The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) today released its Industry Roundtable report tackling the topic of diversity and inclusion in the design industry. The report, “Diversity and Design: Why Gender, Equity, and Multidisciplinary Thinking are Essential to Business,” summarizes the lively and productive discussion of 30 design industry leaders at the 19th annual IIDA Industry Roundtable in January 2016 and provides a strategic roadmap for the newly formed IIDA Diversity Council, chaired by Stacy Walker, Ind. IIDA, Director of Customer Experience at Milliken.
“IIDA approached the subject of diversity in the design industry by taking stock of our Association. From chapter events to continuing education programs, to the headquarters of our partners in manufacturing to our own board of directors—diversity, or the lack thereof, was apparent,” said IIDA Executive Vice President and CEO Cheryl S. Durst, Hon. FIIDA, LEED AP, who moderated the Roundtable. “This report and the formation of the IIDA Diversity Council are the first steps of many toward a more diverse industry—in race and gender, and thought and discipline.”
The Industry Roundtable report features research highlighting the myriad benefits of diversity in business, statistics illustrating the current state of diversity in the design industry, and personal accounts from industry leaders, including Gabrielle Bullock, Director of Global Diversity, Perkins+Will; Shauna Stallworth, principal, LUHF & LUMM LLC; and Jeffrey Gay, Architecture and Design Representative, Herman Miller, who shared their experiences as African-Americans who are creating opportunities for cultural awareness and inclusiveness both in their own firms and across the profession.
Also included in the report is the IIDA Diversity Council’s Diversity Intention Statement, which highlights the Council’s goals ranging from conducting diversity research, promoting diversity resources, and creating a formal Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Model Policy.
The report is available to download on the IIDA website.
