INTERVIEW | KEVIN KELLY asking the BAME community what we can do to make CIBSE more inclusive. Kelly has a sense of how women experience the industry through his daughter, a finance director at a construction company. He tells how she took a male project manager (PM) along for a meeting with a male agent, and despite her being the decision-maker, the agent only spoke to the PM, even when his daughter was asking the questions. I asked her, did it affect your decision? She said, not really, but if it was touch and go, and there was another company with the same offer, he wouldnt have got the business. Its really stupid for people to be like this, but they dont realise theyre doing it, says Kelly. Its subconscious bias. At TU Dublin, Kelly says there was training to overcome this bias, which he underwent. It makes you question yourself and increases self-awareness, he says. Training should be compulsory for every organisation, because subconscious bias is so prevalent, and people are unaware People do want to meet in real life, but we need to retain virtual meetings - particularly for families. Theyre an extra layer of inclusivity they are doing it. Its up to all of us to question the way we treat people from different backgrounds. Kelly believes that the Covid-19 pandemic will leave a legacy of virtual working that will help with diversity, because it is more inclusive and will particularly enable parents with young children to remain active in the profession. Although people do want to meet in real life, and one to ones are easier, we need to retain virtual meetings particularly for families. Theyre an extra layer of inclusivity. On diversity, Kelly is leading by example. As CIBSE President, he has co-opted three women onto the CIBSE Board to increase the ratio of women to men from 3:9 to 6:9. I made it clear that I want to hear more female voices on the board, he says. If everybody at the top level is male, theres something seriously wrong that doesnt represent the society they are serving. Kelly is also keen for the CIBSE Board to be more representative of minorities. We still have a very white board. We have one representative from Hong Kong, but we really, really need more representation from BAME people. Its clear from his inauguration speech and our interview that Kelly intends to spend his year in office realising the goals laid out in his curriculum vitae: that there will be increased opportunity for talented people regardless of their background with no discrimination or snobbishness in any form. The co-opting of three women to the CIBSE Board is just Kellys first step towards creating a more balanced and representative Insitution. CJ IMAX XTRA 2 The UKs experts in commercial heating EXPERTS Total plant room solutions by Ideal Heating and ACV UK idealheating.com welcome to our ideology 18 June 2021 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE June 21 pp16-19 Kevin Kelly.indd 18 21/05/2021 15:47