At ACEC-BC, we are committed to advancing equity and belonging in consulting engineering, recognizing the value that diversity brings to the work of our members. This commitment includes consideration for the planning and delivery of ACEC-BC events. We commit to increasing the visibility and contribution of people from under-represented groups as speakers and panelists in our events and professional forums.

Diverse perspectives and backgrounds make better panels and speaker rosters, generating more dynamic and engaging discussions, different perspectives, less repetition, and connections to a wider range of lived experiences.

Last year, we released the ACEC-BC Events Framework – an event type decision making framework guided by GBA Plus. The Guidance for Diversity on Panels & Speaker Rosters builds on the Events Framework and supports ACEC-BC event organizers by providing guidance on how to develop speaker rosters that are representative of the diversity we strive for in our industry.

Tokensim and Diversity

This guide discusses diversity and representation. It is important to recognize that not all dimensions of diversity are visible. It is also important to recognize that different aspects of an individual’s identity that contribute to diversity are personal and may not be something they want to share. Even if an individual has shared some aspect of their identity with you, it is not your information to share, and you should be sensitive to allowing that individual the opportunity to choose if they wish to share it with others. When thinking about who to invite to, reach into your network, but don’t disclose personal characteristics until you have permission from that individual.

Tokenism occurs when an individual is invited to join a panel or speaker roster as a symbolic effort, rather than being invited because of their valued perspectives and expertise. It is important to consider tokenism when identifying potential speakers, but it is also important to consider how we assess valued perspectives and expertise. These attributes are not solely connected to the person with the most seniority or the most visible role, nor are they connected only to those people who have had similar speaking opportunities in the past. It is not tokenism to ask someone with less experience or less recognized experience to speak on a topic as long as they are genuinely being invited to share their experience, knowledge, and perspectives.

ACEC-BC Events Planning Framework

The Events Framework is an event type decision making framework for planning ACEC-BC events and meetings. The framework was developed using GBA Plus: gathering input and perspectives from a range of stakeholders to inform the discovery approach and the guidance provided with the recommended event type(s). The framework has been developed to make planning easier and more efficient while assisting event organizers in identifying key considerations and factors to consider.