Speaker diversity at RCPsych events

The Royal College of Psychiatrists has strong values, and under its value of ‘Respect’ is committed to ‘promoting diversity and challenging inequality’.
 
The RCPsych believes that everyone should be respected, regardless of sex, race, sexual orientation, religion or faith, gender reassignment, disability, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, or age.
 
The college is also a diverse organisation. For instance, 45% of its members are female and 37% of its members are from a minoritised ethnic background.  
 
Therefore, as a consequence of the college values and the demographic profile of its membership, RCPsych events should always strive to reflect diversity.
 

Diversity at RCPsych events 

Each year, the College runs around events, through its central events team, Faculties, Devolved Nations, Divisions, Special Interest Groups (SIGs), College Centre for Quality Improvement (CCQI) and National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH).
 

It is critical that those RCPsych members and staff involved in creating College event programmes strive to ensure that the speakers represent the diversity of the College membership.

To ensure diversity and inclusion at RCPsych events
  • Committees, advisory boards and working groups involved in creating or approving event programmes strive to reflect the diversity of the College membership.  
  • Calls for papers and posters include a diversity statement, making it clear that the conference would welcome and encourage submissions from women and minority groups. 
  • Calls for symposia and workshops include a diversity statement encouraging a diverse faculty

If a committee or individual presents a conference programme that does not reflect the College’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, college staff should be encouraged to challenge the content before publicising the event. If necessary, this can be escalated to the relevant college director. 

If representing the college, members, officers and staff should consider whether it would be appropriate to speak at events that do not reflect the college’s values, as they pertain to diversity.
  
Approved by Council, 12 October 2018