Victor Vasarely
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THE WHITE BOARD - Four Years Later
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In March 2021, I published an article titled “The White Board”. The article was about the composition of the boards and senior teams of various organisations involved in science, research funding and technology transfer in the UK, from the perspective of race (and gender, see further below).
I looked at the composition of 48 groups in these organisations and the number of people of colour in these groups. Now in mid-2025 I have looked at the same 48 groups for the fourth time and the data are as follows (Table 1):
I looked at the composition of 48 groups in these organisations and the number of people of colour in these groups. Now in mid-2025 I have looked at the same 48 groups for the fourth time and the data are as follows (Table 1):
Table 1 Summary and breakdown of the data for People of Colour
British science, research and technology transfer remain racist; but perhaps less racist than they used to be if this data is a clue. It is not really for me to say, ask the people who suffer the racism.
The membership of leadership and senior teams in any organisation is so important; people look up; and what do they see? For the groups resolutely lacking racial diversity, what are they doing? Are they trying hard and not getting there yet? Are they so clever they think it doesn’t matter?
Table 2 shows the number of the 48 groups with zero people of colour: 10, of which 6 are from Technology Transfer Offices and Technology Transfer Investment groups; money stays white.
British science, research and technology transfer remain racist; but perhaps less racist than they used to be if this data is a clue. It is not really for me to say, ask the people who suffer the racism.
The membership of leadership and senior teams in any organisation is so important; people look up; and what do they see? For the groups resolutely lacking racial diversity, what are they doing? Are they trying hard and not getting there yet? Are they so clever they think it doesn’t matter?
Table 2 shows the number of the 48 groups with zero people of colour: 10, of which 6 are from Technology Transfer Offices and Technology Transfer Investment groups; money stays white.
Table 2 Summary and breakdown of the data for People of Colour
For those groups who are resolutely white, are you good enough to feel embarrassed and to take action? Can you convert your embarrassment into transformative action?
Representation at the ‘top’ of organisations is only one aspect of under-representation and lack of diversity, and it is of course encouraging to see improvement. Some organisations are actively taking steps to address lack of racial diversity at board level, with some success. Others seem immune, detached from the issues, resolutely white, complacently racist. Some start with the excuses, ah, yes, round here, you see, East Anglia ... Starting with the excuses is a clear sign they aren’t making the effort.
Chart 1 shows the changes over time: an improving trend, and the still very long way to go for representation of people of colour.
For those groups who are resolutely white, are you good enough to feel embarrassed and to take action? Can you convert your embarrassment into transformative action?
Representation at the ‘top’ of organisations is only one aspect of under-representation and lack of diversity, and it is of course encouraging to see improvement. Some organisations are actively taking steps to address lack of racial diversity at board level, with some success. Others seem immune, detached from the issues, resolutely white, complacently racist. Some start with the excuses, ah, yes, round here, you see, East Anglia ... Starting with the excuses is a clear sign they aren’t making the effort.
Chart 1 shows the changes over time: an improving trend, and the still very long way to go for representation of people of colour.
Chart 1 Changes from 2021 to 2025 for numbers of people of colour.
The dotted line at 18.3% is from the 2021 UK Census data which shows that 18.3% of the population are people of colour; that is between one in five and one in six people.
An improving trend overall, but not improving for TT Office and TT Investor boards. It seems a massive mindset change is necessary here. One example: in early June, the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) with expertise from UCI and Research England, published the Spinout Register: “For the first time, we have information available at the company-level for the population of UK university spinouts, all collected to a common definition”. This is a satisfying achievement, but the opportunity is missed to collect any data about diversity - race, gender, other aspects of diversity, of founders, investors. This is an opportunity missed – but not for too long, let us hope. Yes it is difficult, but it is not impossible.
Gender
And so, to gender, the representation of women in the boards and senior teams of various organisations involved in science, research funding and technology transfer in the UK. Table 3 shows the data for the split between men and women in these same 48 boards and teams: 46% of these 590 people are women, proportionately far closer to representing the UK population as a whole than for race.
