Five industry bodies have come together to commit to better equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) outcomes in the landscape, horticulture, and arboriculture sectors.
Representatives from the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL), British Association of Landscape Industries, the Landscape Institute (LI), the Society of Garden Designers (SGD), have signed a joint declaration to work towards a more diverse and inclusive industry through the sharing of work and good practice.
Following on from BALI’s December 2021 Access All Areas panel discussion, the charter commits signatories to:
- monitoring and benchmarking EDI across the industry
- educating and upskilling colleagues and members on EDI
- promoting the industry as an inclusive and accessible environment with opportunities for lifelong rewarding careers for all
“As well a severe skills shortage in the natural environment sector, there’s a marked lack of diversity,” said LI Chief Executive Sue Morgan. “To transform the world for the better, we must understand and represent the interests and experiences of all the communities we serve.
“As landscape professionals, our members operate in and connect both the built and natural environments. Much like the memorandum of understanding and subsequent action plan we co-signed with five of our fellow built environment bodies earlier this year, this cross-sector approach is exactly the sort of initiative we need to see to change things for the better.
“I’m delighted that we’re continuing to make such positive progress, and look forward to working with our colleagues across all sectors to embed equity, diversity, and inclusion in both workplaces and communities – built and natural – that are welcoming to all.”
