Recognising who is in the room. Diversity concerns understanding that each individual is unique, recognising our individual differences and exploring these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing way to value each other as individuals.

Belonging and being your whole self. Inclusion is an effort and practice in which different groups or individuals with different backgrounds are culturally and socially accepted, welcomed, and treated equally. This concerns treating each person as an individual, making them feel valued, supported and being respectful of who they are.

Breaking down walls and changing the room Equity is not the same as Equality. It focuses on need and recognises that as not everyone starts from the same place then treating people equally may not be fair. People have different levels of privilege so equity concerns taking a systems view to consider power and removing structural barriers to success.

Intersectionality is “the interconnected nature of social categorisations such as race, class, and gender, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage”. It is the acknowledgement that everyone has their own unique experiences of discrimination and oppression and we must consider everything and anything that can marginalise people and how these interact.

The Equality Act 2010 prohibits all employers, service providers and providers of education, from discriminating against, harassing or victimising individuals according to their protected characteristics.

Liberation means challenging and reversing oppression. Working towards freedom from oppression for all.

Under the Equality Act 2010, it is against the law to discriminate against someone because of a protected characteristic. These are: •Age, •Disability, •Gender reassignment, •Marriage and civil partnership, •Pregnancy and maternity, •Race, •Religion or belief, •Sex, •Sexual orientation

Direct discrimination is where an individual is treated less favourably due to having, being perceived to have, or being associated with someone who has a protected characteristic. It is illegal under the Equality Act 2010 https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/adviceand-guidance/what-direct-and-indirect-discrimination

Indirect discrimination occurs when a policy (e.g. practice, rule or arrangement) that applies in the same way for everybody, disadvantages a group of people who share a protected characteristic. It is illegal under the Equality Act 2010. https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/adviceand-guidance/what-direct-and-indirect-discrimination

Harassment is unwanted behaviour that you find offensive because you have a protected characteristic or connection with a protected characteristic. The behaviour must have the purpose or effect of violating your dignity, or creating a degrading, humiliating, hostile, intimidating or offensive environment for you. https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/adviceand-guidance/what-harassment-and-victimisation#harrassment

Victimisation is treating someone badly because they have done, or are believed to be about to do a protected act. This does not need to be linked to a protected characteristic. https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/adviceand-guidance/what-harassment-and-victimisation#victimisation

Where a disabled person is at a substantial disadvantage compared with people who are not disabled there is a duty to take reasonable steps to remove that disadvantage by: •Changing provisions, criteria or practices. •Changing or removing a physical feature or providing a reasonable way to avoid that feature. •Providing auxiliary aids. https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/adviceand-guidance/commonly-used-terms-equal-rights#reasonable

Positive Action means the steps that an employer can take to encourage people from groups sharing a protected characteristic who: •Have different needs. •Have a past track record of disadvantage. •Have a record of low participation. https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/adviceand-guidance/commonly-used-terms-equal-rights

A protected act is: • Making a claim or complaint of discrimination (under the Equality Act). • Helping someone else to make a claim by giving evidence or information. • Making an allegation that you or someone else has breached the Equality Act. • Doing anything else in connection with the Equality Act. https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/adviceand-guidance/what-victimisation#h1

Objective justification gives a defence for applying a policy rule or practice that would otherwise be unlawful indirect discrimination, or using a rule or practice based on age that would otherwise be direct discrimination. https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/adviceand-guidance/commonly-used-terms-equal-rights

The cloud manufacturing model is the concept of sharing manufacturing capabilities and resources on a multi-tenant cloud platform, capable of making intelligent decisions to provide the most sustainable and robust manufacturing route available. What are the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion considerations when sharing manufacturing capabilities and resources on a cloud platform?

Virtual Reality (VR) is a computer-generated environment with scenes and objects that appear to be real, making the user feel they are immersed in their surroundings. Augmented Reality (AR) is an enhanced version of the real physical world that is achieved through the use of digital visual elements, sound, or other sensory stimuli delivered via technology. What are the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion considerations when using VR or AR within a manufacturing environment?

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) covers the domains of machine-to-machine and industrial communication technologies with automation applications. What are the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion considerations when using IIoT within manufacturing systems?

A robot is an autonomous machine that performs a task without human control. A cobot is an artificially intelligent robot that performs tasks in collaboration with human workers. Thus, the cobot differs from autonomous robots in that it is programmable and works together with the human. What are the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion considerations of humans working alongside cobots and robots?

