RIBA responses to government consultations on equality, diversity and inclusion
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is committed to making architecture and the broader construction industry more inclusive. We believe a diverse and inclusive profession, representative of the societies in which our members work, is pivotal to meeting the challenges of the future faced by our profession.
We work with government to help support our members to maximise potential value of architects’ diverse backgrounds, knowledge, skills and experience to build a stronger, more productive and creative profession in which all members of society have an opportunity to thrive and excel. Our consultation responses highlight our support for this.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
Architects Registration Board: Consultation on Accreditation Rule 4.2 – degree awarding powers
November 2024
The consultation seeks feedback on the ARB’s requirement for institutions offering accredited master’s qualifications to either have degree awarding powers or partner with an institution that does.
Our response argues that changes in wording from “qualification awarding powers” to “degree awarding powers” goes against the regulatory overhaul that resulted as part of ARB’s Tomorrow’s Architects consultation. We believe it will risk negating much of the positive work being undertaken by ARB and RIBA to promote a more diverse profession and work against equity and inclusion.
Read our full response to the Accreditation Rule 4.2 consultation. (PDF)
Architects Registration Board: Professional Practical Experience Commission – call for evidence
April 2024
This consultation asks for views, experiences and insights into Professional Practical Experience (PPE) in architecture – the initial education and training for an architect through employment.
Our response calls for a more accessible, inclusive, and diverse architectural profession. We emphasise the need for dialogue between academia and practice, propose reforms to ensure fair access and support for students, and advocate for diverse pathways to registration. We also suggest improvements in practical experience such as better paid employment, mentoring, and flexible work-study models.
Read our full response to the Professional Practical Experience Commission call for evidence. (PDF)
Architects Registration Board: Consultation on education and training reforms – Tomorrow’s architects
May 2023
This consultation sought views to the Architects Registration Board’s consultation, ‘Tomorrow’s Architects’ outlining proposals for architectural education and training reforms. The consultation suggests replacing Parts 1, 2 and 3 with two accredited qualifications and a series of new learning outcomes as a measure of accreditation.
Our response highlights that current proposals fall short of the radical changes that are needed to transform our education system. We advocate for a system promotes diversity and inclusivity, by facilitating the growth of alternative routes to entry.
Read our full response to the Tomorrow's Architects consultation. (PDF)
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: parental leave and pay – supporting parents and achieving equality
November 2019
This consultation sought views on improving reforming parental leave and pay, proposals for entitlements for parents of babies who require neo-natal care and considers new measures to increase transparency of the employer offer on flexible working and family-related leave and pay.
Our consultation response highlighted the work that the RIBA is taking in these areas.
Read our full response to the consultation. (PDF)
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: ethnicity pay reporting
January 2019
This consultation sought views on ethnicity pay reporting by employers. It sets out options and asked questions on what ethnicity pay information should be reported by employers to allow for meaningful action and who should be expected to report.
Our consultation highlighted that we support efforts to introduce ethnicity pay reporting as a further step to improving diversity and inclusion in the architecture sector.
Read our response to the ethnicity pay reporting consultation. (PDF)
Women and Equalities Select Committee: disability and the built environment
October 2016
The accessibility of our homes, buildings and public spaces is vital for those with physical and mental disabilities and our ageing population. This inquiry explored the extent to which those needs are considered and accommodated in the built environment and asked whether more could be done to increase the accessibility and inclusivity of both new and existing properties and spaces.
We recommended that the government require local authorities to set up and maintain an Accessible Housing Register, provide funding for accessible affordable housing and make it easier for local planning authorities to adopt the higher accessibility requirements in the Building Regulations.
