5 meaningful ways to get involved with Black History Month

It’s October, which means it’s time to celebrate Black History Month! In this blog, we share five meaningful ways to get involved with Black History Month and promote diversity and inclusion within the veterinary sector. 

1. Revisit your hiring process 

Sadly, black veterinarians are seriously underrepresented in the sector – in fact, research from the BVA found that only 3% of UK veterinary profession is non-white. This is something that needs to change. So where can your practice start? Firstly it is essential to consider whether your hiring process is inclusive. In practice, this includes steps like eliminating bias, using inclusive language and promoting your diversity values openly on your website. 

2. Appoint an Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Champion

This person should be in charge of ensuring diversity and inclusion are at the forefront of workplace culture. The BVA has even created a job description for this role, which you can download for free here.

3. Get involved with the 5 Day Challenge 

Veterinary professionals are busy people, we know! But putting aside a small slice of your day (5 minutes to be precise) to learn more about race equality could make a world of difference to your organisation when it comes to promoting equality and diversity. The 2023 5 Day Challenge Project Manager Guide is available to download for free now, so get stuck in! 

4. Watch these TED Talks 

An easy way to better your understanding of diversity and inclusion is to educate yourself and hear different perspectives. There are a wealth of interesting and informative TED talks out there but here are some to get you started:

5. Continue raising awareness for race equality

It’s all well and good celebrating Black History Month by educating yourself and others about race equality – but what good is it if your efforts don’t extend past October? The fight for social justice is an ongoing one, so it is paramount that we continue in our mission to educate, create more inclusive work environments and promote anti-racism. 

Thanks for reading – let us know how your practice has been celebrating Black History Month! 

For job openings, please contact our lovely team via email at [email protected] or register as a candidate to start applying for roles directly.