The Open University (OU) is both proud of its efforts to promote inclusion, and is conscious of its responsibility to keep making progress so shining a light on their work is particularly fitting.<\/p>\n
Jennifer Dyer, Master of the University ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Jennifer-v3-300x203.jpg\")
<\/strong><\/h2>\nThe first of the trio to take to the stage was Jennifer Dyer, who has held roles in higher education and local government before focusing on inclusion in education.<\/p>\n
As policy director at Skill, the National Bureau for Students With Disabilities<\/a> she worked to improve access and inclusion in further and higher education.<\/p>\nShe then became a consultant for Action on Access<\/a>, which promotes widening participation in HE, and then became head of diversity at the Institute of Physics<\/a>.<\/p>\nBuilding on her previous experience, Jennifer led pioneering work to open up physics to people with disabilities, resulting in a ground-breaking report on inclusive teaching and learning.<\/p>\n
Working with partners at the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Royal Astronomy Society, she also developed an innovative survey of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender scientists to understand their challenges and experiences, creating a benchmark from which to drive change.<\/p>\n
She also spearheaded the development of Project Juno<\/a> \u2013 the programme that recognises and rewards physics departments that promote and support gender equality, of which the OU is currently the holder of a Project Juno Champion award.<\/p>\n\u201cYou can\u2019t be what you cannot see\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\nNow Jennifer is head of diversity and inclusion at the Royal British Legion<\/a>. She said:<\/p>\n\u201cIn the diversity world we often say you can\u2019t be what you can\u2019t see, which is why we need places like The Open University with its commitment to inclusion and it\u2019s richly diverse communities so that everyone here can see what they can truly be.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\nShe said it was particularly true of space science and physics where organisations needed to harness a true diversity of passion and creativity to find answers to some of the biggest questions we still have about our universe.<\/p>\n
She added:<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all deserve the opportunity to belong and it is incumbent on all of us to ensure that everyone around us feels that they can belong too.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\nAsif Sadiq, Doctor of the University <\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/LD23G-HG-Asif-Sadiq-v2-225x300.jpg\")
Asif began his career as a police officer, focusing on the importance of creating a diverse police force to best serve London\u2019s multicultural population.<\/p>\n
He was raised in Nairobi and came to the UK to study where he gained a degree in management and human resource management.<\/p>\n
There followed a role as head of the Equality, Diversity and Human Rights unit at the City of London Police<\/a> and presidency of the National Association of Muslim Police<\/a>, then President of the National Police Staff Support Network.<\/p>\nAfter a more than a decade in the police force, in which he specialised in preventing and tackling hate crimes, Asif stepped into the private sector in 2016 as head of diversity and inclusiveness for EY<\/a>, considered one of the \u2018big four\u2019 accountancy services firms in the UK and one of the largest\u00a0professional services networks\u00a0in the world.<\/p>\nHe has since gone on to senior leadership roles in a series of influential global organisations, including The Telegraph, Reebok and Adidas.<\/p>\n
Recognising the value of failure<\/strong><\/h4>\nToday, he is chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer at Warner Brothers Discovery, the global media and entertainment business. Other high profile advisory roles have followed and today he is still in touch with his policing roots as he is a special sergeant with the City of London police.<\/p>\n
Following acceptance of his Doctorate of the University he said it was a \u201cgreat honour\u201d to receive the award and that 25 years ago, when he started out on his role of promoting diversity \u201cit wasn\u2019t even a career\u201d.<\/p>\n
He urged the audience to recognise the value of failure: \u201cNo one talks about failure and the amount of times you fail.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\nHe said failure should not be seen as a negative thing:<\/p>\n
\u201cFailure teaches us. What is really important is how quick we get up from failure and try again.\u201d He argued that failure was the \u201cfundamental argument in success\u201d.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\nYves Bonavero, Doctor of the University<\/strong><\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/LD23H-HG-Yves-Bonavero-v2-225x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Paris-born successful businessman Yves Bonavero was made a Doctor of the University for his tireless work as a champion of human rights and social inclusion.<\/p>\n
