President’s Task Force on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

We have all been watching the protests and riots in the US, Canada, and, indeed, the world. Some of us may be participating in protests, and hopefully all of us are aware that certain groups in society are disadvantaged and discriminated against.

As a professional association, we certainly condemn all forms of racism and discrimination, but how can we do more? The CRPA board of directors asked ourselves if there was a way for us to provide a framework for constructive engagement and support meaningful action.

Although our association is scientific by nature and mandate, we believe we also have a social responsibility to uphold. How can we advance the radiation safety agenda when there are inequities that might hinder our mission?

By acknowledging racism and inequality and seeking to replace those with equity, diversity, and inclusion, we can foster a just profession and a learning culture that cultivates diverse perspectives within it. By promoting social accountability and professional excellence, we can better serve the radiation safety community.

As a starting point, we want to look inward. CRPA operates under a code of ethics, which was adapted from the International Radiation Protection Association’s code of ethics. You can find it on our website.

Recent events have given the board pause to reflect on our code of ethics and to initiate an active discussion about whether we can do better. Can we strengthen the wording and intent of the code of ethics and expand it to explicitly include reference to issues such as racism and respectful behaviour? The answer is, “Yes, we can do better.”

CRPA has committed to re-evaluating our code of ethics. We are initiating the President’s Task Force on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, which will be led by a committee of CRPA members, not the board of directors.

We are hoping to recruit diverse perspectives to help challenge our assumptions. This is your chance to participate and make a difference. We will be posting more information on the CRPA website. If you would like to be a part of the task force, please email the Secretariat at [email protected]

We encourage all members to educate themselves; to seek out other resources; to continually practise anti-racism and anti-discrimination; and to become knowledgeable on issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

As a professional association, we must pay continual attention to our policies, language, and assumptions relating to equity, diversity, and inclusion. This is, and must be, a long-term and ongoing commitment.