We are a non-governmental, non-campaigning organisation focused on securing the future for birds and nature.
We use our science, monitoring and data to inform good environmental decisions and inspire others with the wonder of birds.
The heart of BTO encompasses three key areas: Birds, Science, People.
In 2023:
From 2022 in progress commitments: ALL COMPLETE Working with Dr Anjana Khatwa, we are providing Race-Equity awareness to all staff via a series of 5 short videos accompanied by sessions with Anjana to reflect on the videos and look at a case study; this work will be 'completed' in early February. We have captured baseline data on volunteers and supporters. From 2023 commitments: ALL COMPLETE (except action plan - see further on) EDI is more visible on our website, including links from the home page. EDI is a standing item on our Board and Finance & Risk Committee agendas. Managers are provided with guidance on discrimination, unconscious bias and recruitment. We use Talos (Applicant Tracking System) which standardised and anonymises all applications. Applicants are applying via the 'guaranteed interview' schemes we offer for those with a disability and from a minority ethnic background. We continue to collect baseline diversity data for all staff. We have hosted a new to nature intern and this individual is now permanently employed in BTO. We are in the process of working with Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning consultant, Helen Bown, to co-develop a vision and framework for inclusion with a group of staff and volunteer reps. This work has 4 workshops, staff engagement and will be presented as a final draft to staff, SLT and Board during Feb and March. This will result in clarity of vision, how we will know we are successful and the steps we need to take to get there.
In 2024:
We will publish our vision and framework for inclusion and from this prioritise actions.
Working collaboratively with staff, we will form a working group that holds us to account for delivering these actions and champions inclusion.
We will invest in roles to support our EDI work, designing and developing this role in a way that reflects the inclusive organisation we wish to be.
We will engage more volunteers in our inclusion work, including through sharing more content relating to EDI externally via blogs and stories. We will decide how we collect data on volunteers and supporters going forward.
We will learn about how to tell stories that capture inclusion at BTO and inspire others to join our movement. We will share stories from both existing supporters and new people we work with.
We will co-develop and deliver projects that both pilot new ways of working with communities not currently served by BTO, and that use our learning about genuine co-production.
We will support our newly formed Neurodiversity working group and work closely with them, including, to identify effective awareness training for BTO.