Additive manufacturing is the industrial production name for 3D printing, a computer-controlled process that creates three dimensional objects by depositing materials, usually in layers. What are the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion considerations when using additive manufacturing?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a technique that enables computers to mimic human intelligence. Machine learning is a subset of AI that includes statistical techniques (algorithms) that enable machines to improve tasks with experience. What are the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion considerations when using AI and machine learning within manufacturing systems?

Automation is the use of technologies including equipment and software to automate production processes originally performed by human labour. What are the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion considerations from automating manufacturing systems?

A digital twin is a virtual representation of an object or system that spans its lifecycle, is updated from real-time data, and uses simulation, machine learning and reasoning to help decision-making. What are the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion considerations when creating a digital twin of a manufacturing system?

Cyber Physical Production Systems (CPPS) are systems that integrate the cyber world and physical production lines. Through the integration and collaboration of computing, communication, and control, known as the “3C’s,” CPPS provide real-time sensing, information feedback, dynamic control, and other services. What are the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion considerations when combining the cyber world and physical production lines?

A person belonging to a certain age or range of ages. How could you and your work be more equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive of people according to age?

A person has this protected characteristic if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on their ability to do normal day to day activities. Disabilities can be apparent or hidden and differ in affect. How could you and your work be more equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive of people according to disability?

Referred to as Gender Reassignment in the Equality Act, a person has this protected characteristic if they are proposing to undergo, are undergoing or have undergone a process (or part of a process) for the purpose of reassigning the person's sex by changing physiological or other attributes of sex. How could you and your work be more equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive of people according to trans identity?

A person has this protected characteristic if they are married or in a civil partnership. How could you and your work be more equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive of people according to marriage and civil partnership?

Pregnancy is the condition of being pregnant or expecting a baby. Maternity refers to the period after the birth, linked to maternity leave in the employment context. In the non-work context, protection against maternity discrimination is for 26 weeks after giving birth, and this includes treating a woman unfavourably because she is breastfeeding. How could you and your work be more equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive of people according to pregnancy and maternity?

A person’s colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins. How could you and your work be more equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive of people according to race?

Religion or belief means reference to any belief or religion or lack thereof. How could you and your work be more equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive of people according to religion or belief?

Reference to a man or a woman. How could you and your work be more equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive of people according to sex?

A person's sexual orientation towards persons of the same, opposite, or either sex. How could you and your work be more equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive of people according to sexual orientation?

A person's physical characteristics (e.g., size, appearance) can influence how they experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How can you ensure that you and your work are equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive, regardless of physical characteristics?

A carer is anyone who is responsible, unpaid, for the care of a friend, family member or another person who, for a variety of reasons, is not currently able to cope without their support. This can influence how they experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How can you ensure you and your work are equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive of people on the basis of their caring responsibilities?

A temporary impairment is a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial negative impact on the ability to do day to day activities on a temporary basis. This can influence how people experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How can you ensure that you and your work are equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive of those with a temporary impairment?

Socio-economic background can relate to an individual’s family, status or financial background. This can influence how they experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How can you ensure that you and your work are equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive of people according to socio-economic background?

Neurodiversity refers to individual differences in brain functioning regarded as normal variations within the human population. This can influence how people experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How can you ensure that you and your work are equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive of people according to neurodiversity?

Individuals and groups will have different personal interests which will influence how they view and interact with you and your work. This can influence how they experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How can you ensure that you and your work are equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive regarding the interests of the people who will be affected by it?

Individuals and groups will have different preferences which will influence how they view, use and interact with you and your work. This can influence how they experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How can you ensure that you and your work are equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive regarding the preferences of the people who will be affected by it?

The career stage (e.g., apprentice, student, graduate, ECR, senior colleague) of an individual or group may affect how they experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in relation to you and your work. How could you and your work be more equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive of people of all career stages? How can you ensure this in an appropriate manner?

A person's job role (e.g., factory floor, administration and support, management) may influence how they experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in relation to you and your work. What effect might you and your work have on a range of job roles? How could you and your work be more equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive of all job roles?

A person's level of education may influence how they experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in relation to you and your work. How can you ensure that you and your work are equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive of people with all levels of education?

A person's language skills, for example needing to communicate in multiple or second languages, can influence how they experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How can you ensure that you and your work are equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive of people regardless of their linguistic characteristics?

