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A picture of Prof Rebeccah Slater who says “New departmental initiatives inspired by Athena Swan have positively influenced our decision-making processes to make us more reflective, responsive and fair.”

Using Data to Drive Positive Cultural Change

We are creating and developing a flagship departmental scheme where we use historical data to drive positive cultural change. Before key decisions are made by committee members, interview panels or board representatives, departmental data related to prior decisions and outcomes are presented to each decision-making member.

Key decision-making processes where data is used to drive positive cultural change includes selecting new graduate students, appointing, retaining and advancing members of staff, and recommendations for recognition of distinction awards.

For example, before interviewing potential graduate students, the interview panel are presented with data that highlights how many women have previously applied for the post, been shortlisted for interview, been offered and have taken up the post. Trends in our decision-making processes are visually presented in a clear and timely manner to remind us of the importance of addressing imbalances or biases in our decision-making process.

The transparency in which this data is discussed allows us all to reflect on our unconscious biases before key decisions are made. Our aim is to make departmental decision-making processes more reflective, responsive and fair.

A picture of hands at a laptop and a quote relating to the Paediatrics project to streamline data into all decision making "The transparency in which this data is discussed allows us all to reflect on our unconscious biases before key decisions are made"

 

Click here to read about EDI activity in one of our other 16 departments:

MSD Goes Silver: 10 Years of Athena Swan