achieve an Athena Swan award, and we carry Disability Confident accreditation as well as a Bronze Race Equality Charter award. Our partnerships with Forté and Dior have helped us grow our female student numbers by almost 25% in the last four years. Scholarships, initiatives and networks support a wide range of student and staff groups who might otherwise be disadvantaged, and we set up four Cultural Taskforces to ensure our processes are consistently clear, fair, respectful and inclusive for the whole School community.

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Level the playing field

Our aim is to ensure that every individual has equity of opportunity, is not disadvantaged in any way, and is able to speak up if this is not their experience. There is a raft of support available, both within the Business School and throughout the university, to ensure that every student and member of staff feels part of a like-minded community and is recognised for their contribution to others. Initiatives such as our Pronoun Drive and careers clubs, such as Black in Business, remind students and staff of the importance of gender and race equality. Our Dean also hosts coffee mornings where staff and students can connect in an informal and friendly setting.

Group of Business School students on a trip

Enable equity

Enabling equity of access and opportunity requires both investment and commitment. In the most recent academic year the School offered over £4 million in scholarships, complemented by additional School budget and external giving. In addition, we run initiatives to provide financial assistance for student trips abroad, offer an EDI Mentoring Programme, and partner with the Empathy Museum to promote empathy and foster a respectful community. The Business School community has its own Inclusivity Fund, and Advisory Board Scholarships, and benefits from university-sponsored initiatives such as the EDI Seed Fund and Excellence Fund for Learning and Teaching Innovation.

Event attendee with Business School support staff

Combine one-off events with best practice

We run a large number of events throughout the year that ensure equal representation, supported by groups such as Pride Network and Able@³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ. Some allow us to support our local community, such as our 'What the Tech?' initiative, which offers tech support to older residents. Others, such as the Menopause Workshop, raise awareness of women’s health issues and provide an opportunity to learn how to support colleagues experiencing perimenopause and menopause symptoms. The most successful then become best practice, embedded in daily life. Our Values Day programme is mandatory and aims to equip all our incoming students with the essential skills they need to thrive at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, and in today’s diverse and dynamic business world.

Group of students at networking event

Nurture internal networks

With an extensive community of students, staff, faculty, and alumni spanning more than 150 countries, our internal networks play a key role in the culture of the School. The Dean's Town Hall is an open forum designed to foster open dialogue and engagement across the Business School community. It is a valuable opportunity to hear directly from the Dean and other senior colleagues, who respond to both pre-submitted and in-person questions, as well as addressing key themes relevant to the school. We want every part of our School community to live and breathe a culture of integrity, fairness, and respect.

Student at WE Innovate start-up event

Thought leadership and engagement

The School and wider university are proud to be home to powerhouses of thought leadership, including the IDEA and Enterprise Labs, the Centre for Responsible Leadership, the Gandhi Centre for Inclusive Innovation and the Leonardo Centre on Business for Society. Through their research activities these centres provide a platform for internal and external engagement. They also support us in our commitment to equity and inclusivity, through initiatives such as , which is led by the Enterprise Lab to help a new generation of female entrepreneurs accelerate their start-ups.

Navigating the Minority Ethnic Obstacle Course

This animation, funded by ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ’s EDI Seed Fund, raises awareness of systemic racism in Higher Education and encourages reflection and dialogue. Explore the resources to learn more, including key terms, data, and actions to drive mindful change.

Find out more about the animation
[PDF, 150 KB]
karmini sharma

It's so important that female employees in every culture are treated with respect and equity. I see it as a privilege to show other women working in male-dominated sectors like economics and public policy that we can have a voice and will not be held back by gender stereotypes. It's also my job to inspire the next generation and to empower the students and staff I come into contact with, through my interactions with them.

Dr Karmini Sharma Assistant Professor in Economics and Public Policy

Dr Sharma is a development economist with a focus on issues of gender. Her work studies sexual harassment, gender segregation and female labour force participation in low and middle income countries.

Feature articles

Ecosystem for support

There are several bodies that help the School deliver on its commitment to a culture of integrity, fairness and respect.

At university level, the People and Culture Committee and the EDI Advisory Board serve as university-wide forums for leaders. Additionally, individuals from across the organisation support the work of our key accreditations:

Within the Business School, our Associate Dean of People and Culture, , and the People and Culture Committee work collaboratively with the Dean's Advisory Student Council. Four Cultural Taskforces work towards ensuring we have clear, fair, respectful and inclusive processes in the following areas:

  • staff recruitment
  • staff and student evaluation
  • staff career development and fulfilment
  • embedding inclusivity in our curriculum, pedagogy, and through diverse representation of students, alumni and staff

We are continually monitoring our progress and refining our culture and inclusion action plans, with the involvement of students, faculty, professional staff, and alumni.

30percent Club
Women at Dior
Athena swan race bronze
Logo for Athena Swan silver award
Stonewall diversity champion
Disability Confident
Reaching out
Forte

A passionate team of people

Meet the School's People and Culture Committee

A passionate team of people

Sankalp Chaturvedi

Rebecca Smith

Ruhena Begum

Ruhena Begum
Research and Finance Analyst

Yijun Chen

Jeremy Fernando

George Green

George Green
Senior Events Marketing Manager (Maternity Cover)

Katie Leung

Katie Leung
Senior Programme Manager

Poornima Luthra

Danielle Lyssimachou

Clara Martinez-Toledano

Sven Mikolon

Laure de Preux

Maria Psyllou

Anique Varleigh

Anique Varleigh
Programme Director, Finance Suite

Anu Wadhwa

Ceri Willmott

Ceri Willmott
Director, Career Consulting & Professional Development

Find out more

Athena Swan

Find out more about our commitment to supporting and transforming gender equality.

University EDI strategy

Find out more about the University's equality, diversity and Inclusion strategy.

Our student EDI strategy

Our aim is to strengthen our diverse and inclusive student community, and improve the experience of all students.

University-wide People and Culture support

Find out more about ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's university-wide Equality, Diversity & Inclusion support.

Student Support Zone

Find out more about the wide range of support for prospective students.

Staff wellbeing

Find out about our approach to staff health and wellbeing.

Employers

Our dedicated Employer Relations team works closely with you to understand your hiring needs and connect you to curious, AI fluent and business-ready talent.

Contact us

You can get in touch with us via email.