EAUC (The Environmental Association of Colleges and Universities)

• Introduced compliance focused EDI training for all staff.
• Introduced mental health first aiders and all managers have been trained in skills for mental health.
• Introducing an accessible communications guide for use by staff.
• Had externally facilitated discussions about our EDI practices and potential.
• Included an honest narrative about our EDI efforts and impacts in our annual report.
• Supported all staff members to set EDI objectives as part of our annual performance and development processes.
• Further refined our recruitment and induction practices, and onboarding activities to support new members of EAUC staff to our EDI work.
• Introduced equality impact assessments in our project and event planning processes.
• Joined the Diverse Sustainability Initiative to engage with broader networks and support.
• Conducted research with our members to better understand where those we work with are on their journey towards more equitable and inclusive ways of working, and supporting a diverse workforce (publication forthcoming).

EAUC supports EDI in the wider sector through research (e.g. our EDI and Sustainability in Post-16 Education study), resources and action guides that help members embed inclusive practice, and partnerships such as the Diverse Sustainability Initiative. We also convene networks, deliver mentoring and capacity-building opportunities, and ensure EDI is integrated into national programmes like Climate Ambassadors and the Green Gown Awards, helping institutions and individuals to learn, connect and lead change.

By the end of 2025, EAUC has set the following measurable EDI objectives (many of the ones we’ve set have already been achieved, see previous question):

1. Publish sector-wide EDI research with a focus on maximising impact and reach.
2. Complete a full policy review, embedding EDI considerations across all organisational policies and procedures, and report progress to the Board and membership in our 2025 Annual Report.

Looking ahead to 2026, our possible plans are:

1. Delivering a podcast mini-series on the intersections of sustainability and EDI, aiming for at least 1,000 listens/downloads.
2. Commissioning or co-creating a training series for members on embedding EDI in sustainability work, targeting a minimum of 50 participating institutions.
3. Hosting a senior sustainability leaders’ workshop focused on EDI leadership, with the goal of at least 80% of attendees reporting increased confidence to lead inclusively.
4. Curating an EDI track at the 2026 EAUC Annual Conference (or similar flagship initiative), ensuring representation of marginalised voices and evaluation of delegate feedback. These will be informed by the outputs of the Race Report staff perceptions survey and ongoing internal discussions, ensuring our objectives remain evidence-based, ambitious and responsive to sector needs.

• EAUC tracks and reports on EDI progress by contributing to external benchmarks such as the Race Report and engaging with the Diverse Sustainability Initiative to provide accountability through peer networks.
• Internally, progress is monitored through regular reporting to trustees and the board, integration into annual reporting, and discussion at all-team meetings alongside asynchronous staff feedback.
• Equality impact assessments, annual staff EDI objectives, and member-facing research also provide evidence of progress and areas for improvement, helping us to refine next steps and maintain transparency with members and stakeholders.