The dotted line at 18.3% is from the 2021 UK Census data which shows that 18.3% of the population are people of colour; that is between one in five and one in six people.
An improving trend overall, but not improving for TT Office and TT Investor boards. It seems a massive mindset change is necessary here. One example: in early June, the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) with expertise from UCI and Research England, published the Spinout Register: “For the first time, we have information available at the company-level for the population of UK university spinouts, all collected to a common definition”. This is a satisfying achievement, but the opportunity is missed to collect any data about diversity - race, gender, other aspects of diversity, of founders, investors. This is an opportunity missed – but not for too long, let us hope. Yes it is difficult, but it is not impossible.
Gender
And so, to gender, the representation of women in the boards and senior teams of various organisations involved in science, research funding and technology transfer in the UK. Table 3 shows the data for the split between men and women in these same 48 boards and teams: 46% of these 590 people are women, proportionately far closer to representing the UK population as a whole than for race.
Table 3 Data for proportion of women compared to men in the 48 groups
The same data from the Table 3 is represented in Chart 3. These show the improving trend, and relatively closer to equity than for representation of people of colour. Again, Technology Transfer is lagging behind. And what is happening amongst the Learned Societies, Charities and University Groups?
The same data from the Table 3 is represented in Chart 3. These show the improving trend, and relatively closer to equity than for representation of people of colour. Again, Technology Transfer is lagging behind. And what is happening amongst the Learned Societies, Charities and University Groups?
Chart 2 Changes from 2021 to 2025 for numbers of women.
Taking action
Many organisations are taking steps to address race and gender diversity, equity and inclusion, with strategies, action plans, toolkits. Many are addressing inequality in other areas as well.
A group of women venture capitalists have recently set up Invest in Equity, which is ‘Advancing Gender Equity in Life Science Investment. Because Equity Isn’t Just Financial, It’s Foundational’. Go for it, do it, make something change in your professional area.
Research England has recently published its “Research England action plan for equality, diversity and inclusion” with four objectives, including data collection:
1. To advance Research England’s funding, partnership, and engagement practices to create a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive research and knowledge exchange system.
2. To enhance Research England’s data and evidence collection, analysis, and sharing to improve our own and the sector’s understanding of and responses to EDI issues in the system.
3. To further develop the EDI confidence and capabilities of Research England’s staff, as well as our workplace culture and wellbeing.
4. To be a more inclusive organisation by embedding EDI in our internal decision-making structures and improving the accessibility of our external communications.
Maybe the Research England data collection can feed in to the Spin-out Register, for which they provided expertise, although perhaps not quite enough.
Taking action in Technology Transfer
Here is a framework for addressing Diversity, equity and inclusion in TT:
1. In Your TTO
2. In Your institution
3. Outside.
Technology Transfer is very well-placed to have a positive influence on EDI because of the nature of TT activities - very broad-based research outputs and involving many different people and groups in the innovation community.
1. In your TTO
This is all about the employment and management practices of your TTO and the work-place culture. Does your TTO have an EDI-minded approach to recruitment, progression, leadership, and governance? Are under-represented groups represented? Do people understand the difference between diversity and inclusion? What is the gender balance, what is the ethnicity balance?
2. In your institution
This is about how the TTO can influence EDI within the institution that the TTO serves (university, research institute, hospital etc).
Is the TTO engaging with under-represented groups amongst the researchers and academics? Are you seeing disclosures to the TTO that fully represent the diversity of academic and research staff in your institution? Could you develop awareness raising activities, training courses that attract people from under-represented groups, for example? Are you working with role-models to help promote engagement? Are you thinking what the barriers might be?
3. Outside your TTO and Institution
There is huge opportunity for TTOs to influence EDI outside the TTO and Institution.
We can look at this in terms of:
It is the very nature of TT activity that places TT in such a strong position to help improve equality, diversity, and inclusion in the world.
