SPE forms diversity advisory board

The Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) has formed an advisory board to support diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the plastics industry.

Dr. Elizabeth Anne Gardner, senior chemist and materials engineer at Jabil, will chair the DEI advisory board and Dr. Saurav S. Sengupta, principal research scientist in packaging and specialty plastics at Dow, will assume the position of vice chair.

“It is vital for SPE’s membership to know our commitment to DEI principles and to understand that we have created an Advisory Board to help the Society, its stakeholders, and the plastics industry as a whole embrace our goals of fostering diversity and inclusivity,” Gardner said in an Aug. 10 news release. “By providing the necessary tools and resources, we strongly believe we can achieve these goals.”

“Diversity, equity and inclusion should be business imperatives for SPE’s members’ companies and academic institutions,” said SPE CEO Patrick Farrey. “SPE is striving to create an environment in which everyone feels respected and valued, and has equal opportunities to develop, advance, and be heard.”

The group also said the new panel would support existing work by the SPE Foundation’s DEI workforce initiative.