Our commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI)

We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to experience the joy of wildlife in their daily lives, that’s why we’re committed to putting equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of our work.  

We are working to better understand the current diversity of our organisation, the people we work with and the audiences we speak to. We are in the process of developing a new EDI Policy to guide our efforts in this area and to help ensure we are the accessible and inclusive organisation that we all want NWWT to be. Once published, that policy will be shared here along with news, personal stories and blogs which will highlight our progress and celebrate the diversity of our staff and volunteers. 

The loss of nature, environmental degradation and climate change are all wicked problems.  They are complex and interconnected.  These problems will not be fixed without a high degree of innovative thinking.  Just putting more resources into continuing the current approach will not solve the problem…if it was ever going to work it would have worked by now.  In order to create the space for innovation we need people who think differently to come together, people with different backgrounds, beliefs, experiences, ideas, and outlooks.  Sharing contested views in a safe space, sparking each other's imaginations, sharing thoughts and stories, reaching compromises are all important steps in innovating.  To do this effectively we need to understand the lens through which we view life, make judgements, live out our beliefs, and evaluate progress.  Understanding the beliefs and values that sit behind our individual thinking is essential.

Looking at it another way, where does the flow of goods and services associated with all we do end up?  Access to nature, clean water, clean air are a fundamental ingredient of a healthy life.  Do the goods and services we help provide flow to all people?  We are a charity and the beneficiaries of all we do are people.  We must actively work to ensure all our beneficiaries benefit from our work and everything for which we stand.  Access to nature should be for everyone. 

Additionally, if we always recruit in our own likeness, we will end up speaking the same way, thinking the same way, and acting the same way.  There is a danger that the world changes around us and we miss the signs.  Our resilience is compromised without diversity.

Whichever stream of logic you follow, they are all compelling.  However, all cases present an instrumental reason for being more inclusive in our work. There is also a powerful intrinsic reason that is sovereign over all others.  To live in a kind, compassionate, humane, and congenial world then organisations and institutions need to reflect the values that support this.  There is a strong moral and ethical perspective on equality, diversity, and inclusion.  We should respect everyone, and this fundamental belief is written throughout the DNA of the North Wales Wildlife Trust. To demonstrate this requires us to be proactive.  Trustees and staff are working hard to ensure EDI is not just a tick box exercise, it is a way of being.  If you are able to help us get there, we want to engage. With this in mind, our doors, along with our reserves, are always open.

Howard Davies (NWWT Chairperson and Trustee)

We are one of 46 Wildlife Trusts across the UK who are working hard for nature's recovery, but we cannot do it alone. In recognition of this The Wildlife Trusts have published an Equality Statement which outlines their commitments to EDI in the coming five years.

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