Transition by design, RDA Architects, Haworth Tompkins and HLM Architects are among the practices providing evidence of a progressive Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) policy.
Creating a just space for people
Responses were assessed by Architecture Declare’s Alasdair Ben Dixon, Mandy Franz, Mark Goldthorpe, Tom Greenall and Mitakshi Sirsi, with input from Regenerative Architecture Index ambassador Immy Kaur – social and civil activist, and co-founder and director of CIVIC SQUARE.
Practice Question 1
Does the practice have a progressive Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) policy and can you evidence many forms of diversity, which are welcomed and acknowledged, within the practice?
Front-runner
Transition by Design
We are a black-led and female-led architecture and design cooperative; the only one in the country. Outside of cooperatives, there are only a handful of black and female-led practices. Our recruitment policy embeds EDI principles; we have had a reading and learning group on diversity; and we are engaging in research into the interrelationship between intergenerational wealth, race and housing. We have coop members who volunteer their time for mentoring as part of the programmes in POC in Architecture and Black Females in Architecture. We ensure each employee has a peer manager where they can discuss one-to-one, the needs that they may have from an EDI point of view.
Runner-up
RDA Architects
RDA has long upheld inclusion as a cornerstone of regenerative practice. Our progressive EDI policy is lived across every level of our studio – reflected in how we hire, collaborate, and design. Within a small team of nine, we represent seven nationalities, speak over seven languages, and span a broad range of ages, ethnicities, gender identities, and lived experiences. This diversity isn’t incidental, it’s integral to our creativity and cultural intelligence. Inclusive design reviews, shared authorship, and equitable voice-sharing are the norm. We celebrate religious and cultural festivals and hold space for different working styles and needs. We also support the next generation by providing free portfolio reviews, mentoring, and work placements – particularly for underrepresented students in architecture. As a practice that’s been challenging norms for 30+ years, we know that building equitable places starts with fostering an equitable studio. At RDA, difference is not only welcomed, it is what drives better design.
Ones to watch
Haworth Tompkins
We have an EDI policy that is central to our activities as a practice, promoting diversity and ensuring opportunities are accessible and inclusive. We have an active Pride working group, who are in the process of implementing a policy to support Trans+ employees. Our recruitment processes are transparent, supporting fair and balanced hiring decisions. We support flexible working, and have a progressive parental leave policy, enabling employees with caring responsibilities and different personal circumstances to succeed professionally. We have improved our gender split across leadership, achieving a 50:50 split across the practice.
We have welcomed our first two apprentices, at Level 6 and Level 7, offering alternative pathways into the profession and expanding access to those from different educational backgrounds. Additionally, we support initiatives that promote diversity across the wider industry, including backing the work of Deaf Architecture Front led by one of our employees.
HLM Architects
Our EDI approach is audited annually through our ISO 9001:2015 accreditation, ensuring equal treatment and promoting equity for staff, clients and collaborators. Our Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Group developed our I-BELONG framework and guiding principles; Be-Thoughtful, Be-Curious, Be-You; and holds inclusivity forums, awareness and social events to celebrate our diverse workforce. We are vocal members of the RIBA Future Leaders Steering Group, Race Forum and EDI Leaders Group; and signatories of the Social Mobility Pledge, and Business in the Community’s Opening Doors Campaign. We are founding members of the Trailblazer Group, which developed two architectural apprenticeship standards, providing more accessible routes of entry into our profession. We support architectural careers in underrepresented areas with 50 per cent of work experience placements protected for schools in low social mobility areas and care leavers. Our team includes more than 15 nationalities, our gender split is 46/54 female/male, and 50 per cent of our studios are led by women.
PLP Architecture
PLP Architecture’s strength lies in its diversity: the studio comprises individuals from 42 nationalities who speak 35 languages. This cultural richness enhances creativity and informs more than 650 projects across 37 countries so far. We are proud that 51 per cent of our staff are women – a significant achievement in a typically male-dominated field. We maintain an active EDI policy and are members of Real Estate Balance, advocating for industry-wide inclusion. We recruit from a broad range of universities, offer work experience to secondary school students, support Part 1 and international interns, and sponsor work permits. Internally, our ethos is inclusive and collaborative. PLP Labs, our in-house research collective, explores the intersection of technology, culture and space, through collaboration on initiatives like the Fair Cities Platform, which addresses racial inequality and social value. A public guidance on designing for neurodiversity, in collaboration with BCO, addresses unemployment and burnout among neurodiverse workers, hence helping shape a more equitable built environment.
We Made That
We have a structured Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion policy and action plan. We provide educational opportunities, work placements, pro-bono consultancy services to third-sector organisations, financial contributions, and self-start initiatives like the RE–SET–GO programme.
We’ve had a real focus on sharpening our processes for equity and inclusion, led by our Head of People. We want to help correct the biases that plague our industry. In 2024 this involved 91 days of team knowledge sharing and skills sessions, supported by a participatory budget of more than £16,000, directed by our Employee Forum. Achieving the Mayor of London’s Good Work Standard accreditation tested the ways in which we are directly contributing to a fairer and more inclusive economy where all can access good jobs with good conditions, in fair, healthy, and inclusive workplaces.
Where others have failed to narrow the gender pay gap, we’ve made progress in re-addressing this balance with a -5.2 per cent gender pay gap in favour of women, driven by women at senior leadership levels. While we’re proud that our team continues to be majority-female and our other diversity statistics are ahead of much of the industry, we recognise that we can still improve upon this.
Studio Bark
Our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion policy is proactive rather than reactive; emphasising inclusive leadership, shared responsibility, and collective care. It is informed by the BRAVE leadership framework, embedding key attributes: Bold, Resilient, Agile, Versatile, Ethical.
For the past four years, our whole team has taken part in annual Cultural Intelligence training with Dian Small, covering racial awareness, personal CQ assessments, and active reflection. Our latest training included hands-on modelling exercises to apply BRAVE principles to daily studio life. Beyond our studio, we address diversity through our work. At the Women of the World festival in Rotherham (May 2025), we co-produced a public installation with girls aged 13-15, ‘built by girls – for everyone’. Our team is 62.5 per cent female and 12.5 per cent ethnic minority. We prioritise flexible working to support life changes, enabling long-term retention and a more inclusive, adaptive workplace.