ULANC’s diversity policy
Lancaster University Management School, ULANC (LUMS), is situated within the wider University of Lancaster (ULANC), which is guided by the UK Equality Act 2010/2017, the framework by which legislation targeting specific forms of discrimination and marginalisation can be addressed. The ULANC strategic vision and ULANC policies work within this framework to focus on EDI issues including specific GE issues of the gender pay gap, sexual harassment and misconduct prevention, hiring and retention rates and patterns, work/life management policies, LGBTQ and Trans rights and family leave policies. ULANC and ULANC (LUMS) participate in the Athena SWAN Charter and Race Equality Charter which supports efforts towards achieving gender equality and equality across minority ethnic groups in Higher Education. ULANC (LUMS) holds an Athena Swan bronze award that denotes activities planned for the future and is working towards the silver level that recognises applicants have some activities already in place and can demonstrate the impact of these activities so far. It is aiming to apply for the silver award in 2025.
Within the wider ULANC framework, ULANC (LUMS) has established an EDI structure to support EDI work across the School. ULANC (LUMS) has an EDI committee that oversees and guides EDI initiatives and practices including Athena Swan and the Race Equality Charter within the School. TARGETED-MPI has representation on this committee. ULANC (LUMS) has also established an EDI action group to implement an EDI awareness-raising action plan implemented by EDI representatives from each of ULANC (LUMS) six academic departments and professional services section. A member of the TARGETED-MPI team is also one of the departmental representatives in this action group and shares regular updates and feeds into EDI committee discussions. This action plan has been informed by EDI initiatives in the School including insights from the TARGETED-MPI project and will support GEP implementation through a focus on key areas that link to the ULANC (LUMS) GEP areas of intervention. In addition, an EDI Forum has been established by ULANC and this runs termly for all LUMS staff members to attend. The Gender Equality Observatory (GEO), established by TARGETED-MPI is part of the ULANC (LUMS) structure and reports to the EDI committee.
The structure and function of ULANC (LUMS)’ GEO
For the duration of the TARGETED-MPI project, the GEO comprises representation from the TARGETED-MPI project team and the ULANC (LUMS) Athena Swan team. The GEO composition is purposeful in bringing together these key GE initiatives. The GEO is chaired by the Executive Dean of ULANC (LUMS). The GEO is administered by the TARGETED-MPI senior research associate during the project and will be administered by a ULANC (LUMS) staff member after the project’s completion. According to the ULANC (LUMS) EDI committee schedule, the GEO meets once per academic term. The GEO meets prior to the ULANC (LUMS) EDI committee so that representation from the GEO can provide monitoring updates to the ULANC (LUMS) EDI committee, including any additional developments or further actions arising from the implementation of GEP. The GEO follows the ULANC (LUMS) committee meeting protocol, which involves documenting the meeting with minutes that are sent to the chair for agreement before they are circulated with an agenda for the next meeting. Agenda items will focus on the key aims of the GEO: the implementation and monitoring of the ULANC (LUMS) GEP, dissemination of the project’s results, and the GEP to internal and external stakeholders.
ULANC (LUMS) GEO, as an integral member of the GEO network, will contribute to the EDI strategy developed between the project partners during the final year of the project. This will include:
- Engagement with and contribution to GEO network development plans as developed by the GEO network lead (AUEB).
- Contribution to the ongoing development of the GEO network.
- Contribution to the organisation of a major event for stakeholders that the network will organise every two years.
- Exchange of expertise and sharing of experience.
ULANC (LUMS)’ GEO members and expertise
The GEO comprises five members, Dr Sophie Alkhaled, Prof. Valerie Stead, Dr Yunyan Li, Prof. Konstantinos Zografos, and Prof. Claire Leitch. Sophie is the Director of the Academy for Gender, Work and Leadership in LUMS. Her research and teaching build on a postcolonial feminist approach to understanding gender and diversity in organisations and enterprise in a global context. Valerie’s research focuses on gender and power to examine multi-level inter-relational dynamics between the individual, the organisation and the social that shape leadership practice and learning of leadership. She also leads on the Gender Matters project. Yunyan’s social policy research focuses on investigating the interaction between the Chinese modernisation process and transforming Confucianism, and the implications of these shifting institutional, social, and economic dynamics on women in urban and rural areas. Konstantinos is Distinguished Professor of Operational Research in Transportation and Logistics. He has been involved in more than 70 R&D projects funded by the European Commission, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the General Secretariat for Research and Technology of the Hellenic Republic, and private companies and organisations in Greece, the European Union, and the USA. Claire Leitch is LUMS’ Executive Dean and on the Board of Lancaster University’s Council. Her research focus is on the development, enhancement and growth of individuals and organisations in an entrepreneurial context with a particular focus on leadership, leadership development and learning. She is the chair of the GEO.
Upcoming GEO events
Online Roundtable: Mentoring and reverse mentoring as key interventions towards advancing gender equality in Business and Management Schools
Overall Objective: This workshop will serve as a knowledge-sharing forum for GEO network to share lessons learned in designing and implementing mentorship programmes and in their institutions for advancing gender equality and supporting women’s career development. During the workshop, project partners (invited speakers) will elaborate on the opportunities, challenges and best practices towards implementing and monitoring mentorship and reverse programmes to support staff at different career stages through an equality, diversity and inclusion perspective.
Place: Online
Date: September 2026, 2pm BST
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