Equity, Inclusion and Diversity

Making marinas welcoming to all: equity, inclusion and diversity in marinas

It is well-known that the more inclusive and welcoming a workplace is, the better it is for business, but how do you implement this on a practical basis? Below are some top tips on your marina becoming more inclusive and welcoming.

Gap analysis. You will need to review the marina’s policies, procedures and processes to identify any challenges or inequalities that may exist. What barriers currently exist that could make it difficult for colleagues, customers, and the local community to do their job, access the services that you provide, or use the marina?
Policies. Review and update the marina’s existing policies and procedures to make sure that they promote equality, and inclusion. It is good practice to review policies at least every year or two (sooner if there has been a change in legislation that you need to implement). Policies and procedures should be reviewed through an equity, diversity and inclusion lens. If you are unsure about how to do this, there are trade associations, chambers of commerce, or charities that may be able to assist. At a minimum, you should review policies that relate to access, membership, and fees. In addition, you should also have in place policies to address anti-discrimination and anti-bullying.
Procedures. Do you track differences across gender and/or race to ensure that you do not have a gender or ethnicity pay gap? Are you paying the same wage to staff for the same work regardless of race, gender or other protected characteristics? If not, take steps to correct any imbalance that may have developed over time. Procedures (not just those related to pay or HR) should be regularly reviewed.
Accessibility. Review the physical environment in the marina. Are facilities accessible? For instance, are their wheelchair ramps and accessible toilets? What about marina signage; does this need to be updated to be more inclusive?
Training. Review and update any training that you provide to staff. This should include things like health and safety, wellbeing in the workplace (e.g. looking after your mental health), and inclusion and diversity training. Provide colleagues with the tools that they need to reduce biases, and create a welcoming environment for everyone.
Community engagement. Look around your marina: what groups from the local community are not represented, why is this, and what can you do to improve inclusion? Does the decision-making process involve a variety of voices? One way to increase community engagement is to involve individuals from a range of backgrounds. Perhaps you could set up an informal advisory board to ensure that the perspectives of a diverse community are heard. Think about how to encourage participation in boating and marine activities from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in such activities. You won’t know what the barriers are to their participation until you listen to what they need.
Outreach. Review which community groups you are currently interacting with and consider ways of widening this outreach. Schools, colleges, local organisations, marine charities, etc. are a good place to start.
Affordability. Are there financial barriers to some members of the community accessing your marina’s services? Review what steps you can take to address any financial barriers. This could include offering a range of membership options, discounts for students or low-income individuals, or proactively seeking sponsorship from local businesses to host inclusive events.
Culture. The culture in the marina is very important. Review how you are promoting positive interactions among marina users. What cultural or diverse events are you celebrating? Develop a calendar of diverse events that your marina can celebrate.
Best practice. Share with other marinas what works and what doesn’t. Collaborate with other marinas to develop joint initiatives and resources that benefit a wide group of marina users.
Review and evaluate. Equity, diversity and inclusion is not a one-off event. You should continuously seek feedback from marina users to identify any challenges or areas for improvement.
Keep going. You are now on your way to developing a more inclusive and equitable marina. Don’t stop. Improvement is an ongoing journey.

For further information on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, visit: