The positive impact of IP Inclusive 10 years on
This year marks 10 years of IP Inclusive and to celebrate, IP professionals recently gathered, both in London and online, for an afternoon of insightful discussion.
It was a jam-packed afternoon for IP Inclusive’s 10-year celebration, incorporating its Annual General Meeting, providing updates on each of its individual communities and networks, and delving into important questions around equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) during a lively panel discussion.
IP Inclusive brings people together from across the IP sector in pursuit of a common goal: to promote and improve equality, diversity, inclusion and wellbeing within our community. By way of reflecting on the last 10 years, attendees were treated to a sneak of IP Inclusive’s 2025 Impact Report.
This reiterated the value the organisation brings to the sector, with more than 77% of individual respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing that they personally value and/or have been impacted by IP Inclusive’s work on EDI and wellbeing.
Some anonymous feedback included:
“It [IP Inclusive] made me feel more comfortable joining a legal profession. Being aware that there was a conversation happening about inclusivity and empathy, and an organisation trying to improve things, was very reassuring.”
“Having a flagship organisation open to discussing queer and feminist topics is amazing. Knowing that events exist and that my colleagues are attending helps me feel less ‘othered’.”
Challenges for DEI
While there was much to celebrate, the panel discussion was heavily centred around recent events in the US. At the start of the year, President Donald Trump signed several executive orders overturning diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes in the federal government. Since then, many large US corporates have followed suit and announced they are dropping or overhauling policies or schemes.
It was evident that the ripples and repercussions of what’s happening in the US were felt all around, with panellists describing a sense of unease amongst staff, “There is a huge amount of fear and anxiety amongst staff. A recent survey showed it’s [the current situation] affecting people’s mental health and experience in the workplace, with around two thirds of respondents saying firms haven’t communicated what’s happened.”
However, the panel were keen to focus on solutions and ways we can all work together to be an ally. One panellist said, “We need to continue to support members of staff at all levels of an organisation and reassure them it’s OK to have views and come together to discuss.”
Another added, “It’s incumbent upon us torchbearers to maintain our stance. We must be the change we want to see. Corporations/firms that maintain that characteristic fighting for diversity, they will succeed, the pendulum will shift.”
Andrea Brewster, IP Inclusive Lead Executive Officer, also acknowledged the current state of the sector, “It’s a difficult time for diversity at the moment, but we think we’ve got a lot still to be positive about. Today is about finding that and reassuring one another.”
Andrea concluded the event by looking to the future, “We say that IP Inclusive is an umbrella people can collaborate under. But it’s not really an umbrella, it’s the people – it’s you. We’ve done great things in the first 10 years and I’m really proud of all we’ve achieved together.
She added, “I face the next 10 years with a little trepidation, but with a commitment to carry on and I hope you’re all still with me. We’ll be here for as long as you want us.”
If you would like to support IP Inclusive with its future endeavours, you can make a donation to the organisation here.