During his placement with Fauna & Flora, Eko Chalim worked on evaluating and improving the UK Internship Programme. This meant critically examining how the programme supports diversity and access and identifying where barriers still exist.
Coming from Indonesia, Eko had to adapt to a different cultural and professional context. He learnt that "underrepresentation" is not a single definition — it can mean ethnicity, socio-economic status, caregiving responsibilities, or even barriers to reaching leadership positions. Listening deeply to these perspectives sharpened his understanding of inclusion and reminded him that cultural competence is not a fixed skill but a lifelong learning process.
The conservation sector is facing a long-standing challenge: it remains dominated by individuals from privileged backgrounds. Globally and in the UK, people of colour, women, and those from lower-income or non-traditional educational paths remain underrepresented—especially in leadership roles. Even with diversity and inclusion policies in place, progress has often felt slow and uneven.
One promising way forward is through structured and paid professional development opportunities. Unlike policy statements, these initiatives can directly remove barriers by providing real experience, mentorship, and entry points into the sector. Fauna & Flora's UK Internship Programme is one such initiative, offering early-career conservationists a chance to gain meaningful work experience, with the aim of opening opportunity to those who might otherwise be excluded.
Yet, like many efforts in this space, the programme also faces its own challenges—particularly around ensuring participation from underrepresented groups.
One of the most complex challenges was leading without formal authority. Eko's role required him to collaborate with colleagues, gather insights through interviews and surveys, and recommend changes—all whilst recognising the sensitive nature of diversity and equity issues.
This experience taught him that leadership is not always about big achievements or formal power. Often, it is about creating spaces for honest reflection, asking the right questions, and continuously adapting as one learns from others.
At the organisational level, Eko was encouraged to see Fauna & Flora's willingness to critically evaluate its own programme. Inclusive leadership here meant openness to dialogue, co-developing recommendations, and embedding learning into the structure of the organisation.
Eko's placement also revealed that the challenges of diversity and equity go beyond a single programme. They are systemic. Barriers are often layered—economic, cultural, and institutional—and require both practical changes and shifts in mindset.
What he took away is that embracing diversity is not just about giving more people a seat at the table. It's about changing how the table itself is built—valuing lived experience, listening to multiple perspectives, and rethinking organisational culture. By doing so, conservation can tap into richer insights, more innovative problem-solving, and stronger connections with the communities it serves.
For real change to happen, conservation organisations need to:
• Invest in long-term mentoring and capacity building
• Build equity and inclusion into core strategies, not side projects
• Track progress honestly and commit resources to removing barriers
Eko's time with Fauna & Flora reinforced a powerful truth: biodiversity protection and social justice are deeply connected. If conservation is to thrive in the future, the people leading it must reflect the diversity of the world they are working to protect.
This journey was both professional and personal—reminding him that leadership is not about having all the answers but about listening, learning, and creating space for others to thrive.