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Join our webinar on equity, diversity & inclusion in procurement

March 20, 2026 Events
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Equity, diversity and inclusion: Understanding its role in the procurement process

Virtual event | Thursday 11 June 10.30am

In this session, we’ll turn Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) from a buzz word and regulatory tick box, into a powerful tool that creates fairer procurement processes, positive impact in your communities and contributes to a strong organisational culture.   

Together, we’ll explore what EDI is, why it should be a part of procurement processes and how contractors can deliver EDI outcomes that can be clearly demonstrated in bids.

EDI consultants Karen Faulkner and Lucy Malarkey will lead this informative session on the role that EDI can play in public sector procurement and construction contracts. With backgrounds in the social housing sector, both Karen and Lucy understand the dynamics and challenges facing the public and construction sectors. You’ll benefit from their extensive knowledge and come away with simple and practical tips for embedding EDI into your organisation and processes.

What we’ll cover:

  • What is EDI and why is it relevant in the procurement process?
  • EDI in housing – what are the regulations?
  • The case for setting EDI questions in bids.
  • How to take meaningful EDI action in your organisation and how to measure it.
  • Best practice answers for EDI questions in tenders.

Who the session is for:

  • Public sector procurement professionals looking to embed EDI into processes and evaluations
  • Bid teams aiming to strengthen EDI responses in public sector tenders
  • Contract managers and delivery teams who want to learn how to turn EDI commitments into real outcomes
  • Anyone involved in public sector or construction projects wanting to apply EDI in a practical, impactful way.
Register now

Meet the panel

A headshot of a woman with a long blonde bob and thick framed glasses is smiling at the camera. She is wearing a grey turtle neck jumper and a large chunky red chain necklace.

Karen Faulkner, Director at Positive About Inclusion

Karen has a passion for using lived experience to provide insight and service improvement, and is an enthusiastic and engaging speaker and facilitator. She is a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the People and Quality Committee at Tyne Housing, a North East housing provider and charity offering accommodation, training, support and healthcare to vulnerable people who have experienced homelessness.

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Lucy Malarkey, Director at Positive About Inclusion

Lucy is a multi-award winning EDI consultant and trainer, and in 2023 was recognised by the Euclid Network as one of the top women in social enterprise. She has been a key member of a number of national EDI steering groups and is an active member of the Constructing Excellence in the North East People Group.

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