The UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) ran two discussion events for this year’s IP Inclusive Week. They kindly opened both to members of the IP Inclusive community.
The events took place at the IPO’s offices in Newport (Concept House, Cardiff Road, Newport, NP10 8QQ) on Wednesday 13 November.
Staff talk: Gender profiles in worldwide patenting: an analysis of female inventorship, 11 am – midday, B-suites
Do we have the data needed to make informed decisions on how to tackle issues of gender equality? While data on women studying or working in STEM subjects are quite comprehensive, there are fewer data on the ‘outputs’ of work undertaken by women in STEM industries. Patents are a well-known measurable ‘output’ of STEM industries, however while inventor name on patent applications is a legal requirement, disclosing gender is not. The IPO’s work uses name-datasets to infer gender of inventors and allows them to shed a light on female inventorship.
This talk allowed us to find out more from Pauline Beck, author of the updated gender inventor report:
IPO Inclusive: Faith & Belief Panel Discussion, 12-1 pm, B-suites
This year IP Inclusive week coincided with Inter Faith week. To raise awareness of EDI within the IPO and across the IP professions, the IPO took the opportunity to shine a light on faith and belief.
All of us, whether we are of a faith or non-faith identity, have shared principles and values which frame our everyday lives. An inclusive culture that allows people to feel comfortable talking about and practising their faith or belief will help us make the IPO a “brilliant place to work”. In this discussion, panellists shared the stories of their belief, from Christianity to veganism, and working in the IP Industry. IP Inclusive’s Lead Executive Officer Andrea Brewster OBE joined the panel, and you can read extracts from what she said here.
There is more information about these events in the IPO’s guest post for IP Inclusive Week, here. We’ve also included some photographs below (courtesy of the IPO), including of the IPO’s diversity champion Ben Buchanan with the IP Inclusive poster and display stand that he and his colleagues had organised for their IP Inclusive Week activities. Our thanks to everyone involved.
Gender & inventorship, with Pauline Beck & Maurice Blount
Faith, belief & inclusivity, with Dominic Houlihan, Andrea Brewster, Susan Chalmers, Alexandra Symonds & David Holdsworth
Ben Buchanan with the IPO’s IP Inclusive Week posters