Kent Wildlife Trust have a group dedicated to ensuring that, as an organisation, we are equitable, diverse, inclusive and give a sense of belonging (EDIB) to all those that we interact with – whether that be staff, members, or the general public.
EDIB Groups such as ours are crucial across all industries in the UK, but especially within conservation. A recent study found that our sector is the 2nd least diverse in the UK, demonstrated by the fact that this article is being written by the chair of the EDIB Group – a heterosexual, non-disabled, middle-class, white, cis man.
For any in doubt as to why this work is so important, that statement itself and the below statistics should highlight the need for change:
- Only 3.1% of environmental professionals are from a global ethnic majority background (also known as ethnic minorities in the UK) compared to 19.9% in all other occupations (Institution of Environmental Science, 2017).
- 35% of LGBTQIA+ staff across the UK hide the fact that they are LGBTQIA+ at work for fear of discrimination (Stonewall, 2018).
- 21% of the adult working population in the UK are disabled, yet there are between 1.8% and 3.1% fewer disabled people in professional or technical occupations and 4.1% fewer in management positions compared to non-disabled people (Office of National Statistics, 2021).
- 29% of women, compared to 4% of men, reported that their gender played a role in missing out on a work opportunity; and 15% of women, compared to 2% of men, reported sexual harassment while working in conservation (James et al., 2023);
- Similarly, levels of discrimination (active, passive and subconscious) toward Religion, Age, Income and Class are heavily present within conservation and are equally priorities for the EDIB Group.
There are many reasons for this, some of which go back hundreds of years. For many, nature is inaccessible, exclusive, expensive and unsafe for under-represented groups. The countryside is seen by all communities surveyed as a ‘white’ environment - 44% of white people had visited the natural environment the week before the survey took place (Natural England, 2017) compared to 26% for black and Asian communities. Accessible natural green space in urban areas is a vital part of this, as only 2% of the Global Ethnic Majority population in the UK live in rural areas, and all of this feeds back into a disconnection between diverse communities and the conservation sector.
Accessibility issues present significant barriers to disabled and low-income communities of all ethnicities visiting nature. For example:
- the requirement of private transport; funding for equipment, such as walking boots or wellies, and paying for entrance, bus or train fare (if there even is a public transport route to high-quality greenspace);
- travelling (on foot or wheels) along a road due to the poor state of footpaths;
- time is required to organise all of the details for these trips, which is a real issue for people working long hours and those who care for family members either as a full-time occupation or outside of their job;
- and the lack of accessible routes or information about accessibility for people who use wheelchairs or have difficulties walking long distances is another barrier.
It is safe to assume that the majority of people working in conservation began through their love for the natural world, where their interest in ecology, biology, zoology, etc., started at a young age. For instance, I grew up watching Steve Irwin, the Discovery Channel and going for walks in the countryside. My grandparents lived in rural Berkshire, with a wolf sanctuary less than five minutes from their front door. If I had not had access to the natural world in these ways, I think it is not very certain that I would be working in this sector and writing this blog.
The conservation sector is also heavily dependent on voluntary experience. The vast majority of staff at KWTG have put in considerable voluntary hours to gain the experience to succeed in interviews and job offers. This is a massive barrier for many communities, where voluntary work is not an option for various factors, e.g. disability or income.
Our work is often so exciting and enjoyable – which is a double-edged sword. People are willing to do it for free – often students or retired people – which drives down wages and reduces employment opportunities at the entry level. Volunteering is crucial for the work of the Trust and all conservation charities; however, it does present a barrier to improving the organisation's diversity.
There are plenty of studies on why a more diverse and inclusive organisation is beneficial: it is more efficient, you attract the best candidates for new roles, make more money, etc.
However, I don’t feel those should be stated in this situation. We should want engagement with the Trust – and the conservation sector as a whole – to feel more equitable, diverse, inclusive and with a sense of belonging for that very reason and no other. We are all fighting against biodiversity and climate emergencies, and we should accept and encourage all who want to help in that fight.
How does the EDIB Group work?
The EDIB Group comprises staff across Kent Wildlife Trust, Adonis Blue Environmental and Wilder Carbon – who, together, make up Kent Wildlife Trust Group. It is a voluntary group, and all EDIB work is done on top of original workloads, which presents a capacity and expertise barrier within itself!
Everyone is welcome. We actively encourage at least one member from each team within the Trust to join the group, which currently has around 25 active members and 15 or so staff who engage occasionally when their workload permits.
Consequently, one of the three goals within the EDIB Strategy is to ensure that the EDIB Group functions effectively as a vehicle for change across the Trust. The Group has languished slightly in recent years. With our new Chair, a finalised strategy and an acceleration of the work of the EDIB Group, we have begun to tick things off the list.
