Tag Archives: Diversity and Inclusion

Relative privilege in UK industry is now a ticking time bomb

“The Post Office scandal screams of relative privilege and clearly demonstrates how UK industry is sitting on a ticking time bomb if companies do nothing to address it.”  

That’s the view of leading think tank and diversity, equity and inclusion organisation, Belonging Pioneers, whose work and ongoing research is now shining a major spotlight on privilege in relation to systemic corporate attitudes, discriminatory cultural behaviours, and the need for UK employers to make rapid and significant changes.

Research evidence collated by the organisation[1] shows that out of 40 companies surveyed, a staggering 92% of employees have or are currently experiencing relative privilege at work, with 96% stating that it is also used to gain clear advantage. Approximately 83% of employees said they felt undervalued or demotivated when privilege is used against them.

58% of those asked thought privilege was mostly unconscious or unintentional on the part of their employer. However, 42% also said that privilege was used intentionally, was embedded in the workplace, and was very much a negative aspect of our culture.

Furthermore, 76% of respondents thought privilege was having a negative impact on an organisation’s overall performance, with 14% believing the impact to be high. This is leading directly to a loss of productivity, reduced motivation and wavering staff loyalty, and for UK business leaders, employers and industry groups, such results should be an urgent wake-up call.

Ishreen Bradley, Chief Inspiration Officer at Belonging Pioneers, explained, “Relative privilege in the workplace is often at the very core of business activities where uneducated beliefs, outdated ways of working, bad judgement and toxic behaviours can go unchallenged through fear, denial, acceptance or an uneven power balance. The Post Office scandal is, unfortunately, a very fitting, timely yet perfect example of ‘privilege eruption’ whereby corporate bad practices and failures to address the relative privilege that is deep rooted in these organisations, has come to the fore and had catastrophic results on both sides. Sadly, for the postmasters and mistresses, the extremely negative and long-lasting effects are now very clear for all to see.

“Even more recent developments demonstrate how privilege is continuing to play out, despite the global spotlight, negative attention and reputational exposure that the various organisations involved have received. The less than satisfactory compensation offer given to former postmaster, Alan Bates, which he has called ‘offensive’ and since rejected, again is steeped in attitudes of unwavering power and privilege on the part of those ‘higher up the system’.

“In a wider sense, and whether done knowingly or unknowingly, UK businesses must now wake up. Companies really need to better educate themselves and start discussions internally around this specific issue in order to rebalance relative privilege and mitigate against eruption. Ignoring this problem will only risk serious consequences and therefore it cannot be underestimated.”

Relative privilege is mostly perceived and acknowledged as being ‘someone’ (or a body or institution) that possesses and uses factors such as status, power, beliefs, wealth, race, gender, ability and more to gain advantage at multiple levels over others. In business, it is not seen as unique or separate to an organisation’s culture.

Furthermore, and often surprisingly, firms who consider themselves to have positive and progressive diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) policies in place can still demonstrate high levels of relative privilege in operational and day-to-day activities. It is estimated that less than 30% of businesses have implemented a value-driven, integrated approach to privilege in existing strategies.

The forthcoming ‘Balancing the Scales’ event (Wednesday 21 February), hosted by Belonging Pioneers at The Leadenhall Building in London, is hoping to attract many company representatives from across the country’s public and private sector, as well as third sector organisations, to learn, participate and engage in such discussion.

Ishreen added, “Companies may believe they have the correct policies in place, but specifically addressing privilege is often missed due to a lack of understanding and awareness. We need to encourage deeper thought and wider collaborative discussion across all industries, and get a very open conversation going to help deliver change.

“Putting it bluntly, companies identified as being more diverse and inclusive are 35% more likely to outperform their competitors[2], so aside from having a responsibility to staff to deliver equity and social governance, why would employers not take this matter more seriously? It’s a catalyst which could also have huge financial benefits in terms of growth, increased productivity and greater staff retention.

“Embracing inclusivity is an ongoing, proactive process for individuals and businesses alike, but by acknowledging that relative privilege and bias can exist in many different ways, UK organisations can make huge strides forward. By opening up this dialogue now, they can start the journey to become better employers and do the right thing.”

