Diversifying cardiovascular research: our EDI objectives

We’ve identified 2 objectives to help increase diversity within our research workforce and to address underrepresentation within clinical trial groups. Each objective is supported by clear goals to make sure we’re taking meaningful steps.

Objective 1: Encourage inclusivity in how research funding decisions are made, and how BHF funded research is designed

We believe in a fair and inclusive research funding process in which success is determined by scientific quality alone.

In addition, we’re committed to increasing diversity and inclusion in research itself - underrepresentation in cardiovascular research can make it hard to generalise results to the entire patient population.

Steps we’re taking to achieve this

The following 6 goals will help us to meet this objective:

1. We will collect, analyse and periodically publish demographic data to assess the diversity of our research grant applicants, award holders, and funding committee members, including scientific expert, patient, and public reviewers.
2. We will expect that, where appropriate, our research community actively considers strategies to ensure that research is inclusive and representative of the people who need it.
3. We will work to identify and reduce biases to ensure our research funding decision-making processes are fair and transparent, guided by the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) and other inclusive research assessment principles.
4. We will evaluate equity, diversity, inclusion, and research culture when awarding and monitoring strategic investments and partnership funding.
5. We will proactively work with, learn from, and influence others in the sector, including universities and other research funders to maintain best practice.
6. We will continue to identify and invest in strategic research and partnerships that will address inequalities driven by cardiovascular disease.

Objective 2: Achieve a more representative and inclusive cardiovascular research community

We believe that the success of any cardiovascular researcher should only be determined by the quality of their ideas, innovation, and effort.

We’re committed to addressing unfairness and tackling systemic issues, like racial bias, so that the cardiovascular research community is inclusive and representative.

Steps we’re taking to achieve this

The following 4 goals will help us to meet this objective:

1. We will actively listen to cardiovascular researchers and clinicians, including academic cardiologists, to understand how to achieve a more diverse and representative BHF-funded research and clinical community with a thriving research culture.
2. We will explore initiatives to reduce barriers and increase flexibility in research career progression, particularly for underrepresented groups, at critical career stages, assessing the impact of new and updated schemes to avoid creating unintended barriers.
3. We will involve and spotlight BHF-funded researchers from all backgrounds and career stages in BHF’s activities to ensure representation and visibility.
4. We will seek to double the number of senior BHF-funded women researchers within the next decade, to address our findings that they remain substantially underrepresented in our schemes, and aim towards achieving parity within a generation.