On November 6th, our Inclusivity and Outreach Commissioners attended the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers’ EDI(Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) Imperative Forum in Ottawa. This annual event brings together EDI advocates and enthusiasts ranging from students to Professional Engineers who are engaged in the engineering community and want to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of the field.
Equity, diversity and inclusion is a multifaceted issue which seeks to understand and advocate for the complex and unique needs of individuals from different groups. Here’s a breakdown of these concepts, if you’re not quite familiar.
Equity is the idea that for everyone to have the same opportunities and successes, they need to be given different resources and supports.
Diversity is the idea that we are all unique, and intersectionality is the idea that we might be unique in different ways, each of which affects our overall identity and the oppression, barriers and experiences we face.
Inclusion is the system of practices, ideas and strategies we use to make everyone feel welcome. It might even include challenging the existing systems to ensure everyone feels safe and included.
OSPE recognizes the importance of events like these:
“Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Canada’s STEAM sector is vital –the moral and business case has been made. If we don’t work together to remove barriers to full inclusion, our businesses, educational institutions, and society will miss out on innovative ideas, perspectives and attitudes that can help shape our nation’s future.
It is time to recognize that more needs to be done to ensure EDI becomes a reality, not only by sharing insights on the challenges that persist, but by defining solutions to address them. This event is not just about creating a conversation, it’s about fostering a movement. How can we make an impact?”
OSPE,https://ospeedi.ca/