Equity by design: The power of inclusion moments

Some sectors, including engineering, construction and manufacturing, are facing serious challenges around mental health, discrimination and workplace culture. Research shows that people working in these industries are more than three times more likely to die by suicide than the national average. LGBTQIA+ people within these sectors are also more likely to experience discrimination and harassment than in many other workplaces.

These findings point to cultures where silence, stoicism and fear of judgement can still dominate, and where harmful behaviours are too often dismissed as “just banter”. While these issues can be particularly visible in male-dominated industries, they are not limited to them. They raise important questions for all organisations about belonging, psychological safety and the everyday behaviours that shape workplace culture.

In this webinar, professionally accredited engineer and multi-award-winning DEI expert and researcher Poggy Murray Whitham explores what these insights mean for organisations and leaders seeking to build more inclusive cultures.

Drawing on both professional and lived experience, Poggy will share findings from multiple research studies they have led on mental health and the experiences of LGBTQIA+ people in engineering and related sectors. They will also reflect on themes from their bestselling book, Inclusion Moments, including the realities of being a visible Queer advocate within a traditional industry.

Through a combination of systems thinking, storytelling and practical insight, the session will explore how small everyday interactions can shape whether people feel safe, valued and able to thrive at work.

Inclusion does not begin with grand gestures. Often, it starts in the moments we overlook, but which influence how people show up, speak up and stay.

In this webinar, you will:

• Explore the current mental health challenges affecting engineering, construction and manufacturing sectors
• Hear key findings and recommendations from research into the experiences of LGBTQIA+ people in these industries
• Understand how storytelling can drive behavioural and cultural change
• Reflect on themes including representation, allyship, Pride and intersectionality within Queer spaces
• Learn how “inclusion moments” can support earlier intervention and more meaningful, lasting culture change

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About the speaker | Poggy Murray Whitham

Poggy Murray Whitham is a multi-award-winning DEI expert, researcher, and keynote speaker who helps organisations turn inclusion into a strategic advantage.

A professionally accredited engineer by training and Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, Poggy was recognised as one of the UK’s Top 100 Manufacturing Professionals and as a National Diversity Awards finalist for being a Positive LGBT Role Model in engineering from over 85,000 nominations in 2025, bringing both professional and authentic lived experience to every stage they step onto.

A former senior manager in automation engineering, Poggy now works at the intersection of technology and inclusion, showing how embracing diversity drives innovation, productivity, and culture change. They combine deep strategic insight with the lived experience of being Black, Queer, Disabled, and Autistic, delivering talks that are as thought-provoking as they are practical. Poggy is also Co-Chair of InterEngineering, an LGBTQIA+ cross-sector network of engineers, and sits as a Committee Advisory member for the LGBT Foundation.

Poggy recently delivered their TEDx talk ‘Engineering Equity with Automation’, and released their debut book, ‘Inclusion Moments’, which instantly became an Amazon Best Seller in multiple categories, cementing their reputation as a sought-after voice on the future of inclusive engineering. Currently pursuing a Doctorate in DEI in Engineering alongside their work, Poggy continues to work with companies nationwide to embed inclusion into the heart of their success.