One of the most common questions we hear from members is: “We have our Inclusive Employers Membership but how do we make sure we’re actually using it?”
It is a fair question. Membership unlocks a significant range of resources, webinars, and expert support. But without a clear approach to sharing and using what is available, some of that value can go untapped. Avon Fire and Rescue Service (AF&RS) have not only solved this problem, but also they have done so to remarkable effect. Through a series of practical, replicable strategies, they achieved a positive return on investment purely from webinar attendance alone, with an overall Membership ROI that exceeded 200%. Here, Jamie Geddes, EDI Support Officer at AF&RS, shares the exact strategies that got them there.
“They achieved the rare milestone of a positive return on investment based solely on webinar attendance, with an overall Inclusive Employers Membership ROI exceeding 200%.”
1. Create central, updatable hub for your Membership content
The first strategy is simple but transformative: build a dedicated internal page where all training, resources, and webinars live in one place.
- AF&RS’s inclusion team maintains a page that holds:
- An up-to-date list of upcoming webinars
- Links to key fact sheets and resources
- Direct links to relevant webinar recordings
- A permalink reused regularly in internal communication
Every month, new opportunities are added and completed sessions are removed. It stays fresh, tidy, and relevant, which keeps engagement consistently higher.
Why it works?
When colleagues can see everything in one place, your Inclusive Employers Membership stops feeling abstract and becomes something visible and actionable.
2. Send targeted emails rather than blanket invites
Rather than sending a generic invite to the whole organisation, identify specific people or teams and send targeted messages that explains exactly why a session is relevant to them.
Instead of “You can attend if you would like”, the message becomes “I have identified that this session would be beneficial for you because…”
This reframes webinars not as optional extras but as genuine development opportunities.
Sessions can be targeted based on:
- Job roles and operational relevance
- Current challenges within teams (for example, reasonable adjustments)
- Community or public-facing responsibilities
A clever addition for organisations with a clear hierarchy: copy senior leaders in. When a senior leader is on the email, others are much more likely to engage. Positive role modelling from the top works.
How does it work?
People engage more when they understand why something is relevant to them. A targeted message makes colleagues feel personally seen and turns a Membership benefit into a genuine development opportunity.
3. Invite teams, not just individuals
Alongside targeted individual outreach, inviting whole teams to relevant sessions can significantly increase participation.
For example, inviting the entire recruitment team to an inclusive recruitment webinar means that at least some people are likely to attend. This approach:
- Creates a gentle sense of shared accountability
- Encourages collective learning and follow-up conversations
- Reaches far more people with a single, well-timed email
For already stretched inclusion professionals, this is a practical and efficient way to maximise the reach of your Inclusive Employers Membership.
Why it works?
Collective invites create shared accountability. When a team attends together, insights are more likely to be discussed, remembered, and applied in day-to-day work.
4. Involve your employee networks proactively
Work with employee network chairs closely to discuss how to share upcoming sessions and resources that are specific to their groups. Networks appreciate tailored opportunities that save them time and demonstrate that their interests are being actively supported.
One practical approach worth considering: give your employee network chairs or EDI committee members their own login to your Membership account.
This means they can:
- See what is coming up directly
- Take on some responsibility for signing colleagues up
- Share new content with their networks in a timely way
Distributing responsibility in this way means your Inclusive Employers Membership works harder across the organisation, not just from the centre.
Why it works?
Employee networks are trusted voices within your organisation. Routing Membership content through them extends your reach and ensures it lands with the people who need it most.
5. Manage webinar tickets centrally
Your Inclusive Employers Membership includes ten places for every member webinar. AF&RS manage sign-ups centrally using a shared document, which allows everyone involved in the membership to:
- See at a glance how many tickets remain
- Prevent places from going to waste
- Quickly reallocate spots if someone can no longer attend
This simple system ensures that every ticket is put to good use, maximises participation across the organisation, and protects the return on investment of your Membership.
Why it works?
Unused webinar places are wasted value. Central oversight means no opportunity slips through the net, and it makes your Membership ROI visible and trackable.
6. Use attendance certificate to boost engagement
Every time someone at AF&RS attends a webinar, they receive a personalised attendance certificate. This small step has a meaningful impact:
- It gives colleagues a tangible record of their continued professional development
- It integrates neatly into existing performance planning processes
- It opens the door for richer performance conversations about inclusion topics
- For organisations with CPD requirements, it turns each session into something formally recognisable
This reinforces the message that your organisation values ongoing development, and that inclusion learning is not an extra – it is part of how your people grow.
Why it works?
Making learning visible gives colleagues a reason to engage consistently. When attendance has a tangible output, it feels worthwhile and builds a culture of ongoing development.
7. Promote recordings for shift-based and frontline colleagues
For operational teams working nights, non-standard hours, or roles without regular computer access, live session timing can be a barrier.
AF&RS actively encourages these teams to watch recordings during nightshifts or dedicated training slots.
It is also worth reminding colleagues that passive listening counts. Could your active teams listen to recordings in the same way they would a podcast, while carrying out certain tasks? This ensures that inclusion learning works around the realities of frontline work, rather than in spite of them.
Why it works?
Making learning visible gives colleagues a reason to engage consistently. When attendance has a tangible output, it feels worthwhile and builds a culture of ongoing development.
The results
They achieved the rare milestone of a positive return on investment based solely on webinar attendance. Meaning their overall Inclusive Employers Membership ROI exceeded 200%.
In other words, they accessed more than double the value that they invested.
Their success demonstrates something important: long-term inclusion is built through consistent, intentional actions that compound over time. When organisations actively engage with their Membership – even in small, everyday ways – the impact can be both meaningful and measurable.