Alun Griffiths is a member of the Steering Group for the project Leading the way: Increasing diversity in the scientific workforce

"With responsibility for people across a major professional services organisation comprising 17,500 engineers, scientists and related professionals, I have an interest in changing how Atkins and the industry operates to be able to access and retain the skills of the entire workforce. In addition to the skills agenda, we need to create healthy organisations that reflect the clients we serve, the talent pools from which we recruit and the communities in which we live and operate.

I lay no claim to a recent project that might inspire others. However, I have played a leading role in changing the debate in Atkins and with several of our partners that, despite our relative success and associated recognition, we are at the beginning of the journey and not near the end. We now have commitment from the top, a board with good female representation, diversity action plans owned by the CEOs of our respective businesses in the UK, USA, Asia and the Middle East and a degree of momentum."

Mr Alun Griffiths