The Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC) and its constituent societies – the Canadian Society for Chemistry (CSC), and the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering (CSChE), – strongly believe that equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are foundational to the chemical sciences and society.
Historically, science, technology, and engineering have excluded marginalized communities. As students, teachers, researchers, and professionals in the chemical sciences, we recognize that this systemic exclusion and gatekeeping has deprived our fields of talent and diversity.
The CIC, CSC, CSChE, and CSCT, alongside the Canadian chemical sciences community, must and will continue to advocate for inclusion and to support equity for all underrepresented groups in our fields.
The CIC and its constituent societies are committed to continually evaluating our institutional structure and actively incorporating EDI policies and practices.
The CIC and its constituent societies are promoting the following EDI initiatives:
- Evaluating how to support and enhance our diverse membership through groups like the CSC’s Working for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (WIDE), formed in 2017 as a working group and made a permanent committee in 2020.
- Using self-identification surveys to understand the diversity of our membership.
- Catalyzing change by providing a platform for EDI conversation and underrepresented groups to share their stories at our annual societal conferences (2018, 2019).
- Providing childcare at the annual CSC’s Canadian Chemistry Conference and Exhibition.
- Developing codes of conduct for conferences and other events.
- Supporting the creation of more member resource groups like the Canadian Women in Chemical Sciences (CWIC) network, which promotes EDI in the chemical sciences across Canada by providing a community for women and underrepresented groups.
- Highlighting diverse chemical science professionals in the CIC NEWS.
We encourage everyone to take the time to educate themselves with the resources below.
Read related statements:
- Statement on anti-Black racism (June 3, 2020): includes a list of actions that you can take to help support underrepresented groups
- Statement on anti-Asian racism (March 30, 2021)
- Statement of support for diversity in the chemical sciences (June 5, 2020)
- CSC Organic Division reponse to ACIE editorial (June 8, 2020)
Read recent CIC NEWS articles for ideas on how to help build inclusion and equity in the chemical sciences: