Nature Heroes - EDIB Group

EDIB stands for Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity, and Belonging. We are a voluntary staff network that aims to inspire, empower, and engage people from all backgrounds, cultures, identities, and abilities to change the natural world for the better. The EDIB group goals are to:   

1. Function effectively as a vehicle for change across KWTG. 
2. Positively impact the staff, members, and volunteers' experience within KWTG.  
3. Facilitate and advocate for the engagement of KWTG with a diverse external audience.  

The significance of the EDIB group in shaping new champions for nature has never been so important. Reports consistently state how behind the conservation sector is in establishing a world where nature is universally accessible. In fact, conservation is the 2nd least diverse industry in the UK. We acknowledge that everyone has a role to play in the fight against climate and biodiversity emergencies, by accepting and encouraging all who want to help in that fight. The EDIB Group stands as a beacon, offering capacity, enthusiasm, and expertise to existing teams, allowing them to improve continually.  

Our group meets monthly to strategise and deliver actions that meet our goals. We recognise the importance of honest self-assessment as an organisation, identifying our current state and outlining the necessary steps for improvement. Within this safe space, members openly discuss ideas and address barriers they may have encountered at work, with the ultimate goal of creating an environment where everyone feels heard and truly belongs. 

So, how are we achieving this?

We've established a close relationship with the KWTG People team to provide a feedback loop for ideas and facilitate accessible training and improvements for all staff. As part of our ongoing inclusivity efforts, the EDIB group has initiated a 'living library' that captures the lived experiences of staff, volunteers, and members, with the intention that staff can learn from those experiences.

Also, EDIB is embedded in our Project Management Framework, meaning EDIB permeates through work streams and departmental strategies, ensuring its integration into key areas. This approach offers capacity and expertise for supporting team actions and aims to provide staff and volunteers feel more included and passionate about their work. We are additionally working closely with our Communications team to write a series of blogs on the Group's work and the members' experiences, to further educate our audience on the differing experiences of our team. All of this works towards the final goal of improving the diversity within KWTG, and we are currently working to improve the recruitment process so that the best candidate is aware of the job, feels encouraged and confident in applying, and any unconscious bias is removed from the hiring team.  

Inspiring our Trust

We are inspiring our Trust to be involved through our internal newsletter, The Buzz, which regularly updates on EDIB activities, inviting participation and awareness. The group is consistently growing, with new members contributing ideas. Our meetings are exciting, passionate, and positive, and we take away short, medium, and long-term wins to work on alongside our day-to-day workloads. We are also inspiring our trust to improve their recruitment practises and inclusivity of their work lives through training, challenging beliefs, raising awareness of different lived experiences, and encouraging diverse candidates to apply for jobs and volunteering opportunities so we can make the biggest impact for nature possible.  

What's next?

The EDIB Strategy is a catalyst for change, prioritising action-oriented meetings to positively impact the experiences of Kent Wildlife Trust staff, members, and volunteers. By building teams representing our communities, we aim to create more nature heroes and initiate a ripple effect of passion for nature. While we acknowledge that this journey is just beginning, our internal staff engagement has grown, recruitment practices are improving, and we are committed to measuring our demographics, creating accessible reserves resources, and improving our website and training resources. The climate and biodiversity emergencies affect us all, and we are all needed to fight them.  

As we welcome everyone to join us on this transformative journey, these changes not only unite us as a team but also enhance our mission to protect nature in Kent. We invite you to reach out, share your thoughts, and contribute to our collective growth!