That’s Me! in Conversation with Lois Stewart
At Birmingham City University, the That’s Me! project is about amplifying diverse voices and highlighting how employers are working to create fairer, more inclusive workplaces. The project not only showcases lived experiences, but also the role of leaders and organisations in driving meaningful change.
For this spotlight, we spoke with Lois Stewart, Senior Manager in People and Culture at the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), about her role and WMCA’s approach to equality, diversity and inclusion.
Can you start by telling us about your role and what you enjoy most about it?
Lois:
I work within the People and Culture function at WMCA as a Senior Manager specialising in Organisational Development, Learning and Inclusion. My role focuses on enabling our people to perform at their best so that the organisation can deliver on its strategic purpose and ambitions.
I particularly enjoy navigating organisational change and ensuring our people are engaged and supported throughout. I also enjoy shaping our ways of working so that every voice is heard and our culture is inclusive and collaborative.
I’m proud to lead and develop a high-performing team, and to work within an organisation with a broad remit that collaborates across sectors to tackle shared regional challenges. Ultimately, I’m proud to be contributing to the public sector and making a positive difference to the region, its places and its communities.
What drives WMCA’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion?
Lois:
Our values reflect our commitment to placing inclusion at the heart of everything we do — both in how we employ and support our people, and in how we design and deliver our services.
We foster a culture in which employees are actively encouraged to help shape how we work, supported through constructive relationships with staff — including employee and champion networks — ensuring a strong collective voice and shared ownership of our culture.
We also draw on data to identify and respond to priority areas of EDI, reflecting both our workforce and the diverse communities we serve across the region. Our defined priorities ensure EDI remains central to organisational focus and decision-making, and where appropriate we engage with external accreditation to benchmark and strengthen impact.
What key initiatives or policies have made a difference?
Lois:
One initiative I’m particularly proud of is Leaders Like You. Following detailed analysis of our workforce data, we introduced a positive action programme to address the underrepresentation of minority ethnic women at senior levels.
The programme was designed to be experiential and practical. Participants undertook an MBA, received individual coaching, and engaged in strategic projects that broadened their leadership experience and organisational insight.
The initiative achieved its intended outcomes, with all participants successfully securing senior roles either within the organisation or elsewhere.
Another important area of work has been our Reasonable Adjustments Policy. In collaboration with HR and our employee networks — particularly our disability network — we developed an Employee Passport to support the timely and effective management of workplace adjustments. This ensures employees are supported from the outset, and managers can respond consistently and appropriately.
How do you ensure employees from all backgrounds feel valued and heard?
Lois:
A key part of this is our employee networks. We have established networks aligned to protected characteristics, each playing an active role within our governance arrangements. They provide insight, support and challenge, helping to ensure diverse perspectives shape our policies, practices and culture.
Our engagement strategy includes bi-annual employee surveys, with our most recent survey achieving an engagement score of 82%. Following each survey, action plans are developed in collaboration with employees, who are invited to contribute to prioritisation and solution-shaping.
To maintain momentum, we conduct pulse surveys between full cycles, enabling us to ‘take the temperature’ of the organisation and assess the effectiveness of ongoing actions. We also involve employees in focus groups to explore upcoming changes, new initiatives and opportunities to help shape our culture and ways of working.
What role do leadership and teams play in fostering an inclusive workplace?
Lois:
Leaders are supported through a comprehensive suite of learning programmes designed to enhance their ability to lead themselves, their teams and the organisation’s reputation, grounded in our values.
We also provide targeted development — such as anti-racism training — to build confidence in having meaningful conversations and to equip managers to create the conditions necessary for psychological safety.
We have reviewed and refreshed our leadership behaviours and leadership statement to align more closely with our values. Our performance management framework also supports regular conversations about performance, wellbeing and learning, helping people feel supported to develop and succeed. We encourage managers to be part of our internal mentoring scheme to support others.
Finally, what advice would you give to other employers on advancing meaningful inclusion?
Lois:
EDI must be embedded within organisational strategies and objectives, and it’s important that performance conversations help individuals understand and articulate their personal contribution to inclusion.
Clearly articulating ambition and setting defined priorities — aligned with wider strategy — helps create shared focus and accountability. Engagement strategies also play a fundamental role in listening, learning and working collaboratively with employees.
Legislation provides a framework to take proactive steps, particularly in relation to positive action. Education remains paramount, and data should be used not only to inform targeted action but also to build understanding and awareness across the organisation.
Investing in development opportunities — such as coaching, mentoring and shadowing — helps foster psychological safety and a culture where people can thrive. Finally, values and behaviours should remain central to how we recruit, develop and support our people.
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WMCA’s work shows how inclusion can be strengthened through clear priorities, staff voice, and leadership development. Stay tuned for more employer spotlights as we continue to showcase organisations across the West Midlands who are working towards greater equality, diversity and inclusion.
To learn more about the That’s Me! project, the Employer Board, and upcoming events, visit our employer board.
