Equality, diversity and inclusion: join us in shaping a diverse and equitable future for sleep research!

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee (EDIC) launch

We are excited to announce the newly launched Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee (EDIC). Following on from the successful initiatives of the Gender Equality Forum (GEF), including the Childcare Support Grant and the comprehensive ESRS member database, the committee has transitioned into the EDIC to broaden its approach to EDI within our society. Although we are still committed to advocating for gender equality within ESRS, there is a need to recognise inclusion, diversity and equality more generally across the society and in all the activities the ESRS engages with.

We believe that encompassing EDI is crucial for several reasons:

• To better reflect diversity within our sleep research community and to ensure and support: representation across genders, marginalised and minority groups (including race, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status);
• To broaden perspectives, particularly thinking about society activities and initiatives;
• To continue the effort to address systemic inequalities, both on a societal level but also within sleep medicine/research/ education.
• To ensure a welcoming and inclusive space for those within the ESRS community to share their research and practice, ultimately making a stronger sleep community;
• To ensure that barriers to participation within the ESRS are highlighted, and work begins/continues to address them.

We hope that by broadening the scope of the EDIC some of these issues can be addressed, and work to ensure an equitable and inclusive approach to ESRS activities can continue.

Call for new EDIC members

For the ESRS (and sleep research more generally) to make steps to ensure equality on all levels and in all areas, there needs to be a committee which represents the field of sleep research. The EDIC is therefore seeking new members to join the committee. As we have expanded the focus of the committee to include all aspects of EDI, we are keen for applications from across the ESRS (e.g., all genders, backgrounds, career stages) to ensure diversity.

The committee aims to foster an inclusive ESRS culture, offer educational opportunities, and devise strategies to retain underrepresented demographic characteristics within the field of sleep.

As such, we are looking for 4 effective members to join the EDIC. We are keen to hear from members of all genders, career stages, nationalities and backgrounds. A task force rich in diversity, considering these aspects is pivotal to inducing meaningful change in this vital global issue.

The new members will be assigned for the period until the next ESRS Business Meeting held during the Sleep Europe 2026 conference in September 2026.

If you are an ESRS member and wish to be a part of this transformative journey, we invite you to submit a concise CV and a letter of intent (max. 1 page). Your letter should describe your interest in joining the committee, your strengths and preferred activities (e.g., treasurer, communication, coordination, education lead) and how you envisage your contribution to the ESRS EDIC in promoting equality, diversity and inclusion. Applications should be received no later than 24 April 2025.