A person's nationality can influence how they experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How can you ensure that you and your work are equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive to people of all nationalities?

Individuals and groups will have different abilities which will influence how they view, use and interact with you and your work. This can influence how they experience issues of Equality Diversity and Inclusion. How can you ensure that you and your work is equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive regarding the abilities of the people who will be affected by it?

Issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion can result from, and be experienced differently according to the role that individuals or groups have in relation to your work. How do different roles, (e.g., student, PI, participant) experience and affect how equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive your work is? Do they all experience fairness, equity and foster diversity? How?

Issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion can result from, and be experienced differently according to the sites where individuals or groups experience your work. How do different sites (e.g., university, factory, home) affect the equality, equity, diversity and inclusion of your work? Do they experience and affect fairness, equity and foster diversity? How?

Day to day desk work can be a source of issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive are the requirements for desk work associated with your work? Who do they exclude? How could they be made more inclusive?

Conferences and events can be a source of issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive are the conferences or events that you participate in or help to organise? Who do they exclude? How could they be made more inclusive?

Informal social interaction associated with your work could be a source of issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive are the informal social interactions associated with your work? Who do they exclude? How could they be made more inclusive?

Organised social events can be sources of issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive are the organised social events associated with your work? Who do they exclude? How could they be made more inclusive?

Communication, for example, emails, presentations or face to face interactions, can be a source of issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive are the communications associated with your work? Who do they exclude? How could they be made more inclusive?

Travel associated with your work can be a source of issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive are the travel requirements and arrangements associated with your work? Who do they exclude? How could they be made more inclusive?

Recruitment practices can be a source of issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive are your recruitment practices? Who do they exclude? How could they be made more inclusive?

Day to day work can be a source of issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive are your work practices? Who do they exclude? How could they be made more inclusive?

Grant applications can be a source of issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive are your grant application practices? Who do they exclude? How could they be made more inclusive?

Administration can be a source of issues of Equality Diversity and Inclusion. How equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive are your administration practices? Who do they exclude? How could they be made more inclusive?

Products (of research) can be a source of issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive are your (research) products? Who do they exclude? How could they be made more inclusive?

Commercialisation processes can be a source of issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive are your commercialisation practices? Who do they exclude? How could they be made more inclusive?

Research participants can experience and be a source of issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive is your work with research participants? Do you treat people and groups fairly and equitably and foster diversity? How?

Research questions can be a source of issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive are your research questions? Do they treat people and groups fairly and equitably and foster diversity? How?

Research methods can be a source of issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive are your research methods? Do they treat people and groups fairly and equitably and foster diversity? How?

Research analysis can be a source of issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive is your research analysis? Does it treat people and groups fairly and equitably and foster diversity? How?

Research outputs can be a source of issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive are your research outputs? Do they treat people and groups fairly and equitably and foster diversity? How?

Work in a laboratory or other specialist setting can be a source of issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive is the lab or specialist work associated with your work? Who does it exclude? How could it be made more inclusive?

People may experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion according to whether they are able to access what they need to in relation to you work. How accessible is your work? Who is unable to access it? How could it be made more accessible?

People may experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion according to how they find you and your work welcoming or unwelcoming towards them. How welcoming is you work and its environment? How can you make it as welcoming as possible to as wide a range of people as possible?

People may experience issues of Equality Diversity and Inclusion for reasons of prejudice; preconceived views not based on reason or experience. How may you and your work be vulnerable to prejudice? How could you deal with this to remove prejudice in relation to your work?

Microaggressions are commonplace behaviours that serve to denigrate individuals or groups. They may be intended as a compliment or a joke but demonstrate bias or prejudice associated with a group and can result in them feeling uncomfortable and insulted. Microinvalidations are communications that exclude or negate the feelings or experience of a person of a certain group. How may microaggressions and microinvalidations interact with you and your work?

Respect concerns showing politeness care and honour to something considered important. Disrespect is the opposite. People may experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion according to how their views and values are respected. How respectful is your work of different perspectives and values? How could it be more respectful?

People may experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for reasons of bias. Biases are stereotypical views for or against certain individuals or groups. They can be conscious and explicit or unconscious and outside of conscious awareness. How could bias affect you and your work? How could you become aware of and work to minimise the influence of bias in your work?

