FLEET applied a philosophy from the outset that it was not ‘sufficient’ to merely excel in science. The Centre’s leadership team wanted to ensure that innovation was also applied other areas of governance: for example equity, training, translation and communication.

FLEET’s pioneering approach to recruitment helped increase the number of women at research fellow level, and was subsequently expanded to include wider definitions of diversity (see the case study).

Seeing a unique opportunity to change the culture in which research is done, the Centre set out to create a more diverse and inclusive working environment in STEM.

FLEET pioneered family-friendly workshops, which was a bold experiment at the start but was a resounding success, providing an exemplary model for research institutions worldwide. With high uptake by FLEET members bringing their families to workshops, a more welcoming and inclusive environment was created for everyone, and international visitors to FLEET’s workshops frequently commented on their surprise that this was possible, and admiration for the resulting environment.