"Building a more equitable profession" - Robbie Turner, Director of Inclusion & Diversity at RIBA

Today, I’m joined by Robbie Turner - Director of Inclusion & Diversity at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

He was appointed by the RIBA in November 2022 to “ensure the architecture profession – and its systems and structures – are underpinned by inclusive values, actions, and policies”.

Robbie is a pharmacist by trade with extensive experience in pharmaceutical management. In 2018, he became Executive Director of Member Experience at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and spent four years developing their Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy.

Only months into his current role with the RIBA - and as a newcomer to the industry - I was keen to chat to Robbie about his move into architecture, his first impressions of the profession and the current state of EDI, as well as his plans to deliver positive change over the coming years.

Resources 

• Royal Institute of British Architects: https://www.architecture.com/ 
• Inspiring The Future #RedrawTheBalance. A film capturing how young children define career opportunities as male and female early in their education: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv8VZVP5csA  
• White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo https://www.waterstones.com/book/white-fragility/robin-diangelo/9780141990569 

Twitter:  @RobbieMTurner @RIBA
LinkedIn:  robbie-turner-b57a5827

About Stand Tall

Stand Tall with Rachel Bell is conversations about life, careers, and defining moments with people blazing a trail across property, architecture, engineering and construction.

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