Driving equity, diversity, and inclusion within the foundation industries, this initiative brought leaders together for the first time to share knowledge, foster collaboration, and create lasting resources, sparking meaningful engagement and cultural transformation across the sector.
Introduction
TransFIRe is funded by the UKRI Transforming the Foundation Industries challenge fund, set out to develop innovative technology to reduce energy and resource use within the foundation industries – which include the cement, glass, ceramics, paper, metals and bulk chemicals sectors.
TransFIRe is an interdisciplinary research and practice hub with 12 UK research organisations and more than 80 project partners from across the foundation industries, trade associations, professional membership bodies, civic sector and government organisations.
Jo Stansfield, Inclusioneering’s founder, acted as a fractional leader for TransFIRe’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) programme, reporting to Professor Sue Black OBE, which informs and supports adoption of best practice for EDI within the UK foundation industries and beyond.
The Brief
EDI was a new topic and area of practice for many Foundation Industry organisations. Working as a fractional EDI leader for the TransFIRe programme, Jo identified a significant opportunity for TransFIRe to:
- Convene foundation industry businesses for the first time on the topic of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI)
- Invite expert speakers to educate and inform foundation industry leaders, and
- Build a supportive network to share what’s worked, and what hasn’t, in an informal and confidential guided discussion format
Our Approach
Jo led a range of EDI engagement activities, including establishing an EDI Working Group that convenes Foundation Industry leaders on the topic of EDI. Over its 2.5 year timespan, 30 members joined the EDI Working Group, in roles spanning production, operations, HR and executive leadership, and representing 19 Foundation Industry organisations. In addition to the group members, 6 external experts in EDI joined as guest speakers during course of the programme. EDI engagement activities were also prominently featured in each of TransFIRe’s three annual Foundation Industry Forum events, engaging a broad audience from across these industries.
Jo also led production and hosted the Equity Edge podcast, alongside Professor Sue Black OBE. The Equity Edge welcomes expert guests in discussion about shaping tomorrow’s foundation industries, with a focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), and how it can help us achieve a sustainable and fairer future.

Impact
This work sparked engagement about the topic of EDI across the Foundation Industries for the first time, and provided a safe space for leaders and EDI champions to come together to discuss key topics for their businesses and industry. Although the TransFIRe programme has now completed, the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining now hosts the EDI Working Group, which is open for all materials, minerals and mining organisations and professionals to join.
Our industry engagement also enabled TransFIRe to capture Case Studies of good practices by its partners in the EDI Playbook for the Foundation Industries, an enduring knowledge base to support EDI adoption in these industries.
Contact us for support with your EDI programme”Thank you for everything you have done in terms of support and guidance and providing opportunities to hear from others. I don’t think we would have been as successful in our journey without your support. There is still some work to do, but it has been transformational from where we started.
Melissa Bevington, Head of HR, Materials Processing Institute, and EDI Working Group member