Recommendations for Meeting Organizers to Improve Diversity and Inclusion at Annual Meetings

The SRM Diversity Task Force was established in 2016 in response to member-identified concerns brought before the SRM Board of Directors to have a more inclusive society. The Diversity Task Force was charged by the SRM Board of Directors to “Prepare a briefing document that can be used by Annual Meeting Planning Committees to encourage participation from underrepresented individuals and/or groups in plenary panels and other Annual Meeting functions (e.g., symposia, field tours)”. These recommendations were developed by the Diversity Task Force and adopted by the SRM Board of Directors. This document should not be interpreted as requirements but as a list of recommendations that can be utilized to help meeting organizers be inclusive of a wider diversity of people, beliefs, and backgrounds. The unique nature of our profession means that meetings will often take place in rural or outdoor settings. While some conditions may present challenges, the Society’s commitment to diversity and inclusion does require a good-faith effort in all Society-sponsored activities. Many of these guidelines can also be applied to SRM Section meetings. Although Section meetings are often held in smaller venues with limited facilities, consideration of these items can help meeting organizers develop a more inclusive and welcoming meeting.

Diversity refers to differences among people concerning their origins, life experiences, and views, and includes individual differences due to gender, ability, socioeconomic status, age, race, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, occupation, discipline, and other social differences. Inclusion means accepting and supporting individuals or groups that are different from oneself so that everyone feels welcomed, valued, affirmed, and invited to participate fully and actively in the organization. Commitment to diversity and inclusion comes from the understanding that diversity contributes to organizational excellence, and inclusion is an ongoing process that must be embedded in all aspects of organizational structure, culture, and function. As such, increasing diversity and inclusion within SRM and our annual meetings calls for SRM leaders, meeting organizers, and members to commit to continuing self-assessment and self-education to achieve a more diverse and inclusive professional society. This document is based on several sources including 1) feedback at SRM diversity and inclusion listening sessions, 2) SPARC (2017) Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Learnings & Next Steps: An Opencon Report on Conference Planning, 3) Sardelis et al. (2017) Ten strategies to reduce gender inequality at scientific conferences, and 4) input from the SRM diversity task force and other SRM members.