Aspire was created to address one of the most significant diversity challenges facing our organisation: the underrepresentation of ethnic minority colleagues in senior leadership roles. While workforce data showed increasing ethnic diversity at entry and mid-career levels, representation reduced significantly at more senior grades. Rather than accepting this as an inevitable pipeline issue, we sought to understand the barriers preventing talented colleagues from progressing.
The programme was developed following participation in the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Inclusive Leadership Programme and was shaped by extensive consultation with ethnic minority colleagues, business leaders, HR, Learning and Development, employee networks and external specialists. Workforce data, employee surveys and focus groups consistently highlighted common themes including limited access to influential networks, a lack of visible role models and sponsors, reduced confidence in navigating leadership pathways and fewer opportunities for career advocacy.
Aspire was designed as a comprehensive leadership development programme rather than a traditional training course. It combines leadership development workshops, executive sponsorship, professional coaching, peer learning, networking opportunities and structured line manager engagement to build confidence, leadership capability and visibility while creating lasting support networks.
Leadership commitment has been central to the programme from the outset. Senior leaders actively championed Aspire, promoted applications, participated in the selection process and volunteered as executive sponsors. Nearly the entire UK and Europe Executive Team attended the programme launch, demonstrating that developing diverse leadership talent is a strategic business priority rather than solely an EDI initiative.
The response exceeded expectations. Aspire attracted 105 applications from across the business, representing approximately one quarter of the eligible population. This level of engagement demonstrated both the demand for targeted leadership development and the confidence colleagues placed in the programme.
Although the first cohort is still underway, Aspire is already delivering measurable impact. Every participant reported that the programme has been beneficial, with many describing it as empowering, insightful and transformative. Participants consistently report increased confidence, stronger self-awareness, greater career clarity, improved ability to navigate workplace challenges and stronger professional networks. Managers and sponsors are also reporting noticeable improvements in confidence, engagement, visibility and leadership behaviours.
What distinguishes Aspire is that it was not developed as a standalone intervention. It was built directly from organisational evidence, co-designed with those it is intended to support and embedded within wider talent and succession planning. By combining individual development with executive sponsorship, organisational accountability and sustained leadership commitment, Aspire is helping create a more inclusive leadership pipeline while strengthening the capability and confidence of talented ethnic minority colleagues to progress into senior roles.
Mott MacDonald Aspire Ethnicity talent development programme | Birmingham, UK