The former group CEO of ED&F Man<\/a>, one of the world\u2019s leading suppliers of agricultural products known as \u201csoft commodities\u201d, he founded a series of international businesses in property development, logistics and distribution, consulting and capital management, including Woodsford Group Ltd<\/a>, which holds businesses to account for breaches of Environmental, Social and Governance standards.<\/p>\n
She then became a consultant for Action on Access<\/a>, which promotes widening participation in HE, and then became head of diversity at the Institute of Physics<\/a>.<\/p>\n Building on her previous experience, Jennifer led pioneering work to open up physics to people with disabilities, resulting in a ground-breaking report on inclusive teaching and learning.<\/p>\n Working with partners at the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Royal Astronomy Society, she also developed an innovative survey of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender scientists to understand their challenges and experiences, creating a benchmark from which to drive change.<\/p>\n She also spearheaded the development of Project Juno<\/a> \u2013 the programme that recognises and rewards physics departments that promote and support gender equality, of which the OU is currently the holder of a Project Juno Champion award.<\/p>\n Now Jennifer is head of diversity and inclusion at the Royal British Legion<\/a>. She said:<\/p>\n \u201cIn the diversity world we often say you can\u2019t be what you can\u2019t see, which is why we need places like The Open University with its commitment to inclusion and it\u2019s richly diverse communities so that everyone here can see what they can truly be.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n She said it was particularly true of space science and physics where organisations needed to harness a true diversity of passion and creativity to find answers to some of the biggest questions we still have about our universe.<\/p>\n She added:<\/p>\n \u201cWe all deserve the opportunity to belong and it is incumbent on all of us to ensure that everyone around us feels that they can belong too.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n He was raised in Nairobi and came to the UK to study where he gained a degree in management and human resource management.<\/p>\n There followed a role as head of the Equality, Diversity and Human Rights unit at the City of London Police<\/a> and presidency of the National Association of Muslim Police<\/a>, then President of the National Police Staff Support Network.<\/p>\n After a more than a decade in the police force, in which he specialised in preventing and tackling hate crimes, Asif stepped into the private sector in 2016 as head of diversity and inclusiveness for EY<\/a>, considered one of the \u2018big four\u2019 accountancy services firms in the UK and one of the largest\u00a0professional services networks\u00a0in the world.<\/p>\n He has since gone on to senior leadership roles in a series of influential global organisations, including The Telegraph, Reebok and Adidas.<\/p>\n Today, he is chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer at Warner Brothers Discovery, the global media and entertainment business. Other high profile advisory roles have followed and today he is still in touch with his policing roots as he is a special sergeant with the City of London police.<\/p>\n Following acceptance of his Doctorate of the University he said it was a \u201cgreat honour\u201d to receive the award and that 25 years ago, when he started out on his role of promoting diversity \u201cit wasn\u2019t even a career\u201d.<\/p>\n He urged the audience to recognise the value of failure: \u201cNo one talks about failure and the amount of times you fail.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n He said failure should not be seen as a negative thing:<\/p>\n \u201cFailure teaches us. What is really important is how quick we get up from failure and try again.\u201d He argued that failure was the \u201cfundamental argument in success\u201d.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Paris-born successful businessman Yves Bonavero was made a Doctor of the University for his tireless work as a champion of human rights and social inclusion.<\/p>\n The former group CEO of ED&F Man<\/a>, one of the world\u2019s leading suppliers of agricultural products known as \u201csoft commodities\u201d, he founded a series of international businesses in property development, logistics and distribution, consulting and capital management, including Woodsford Group Ltd<\/a>, which holds businesses to account for breaches of Environmental, Social and Governance standards.<\/p>\n\u201cYou can\u2019t be what you cannot see\u201d<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Asif Sadiq, Doctor of the University <\/strong><\/h2>\n
Asif began his career as a police officer, focusing on the importance of creating a diverse police force to best serve London\u2019s multicultural population.<\/p>\nRecognising the value of failure<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Yves Bonavero, Doctor of the University<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n