The Balancing the Scales event includes a host of keynote speakers and leaders in their field from sports, law and construction amongst others. More information can be found at Balancing The Scales (belongingpioneers.com) and tickets for purchase can be found via Eventbrite at: Balancing The Scales 2024 – How to put More ‘S’ into your ‘ESG’ Tickets, Wed 21 Feb 2024 at 17:30 | Eventbrite

[1] Data figures from Relative Privilege Impact Report 2023 (Belonging Pioneers)

[2] Resources: Builtin, McKinsey, BCG, HBR 

Photo: Ishreen Bradley, Chief Inspiration Officer at Belonging Pioneers whose ‘Balancing the Scales’ event (Leadenhall Building, London – 21/02) is looking to educate and support UK organisations and business leaders in changing relative privilege in the workplace.

 

Female Founders Unite to Banish Stigma Surrounding Women’s Health in the Workplace

In response to alarming statistics revealing that 23% of working women in the UK have contemplated leaving their jobs due to the impact of menstrual and menopausal symptoms (Simply Health, 2023), The Independent Health and Wellbeing Group (IHWG), an employee wellbeing group, has joined forces with Grace & Green, a sustainable period product company, to offer a unique workplace training. Together, they are on a mission to dismantle the taboo surrounding women’s health in the workplace, aiming to prevent the potential loss of 3.5 million female employees.

This partnership bridges the gap between menstrual health and menopause, providing organisations with a comprehensive approach to support women’s health needs. Grace & Green, renowned for its award-winning organic and sustainable products, collaborates with IHWG, experts in menstrual health education, to offer products, education, and confidence-building solutions.

Founder of The IHWG, Hazel Hayden, expresses enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “As we embark on this journey with Grace & Green, our shared mission is to dismantle the barriers surrounding women’s health in the workplace. By combining forces, we aim to cultivate a culture where menstrual health and menopause are not only understood but actively catered for in the UK. This partnership signifies a crucial step towards fostering inclusive workplaces where every individual, regardless of their gender, can thrive without fear or stigma. Together, we are rewriting the narrative around women’s health, creating a brighter and more equitable future for employees across the board.”

Grace & Green’s 100% organic and sustainable products aim to alleviate the worries associated with menstruation in the workplace. By providing free period products, companies demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity and support for all employees. IHWG specialise in providing unique learning experiences that normalise menopause and menstruation in the workplace. Through education on menstruation, menstrual conditions, menopause, and everything in between, the partnership seeks to break down barriers, reduce stigma, and encourage open conversations across the board. 

This includes offering menstrual products, flexible work arrangements, and fostering a supportive culture to destigmatise women’s health, ensuring all employees feel valued and supported.

Founder of Grace & Green, Fran Lucraft said: “We believe that access to safe and sustainable period products is a fundamental human right. No one should have to compromise their health, career or dignity because they don’t have access to essential menstrual products when they need them. Having free period products that are visible and starting conversations in the workplace is an important and simple way to begin breaking the stigmas associated with menstruation. We believe this partnership will be a significant step towards breaking down barriers for people who menstruate within the workplace. It’s cheaper than buying toilet roll. The question isn’t why are we starting this partnership, it’s simply why isn’t everybody doing it?”

To find out more about the collaborative training, or book your company session, CLICK HERE. 

More information:

The Independent Health and Wellbeing Group

At IHWG, commitment to enhancing wellbeing is delivered through a holistic approach to women’s health and corporate wellbeing solutions. Specialised services and support empower a healthier, more informed, and empowered community.

With an extensive background in women’s health, Hazel Hayden founded IHWG to address the gap in support. IHWG medical professionals, led by Hazel, aim to smash the stigma around women’s health in the workplace through comprehensive training workshops.

Grace & Green

Grace & Green’s mission is to bring dignity to all through taboo-breaking body literacy education and ethical products. Recently certified as a B Corp with a top 10% global ranking, Grace & Green offers sustainable period products, managing periods and incontinence safely and sustainably.

