Bird Friendly London is committed to improving equity, diversity and inclusion in birdwatching and other naturalist spaces. We are partnering with the Society of Canadian Ornithologists EDI committee to share best practices, and learn more about what their organization has developed and learned over the past few years. This event is generously sponsored by Nature London.

Presentation Description: Like many organizations across North America, in the aftermath of George Floyd's murder, the Society of Canadian Ornithologists (SCO) created a committee in 2020 to focus on improving Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in the SCO. Our EDI committee has been extremely productive, thanks to the energy and dedication of our committee members, and with the strong support and trust of the SCO leadership. In this webinar, the SCO's EDI Committee Chair, Dr. Leanne Grieves, will provide an overview of general themes and terms related to EDI, describe briefly the organizational structure of the SCO and how the EDI committee fits into it, outline the processes the committee uses to pitch ideas and make recommendations to the society's leadership, and highlight the many activities and initiatives we've undertaken, along with metrics we have produced to track how well our efforts are working, before opening the floor for a question and answer period. The goal of this webinar is to provide insights into how other small organizations might design similar committees to deliver effective EDI programming and implement systemic changes that promote equity and inclusion within their respective organizations.

Presenter Bio: Dr. Leanne Grieves (she/they) is a biologist specializing in animal behaviour and communication. Currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at McMaster University, Leanne's research focuses on understanding the factors that affect bird body odour and how smell affects birds’ social and reproductive behaviour. Leanne completed a PhD on chemical communication in songbirds at Western University and an MSc on acoustic communication in joint-nesting cuckoos at McMaster University. Originally from Manitoba, Leanne's BSc thesis at the University of Winnipeg tested whether having neighbours affected nest predation in Red-winged Blackbirds. In their spare time, Leanne can be found enjoying nature (especially birds), promoting conservation and equity initiatives, or practicing mixed martial arts. Leanne has served as co-chair and chair of the Society of Canadian Ornithologists' Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity Committee since its inception in 2020.