People or groups may experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for psychological reasons. How psychologically equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive is your work and its outputs? Who does it psychologically include or exclude? How could it be more inclusive?

People or groups may experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for economic reasons (e.g., cost). How economically equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive is your work and its outputs? Who does it economically include or exclude? How could it be more inclusive?

People or groups may experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for reasons of belief. How equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive is your work and its outputs regarding different beliefs? Who does it include or exclude according to belief? How could it be more inclusive?

People or groups may experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for interpersonal reasons. How equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive is your work and its outputs according to interpersonal factors? Who does it include or exclude according to interpersonal elements? How could it be more inclusive?

People or groups may experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for reasons of dignity or lack of dignity. How equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive is your work and its outputs according to dignity? Who does it include or exclude according to dignity? How could it be more inclusive?

Bullying is the repeated use of an imbalance of power for hostile intent. People may experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for reasons of bullying. How might bullying interact with your work and its outputs? How might it interact with existing power structures? How could you prevent any potential bullying?

People or groups may experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for physical reasons (e.g., space, accessibility.) How physically equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive is your work and its outputs? Who does it physically include or exclude? How could it be more inclusive?

People or groups may experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for cultural reasons. How culturally equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive is your work and its outputs? Who does it culturally include or exclude? How could it be more inclusive?

People may experience issues of Equality Diversity and Inclusion according to how their individual and group perspectives and needs are understood or misunderstood. How do you understand issues around EDI in relation to your work? What gaps are there in your understanding? How can you fill these gaps to appropriately understand the issues of EDI around your work?

How work is discussed, framed, talked about and understood can influence issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How does the discourse of your work influence issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion? How could the discourse be changed to help make your work more equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive? What would the effect of this be? Could there be any unintended consequences?

Simply listening to people about issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is a valuable first step. It helps in understanding how the issues are understood and experienced, and how you and your work may become more equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive. How could you effectively listen to those affected by your work around Equality, Diversity and Inclusion? How can you ensure that people feel that they are heard?

Leadership can set an example for others to follow around issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How can you ensure that you lead in a way that is more conscious of issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion? How could you influence other leaders to do the same?

Educational approaches concern formal or informal training or self-learning exercises around issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. What educational steps could you take to help deal with issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion? What would the effect of these be? Could there be any unintended consequences?

Material factors around Equality, Diversity and Inclusion concern physical elements of you work and its environment, for example the accessibility of the work environment or the physical nature of your work and its products. How could you make material changes to these things to improve issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion? What would the effect of this be? Could there be any unintended consequences?

How work is managed or governed can influence how it engages with issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How does how your work is governed influence issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion? How could you use elements of governance to help make your work more equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive?

Participatory approaches concern engaging stakeholders, those involved with or affected by your work, to participate in the consideration of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How could you invite people to participate in your work to improve issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion? What would the effect of this be? Could there be any unintended consequences?

Consultation concerns engaging with experts and stakeholders around issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and your work. Who could you consult with to help improve issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in relation to your work? How might you engage them? What would the effect of this be? Could there be any unintended consequences?

The language used in your work is important in how it engages with issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How might the language you use contribute to issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion? What changes could you make to language to make your work more equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive? What effect would this have? Could there be any unintended consequences?

Social Events may help improve issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in relation to your work. How could you hold appropriate social events to improve issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion? What effect would this have? Could there be any unintended consequences?

Ensuring that diverse groups are represented in your work at all levels may help improve issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How can you ensure that as diverse a group as possible is represented in relation to you work in an appropriate manner? What effect would this have? Could there be any unintended consequences?

Providing support may help to improve issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. What support is needed around issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion? How could you meet this need? What would the effect of this be? Could there be any unintended consequences?

Providing safe spaces where people are enabled to speak without fear of censure about issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion can help answer people's questions, provide support and boost confidence. How could you appropriately set up a safe space for discussion of issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion? What effect would this have? Could there be any unintended consequences?

Being an ally concerns supporting others around issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion when an individual is not directly affected by them themselves, acting an ‘ally’ for others. How could you act as an ally to others around issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and how could you encourage others to do the same? What would the effect of this be? Could there be any unintended consequences?

Being an active bystander concerns actively ‘calling out’ examples of exclusion and discrimination and intervening, not simply standing by and doing nothing. How can you appropriately become an active bystander with regards issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and encourage others to do the same? What would the effect of this be? Could there be any unintended consequences?

Inclusive design means designing for everyone so that as wide a range of people can use a technology or service as possible. How could you design your work so that it is accessible for as wide a range of people as possible? What would the effect of this be? Could there be any unintended consequences?

Co- production concerns producing a solution to a problem directly alongside stakeholders to make the solution together. It is closely related to co-design. How could you involve stakeholders in co-production of activities in relation to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion? What would the effect of this be? Could there be any unintended consequences?

Co-design concerns involving stakeholders in the design process of a piece of work, technology or process to design together a solution to a problem. It is closely related to co-production. How could you engage stakeholders in co-design around issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in relation to your work? What would the effect of this be? Could there be any unintended consequences?

Individuals or groups could offer an equivalent but alternative contribution to the work or project, more suited to their abilities or skills. How could you work accommodate and benefit from equivalent alternative contributions? What would the effect of this be? Could there be any unintended consequences?

Diverse role models can act as examples and may help improve issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in relation to your work or product. How can you appropriately promote a diverse range of role models in relation to your work? What would the effect of this be? Could there be any unintended consequences?

Specific goals and aims will allow you to know how your work is progressing in relation to issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. What are your Equality, Diversity and Inclusion goals and aims? How will they be measured? Is this appropriate and valid? According to whom?

Greater satisfaction could be a goal to work towards in relation to issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How satisfied with issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion are those affected by your work currently? How could this be improved? How could you assess this?

Work towards improving issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion can have a wide range of potential impacts. What impact would you intend for improvements in issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion to have? How could you go about achieving this? How could you assess any impact?

Work to improve issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is valuable at all levels of ambition. What would you like the effect of your work to improve Equality, Diversity and Inclusion to be? Is this too ambitious or not ambitious enough?

Data may help you measure your progress towards goals in relation to issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. What data would you need to capture for this and how? What change are you hoping for? Is this appropriate and valid? According to whom?

A change in perception around issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion may be a measure of success. What change in perception would you hope for? How would you assess any change in perception? Is this appropriate and valid? According to whom?

A change in feedback around issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion may be a measure of success. What change in feedback would you hope for? How would you assess any change in feedback? Is this appropriate and valid? According to whom?

Something intangible and hard to define may be an indicator of success. What change in intangible elements would you hope for? How would you assess any change in intangible elements? Is this appropriate and valid? According to whom?

Monetary cost may impede measures to improve issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How much would improving issues of EDI cost? Who will pay for this and how? How would this potential barrier be overcome?

Time pressures may impede measures to improve issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How much time would improving issues of EDI take? Whose time would this be and how will this affect their other priorities? How will this potential barrier be overcome?

Whilst they may be highly confident and expert in some areas, people may find issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, difficult and intimidating, leading to a lack of confidence in efforts to improve them. How can you boost people's confidence to deal with EDI and help them to make genuine improvements.? What resources could you draw on and what help might you need?

People may lack the knowledge or ability to effectively improve issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How do you provide people with the necessary motivation, skills and ability? How will this affect other priorities? How will this potential barrier be overcome?

Efforts to improve issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion may clash with and be considered secondary to other priorities. How do you ensure that improving EDI is of a high enough priority to be effective? How will this be done? How will this potential barrier be overcome?

In certain cases, issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion may be considered to be appropriate or unavoidable. How would you appropriately justify when this would be the case? How are these cases minimised? How will this potential barrier be overcome?

There may be concerns that work examining issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion may run the risk of reputational damage to a group or organisation. How could you ensure that efforts to improve issues of EDI serves to enhance reputations rather than potentially damage them? How do you communicate this to people?

It is an individual’s choice to disclose or keep confidential characteristics or information which may affect how they experience issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. Work needs to be inclusive regardless of whether characteristics are disclosed or kept private. How can you ensure that your work is as inclusive as possible regardless of whether such information is disclosed or kept private?

In the face of competing priorities moves to improve issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion may need to be balanced with other priorities. How do you ensure that these compromises are reasonably justified? How are these cases minimised? How will this potential barrier be overcome?

People may lack understanding around issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, their importance and their effect on people. How can you help improve this understanding to help improve issues of EDI? What resources can you draw on and what help might you need?

People may be unwilling to learn about issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How could you increase people's interest and willingness to learn? What resource can you draw on and what help might you need?

