The Women in Operational Research and Analytics Network (WORAN) has delivered a sustained programme of activity to promote equity, diversity and inclusion across the OR and analytics community. Our monthly online events have provided a platform to explore a wide range of topics that address barriers to participation, highlight underrepresented voices, and share practical strategies for inclusion.

Many of our sessions have focused on gender equity and women’s progression in the profession. Talks such as “Gender quotas: Is it Time?”, “Menopause – the final taboo of the female talent pipeline in OR?”, “The Gender Pay Gap”, and “Exploring Gender Bias in the OR and Analytics Profession” have created open conversations around the structural and cultural factors that continue to affect women’s advancement in technical and leadership roles. These discussions have helped normalise dialogue around previously underexplored issues such as menopause and workplace bias.

We have also addressed the impact of caring responsibilities on career development through events such as “Caring Responsibilities, Career Progress and Transparency.” This session recognised that unpaid caring work remains disproportionately carried out by women, who often adjust or pause their careers as a result. According to the Office for National Statistics (2022), women provide around 60% of unpaid care in the UK and are significantly more likely to reduce paid working hours to meet these responsibilities. By spotlighting this issue, WORAN encourages greater transparency and organisational flexibility to better support carers in professional roles.

Inclusive leadership and neurodiversity have also featured within our programme. These sessions highlight the importance of cultivating leadership approaches that value difference, build psychological safety, and enable neurodiverse and otherwise marginalised professionals to thrive within analytical environments and well as leading with ADHD – which we plan to explore further.

Mentoring has been another recurring theme across WORAN’s activities, with events such as “Mentoring in Practice” and “Mentoring: A Key Ingredient or Nice Flavour to Add in the Recipe for Career Progression” reinforcing the importance of structured professional support networks. Research consistently shows that mentoring improves women’s confidence, visibility, and progression into senior roles; the Chartered Management Institute (2023) identifies mentoring as a key enabler of women’s advancement and retention in leadership In addition, WORAN has addressed subtle but pervasive cultural barriers through sessions like “Challenging Everyday Sexism at Work,” which explored the effects of micro-behaviours and unconscious bias. Events such as “Career Breaks and Breaking Careers” and “Overcoming the Career Break Penalty” have further acknowledged the long-term career impacts of time away from work, particularly for women returning after parental or caring leave.

WORAN also places strong emphasis on accessibility and community engagement in the way our events are delivered. All of our sessions are hosted online to ensure they are open to participants across the UK and internationally, and we have trialled a variety of times to accommodate differing working patterns and caring responsibilities. Every event is recorded and made available on OR society YouTube channel for later viewing, allowing members to engage with the content in their own time and at their own pace. This approach supports accessibility for those balancing multiple commitments or working flexibly. In addition to our online programme, WORAN regularly hosts in-person networking events at major conferences, providing opportunities to meet new members, welcome first-time attendees, and offer a familiar and supportive presence within the wider OR community.

Taken together, WORAN’s programme of events and its inclusive delivery model demonstrate a consistent and practical commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.