As technical societies, we recognise that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are critical to the growth, innovation, and success of the engineering profession. We strive to excel for our members and in our contributions to society.
These aims require that we create a culture of inclusion in which all members feel valued and can contribute to our capability as societies.
Engineering remains a sector that lacks diversity. It is upon all of us—leaders, members, and partners – to foster a more inclusive and diverse industry. Change comes from the top. As technical societies, we have an important role to play in leading this transformation.
Commitment to Representation
We commit to ensuring diverse representation across all aspects of our society, including:
- Targeting a diverse and inclusive Management Committee, so that we can better lead our industry towards solutions that are inclusive, accessible, and sustainable.
- Ensuring equity in selection of conference speakers and panellists, and that equitable opportunities to contribute and lead are available to all, targeting 40% women/40% men/20% any gender representation by 2027.
- Requiring technical subgroups, working groups, webinars, seminars and publications to promote inclusive participation and recognise the value of varied perspectives in engineering solutions.
Creating a Safe and Empowering Community
We strive to create a professional environment where all individuals—regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or background—feel safe, valued, and empowered to succeed. This includes:
- Raising awareness of systemic barriers and unconscious biases that impact career progression and workplace culture, so that we can design fairer systems, leading to stronger collaboration and engineering solutions for communities.
- Providing support networks that foster mentorship, sponsorship, and professional development opportunities.
Changing the Public Perception of Engineering
The way engineering is perceived plays a significant role in attracting diverse talent. We commit to actively reshaping outdated stereotypes by:
- Acknowledging the importance of authentic, diverse role models in engineering as a source of inspiration for future engineers.
- Showcasing engineering as a field that values and is driven by collaboration, creativity, and inclusivity—not just technical skills.
- Engaging in outreach programmes and partnerships to encourage participation from underrepresented groups.
Guiding Principles for a More Inclusive Industry
To drive lasting change, we commit to embedding the following principles in all society activities:
- Authentic engagement – Upholding Te Tiriti ō Waitangi through the recognition of Matauranga Māori and the principle of partnership. Valuing cultural competency as a core skill for Aotearoa’s engineers so that as a profession we can work with Māori and Iwi to deliver outcomes that benefit all society.
- Equitable Opportunity – Understand that opportunities within and aligned with the technical societies have been defined by the people who have held them to date. Advocate for strong candidates in all roles and positions within societies, while making space for diverse voices to contribute.
- Active Inclusion – Foster an environment where all voices are heard, valued, and respected. Ensure this is a guiding principle when defining the working environment, particularly in technical working groups, standards committees, society sub-committees etc.
- Accountability from Leadership – Ensure that DEI commitments are upheld at the highest levels of our society.
- Transparency and Measurement – Ensure that all societies report on diversity metrics and progress. Not only of membership statistics but also across all mediums of engagement, inclusive of conferences, publications, webinars and public events. Ensure that reporting of data is honest and representative of the issue at hand.
- Commitment – We commit to use our influence to promote these guiding principles beyond the immediate purview of the society
Download as a pdf file: Joint Technical Societies DEI Position Statement _formatted