Partners in your work may not share the same views around issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and their importance. How could you ensure that your partners contribute improving issues of EDI? What challenges might this produce and how might you deal with these?

People may feel like they do not possess the necessary ability or influence around issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. How might you mitigate any perceived or genuine lack of influence? What resources could you draw on and what help would you need to challenge this?

Issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion may be viewed and considered differently according to the national or international context of the work or project. How can you ensure that your work is as equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive as possible in the face of potential differing international perspectives What resources could you draw on and what help might you need for this?

Different cultures may view issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion differently with values potentially coming into conflict with one another. How can you ensure that your work is as equal, equitable, diverse and inclusive as possible whilst dealing with the potential challenges of the cultural context in an appropriate manner? What resources can you draw on and what help might you need?

People may have the best intentions to improve Equality, Diversity and Inclusion but the steps they propose may be unhelpful, counter-productive or even damaging to efforts to do so. How can you ensure that your actions will have a genuine positive impact on issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and help ensure that positive intentions result in positive outcomes?

Not believing the work needs to be done or not seeing the value in it. Haven’t we already got equality? Is it because of their protected characteristics or achievements?

Over focus on data and hesitation to take action until everything has been analysed from multiple angles. Why now? Can we wait until there’s good practice and evaluation from somewhere else? Have our ideas been proven to work?

Reluctance to take ownership and wanting someone else to do the work. Who has the responsibility for EDI? Can someone else own this?

Doing the minimum to satisfy the requirements. Why would we do anything more than the absolute minimum to meet the requirements?

Seeing issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion as a threat to a position or being a personal disadvantage. Who or what are we losing so we can be diverse and inclusive? What’s in it for me?

Doubting the ability to make a genuine difference. What can I do about the culture, it’s been like this for years?

Seeing issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion as subject for discussion and debate rather than with real world implications. Why can’t I say what I want when we have freedom of speech?

Resisting efforts to improve issues of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. Why is it no longer acceptable for me to do something and/or use that word/phrase?

Seeing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion as a thing to tick off a list rather than worthy of genuine engagement. We already have this group represented, so does that mean we don’t need to do anything else?

Complicating the issue. We are already doing lots for this group, why are we not doing anything for other groups? Is it the responsibility of those with certain protected characteristics to educate the rest? Shouldn’t we be sharing the workload?

Worrying about making a misstep and not doing anything in case it’s not the right thing. What if I do or say the wrong thing? What is my position in relation to this? Am I privileged?

Mechanisms that support the continuous interaction between humans and autonomous systems working towards a common goal are known as ‘human in the loop’. As more manufacturing systems are automated, challenges relating to capturing human expertise and working alongside these systems will increase. What are the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion considerations when combining human and autonomous systems’ expertise together to solve manufacturing challenges?

Trustworthy autonomous systems (TAS) are safe, reliable, resilient, ethical and trusted. Managing trust through transparent interaction will increase the confidence of those using autonomous systems, allowing them to be adopted in scenarios never before thought possible. What are the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion considerations to make an autonomous system trusted by all?

Data privacy and security hazards to the manufacturing sector include operational downtime to physical damage, product manipulation and the theft of intellectual property and sensitive data. As more processes are digitised and increasing volumes of consumer data are collected, the risks relating to data privacy and security will increase. What are the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion considerations arising from safely handling manufacturing and/or consumer data?

Interoperability refers to the ability of humans, sensors, machines and other devices to work together with each other. Many digital manufacturing solutions rely on being able to collect, store, analyse and model varied data formats from multiple sources. This presents challenges for achieving interoperability. What are the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion considerations relating to interoperability?

Manufacturers, particularly Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs), often retain outdated equipment and enterprise systems. Digital manufacturing has the integration of systems and technologies at its heart; this presents technical challenges to enable multiple systems to work together. What Equality, Diversity and Inclusion considerations do existing legacy systems present and when upgrading legacy systems?

Manufacturing systems are complex interactions between machines, processes and people to complete tasks in a flexible, agile manner. As such systems are automated, the skills required of people to work within these systems will rapidly evolve, and current skills may become redundant. What are the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion considerations when ensuring the workforce of the future has the skills required to work in future manufacturing factories and plants?

Manufacturers continually cite finance as a key barrier preventing them investing in the digitisation of their manufacturing systems or future research and development. What are the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion considerations of the financial implications of future digital manufacturing systems, factories and plants?