Finally
As mentioned in previous years, I am not an HR professional, social scientist, nor involved in organisational data monitoring. I am sure some people are clever enough to pick holes in the approach and methodology; that isn’t the point really; it’s the bigger picture and overall patterns that are important, and for each individual group to question themselves.
In another year’s time, what will the position look like? Is it getting better? – yes. Does it still matter? – yes. Is it good enough? – no.
Action is overdue, but never too late.
Taking action
Many organisations are taking steps to address race and gender diversity, equity and inclusion, with strategies, action plans, toolkits. Many are addressing inequality in other areas as well.
A group of women venture capitalists have recently set up Invest in Equity, which is ‘Advancing Gender Equity in Life Science Investment. Because Equity Isn’t Just Financial, It’s Foundational’. Go for it, do it, make something change in your professional area.
Research England has recently published its “Research England action plan for equality, diversity and inclusion” with four objectives, including data collection:
1. To advance Research England’s funding, partnership, and engagement practices to create a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive research and knowledge exchange system.
2. To enhance Research England’s data and evidence collection, analysis, and sharing to improve our own and the sector’s understanding of and responses to EDI issues in the system.
3. To further develop the EDI confidence and capabilities of Research England’s staff, as well as our workplace culture and wellbeing.
4. To be a more inclusive organisation by embedding EDI in our internal decision-making structures and improving the accessibility of our external communications.
Maybe the Research England data collection can feed in to the Spin-out Register, for which they provided expertise, although perhaps not quite enough.
Taking action in Technology Transfer
Here is a framework for addressing Diversity, equity and inclusion in TT:
1. In Your TTO
2. In Your institution
3. Outside.
Technology Transfer is very well-placed to have a positive influence on EDI because of the nature of TT activities - very broad-based research outputs and involving many different people and groups in the innovation community.
1. In your TTO
This is all about the employment and management practices of your TTO and the work-place culture. Does your TTO have an EDI-minded approach to recruitment, progression, leadership, and governance? Are under-represented groups represented? Do people understand the difference between diversity and inclusion? What is the gender balance, what is the ethnicity balance?
2. In your institution
This is about how the TTO can influence EDI within the institution that the TTO serves (university, research institute, hospital etc).
Is the TTO engaging with under-represented groups amongst the researchers and academics? Are you seeing disclosures to the TTO that fully represent the diversity of academic and research staff in your institution? Could you develop awareness raising activities, training courses that attract people from under-represented groups, for example? Are you working with role-models to help promote engagement? Are you thinking what the barriers might be?
3. Outside your TTO and Institution
There is huge opportunity for TTOs to influence EDI outside the TTO and Institution.
We can look at this in terms of:
- the technologies, projects, and knowledge that we are transferring - do any of them have a positive effect on addressing EDI? Are any of them helping to address challenges across all groups of people in society, especially under-represented groups? Are there any stories we can be telling about how the TTO has helped in this regard?
- the organizations we work with, either our suppliers (patent attorneys, lawyers, consultants), or our partners (investors, companies, licensees, incubators). Do they have good EDI practices? Are they EDI-minded? If not, do you want to use any leverage you have to encourage them? In the same way we promote good ‘access to medicines’ practice in licensing deals, you can ensure licensed technology is used and applied in an EDI compliant manner.
- the spin-out companies we set up; as a shareholder we have a voice at the table for ensuring these new companies are EDI-minded from the start, in every aspect of their business activities and governance.
- the international reach of our activities, in terms of learning from and helping improve EDI practices with all our partners around the world.
It is the very nature of TT activity that places TT in such a strong position to help improve equality, diversity, and inclusion in the world.
Finally
As mentioned in previous years, I am not an HR professional, social scientist, nor involved in organisational data monitoring. I am sure some people are clever enough to pick holes in the approach and methodology; that isn’t the point really; it’s the bigger picture and overall patterns that are important, and for each individual group to question themselves.
In another year’s time, what will the position look like? Is it getting better? – yes. Does it still matter? – yes. Is it good enough? – no.
Action is overdue, but never too late.