Verity Coleman Election Statement

Proposer and Seconder: the BIID Council of Directors

Statement: 

I am as excited to stand for election to be appointed to the BIID Council for the second time as I was the first. Having come to interior design as a second career I understand how important the BIID is for designers entering the industry for the first time – be that university leavers or second career-ers. The BIID was my first port of call for all things ‘interiors’ and a safe space to ask questions and find support not just from the hard-working employees of BIID, but of course from its members. I think this task remains at the heart of what the BIID stands for; and is the driving force behind why I now feel I am in a position give something back to the BIID and hopefully help others.

In my role as Chairman of the BIID Diversity & Inclusion committee, I have seen first-hand the substantial impact that the BIID has not only on our members, but also on the interior design industry as a whole. I would love to continue my work of the past three years with both the D&I Committee and on the Council and am committed to ensuring the BIID are in the forefront of D&I within our industry. I am keen to ensure that the Council’s strategic plan is implemented down to committee level, which is particularly crucial for a new committee like the D&I. I am equally keen to bring the Council up to date with D&I progress and momentum being made by the committee, which has grown significantly over the past three years.

The BIID is a rich and diverse collection of talented individuals, and I am keen to work hard in order to support them and really move the Institute forward as many before me have so tirelessly done since its fruition. My time as a Council Director has allowed to get a clear understanding of the challenges, nuisances and aims of the BIID, as well as a greater understanding of what is ‘within the possible’. I am keen to be able to serve a second term and to be able to enact some meaningful tasks to really help push the BIID forward for future members. 

Whilst the BIID covers the entire of the UK, being located outside of London (and in fact any major UK city) I feel my rural background brings a different perspective to the Council. I understand only too keenly the impact of being located away from a main hub on a daily basis. Whilst the BIID recognises the dispersal of members throughout the UK and has recently introduced Regional Ambassadors, which are absolutely fantastic additions, I will continue to bang the drum for the “regions” on behalf of all members who are located away from London and other larger hubs and make sure their points of view are taken into consideration at board level. There are hurdles that exist within the industry unique to those in more rural areas, and I will continue to bring these to the forefront of the BIID’s consciousness and wherever possible, find solutions to level up the geographic gap as much as possible. 

I am very aware that as a council member, individuals are very much the custodians of their charge. I am conscious that decisions need to be considered not just for their immediate impact, but also the potential impact to the future institute and its members. I am well versed in the continuous (and inevitable) balance that needs to be struck between tradition and how and why things have been done in the past and the need to innovate and ensuring that the BIID remains relevant and useful to members in the years to come. I would be delighted to serve as a member of the BIID Council again and honoured to receive your vote to enable me to do so.