With a decade in environmental management, Fran Lucraft founded Grace & Green to provide safe, effective, and sustainable period products. The company’s commitment to environmental responsibility has positioned it as a leader in the period care sector. 

 

Britain’s most inspiring women in business crowned at national awards

The business women leading the way in their industries have been named in the second annual Great British Businesswoman Awards.

The programme launched in 2021 to recognise the growing number of trailblazing women in business leadership and entrepreneurship, champion their peers and advocates, and inspire the next generation of businesswomen.

In 2021, over 140,000 female-founded companies were established, a figure that is growing by a third every year, and the number of women in leadership positions in FTSE 100 companies increased to 32.5%, from 30.6% in 2020. It’s thought that this increase in representation of women in business could unlock a huge amount of economic potential, especially as the trajectory continues.

The final took place at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London as the awards was held in person for the first time, after coronavirus meant the first ever ceremony was held online.

The overall Great British Businesswoman of the Year was awarded to Beth Knight, Amazon in the Community Leader for Europe, whose work surrounds building a better working world for women.

From helping women and girls to advance their careers in technology with programs like Amazon Future Engineer, to overseeing large-scale philanthropy initiatives for refugees fleeing the current crisis in the Ukraine, Beth has been highly commended for the work she has undertaken so far in her career.

The programme was founded by the team behind the Great British Entrepreneur Awards in 2021, who had been blown away by the increasing volume and quality of applications to the prestigious awards series by women in previous years.

The winners were selected by a panel of expert judges from companies including Burberry, easyJet, WarnerMedia, Cabinet Office, Greggs and Heathrow Airport, who all have their own vast experience working within diversity and inclusion.

The Great British Businesswoman Awards were founded by Francesca James, who said that the showcased winners would play an important role in inspiring others: “It has been a great honour to highlight the commendable stories of the winners, not only because they thoroughly deserve to be applauded for their tenacity and leadership, but because the value of positive female role models and male allies in business cannot be underestimated.

“Statistics show that the participation of women in business is on the rise, but we want to play a part in ensuring this continues by shining a light on the stories that will instil confidence in the next generation and make certain that no stories of success go unnoticed.

“Congratulations to our fantastic winners, not only for your awards, but for the important work you are doing to lead and innovate your industries.”

Full list of winners:

Banking & Finance Businesswoman of the Year: Natasha Frangos, Partner, Head of Corporate, Haysmacintyre LLP

Construction Businesswoman of the Year: Gauri Talathi-Lamb, Co-Founder, Iolas Capital

Consumer Goods Businesswoman of the Year: Martha Keith, Founder & CEO, Martha Brook

Creative Industries Businesswoman of the Year: Lucy McCarraher, Founder, Rethink Press

Engineering & Manufacturing Businesswoman of the Year: Samidha Anand, Engineering Manager, Caterpillar

Entrepreneurial Businesswoman of the Year: Lizzie Carter, Founder, Only Curls Ltd

Food & Drink Businesswoman of the Year: Joyce De Hass & Raissa De Hass, Co-Founders, Double Dutch Drinks

Social Enterprise Businesswoman of the Year: Emily Aklan, CEO, Serenity Welfare

Technology Businesswoman of the Year: Collette Allen, Chief Operating Officer, SmartSearch

Telecoms Businesswoman of the Year: Tejal Maniar, CEO, BT OnePhone Ltd

Transport & Logistics Businesswoman of the Year: Nancy Hobhouse, Head of ESG ,Evri

Utilities Businesswoman of the Year: Lisa Waterhouse, Diversity & Inclusion Manager, National Grid

Young Businesswoman of the Year: Laura Cooper-Jackson, Director, Industrial Signs Group

Rising Star Award: Krystle McGilvery, Founder, Mind Over Money

Gamechanger in Sport Award: Charlene Gravesande, Assistant Producer, Sky UK Limited

Team of the Year Award: PUMA UK&I

Role Model of the Year Award: Lucile Kamar, Head of Diversity and Inclusion, ITN

Diversity Award: OLIVER

Male Advocate of the Year Award: Conor Whelan, Chief Information Officer, Experian PLC

Female Ambassador of the Year: Beth Knight, Amazon in the Community Leader, Europe, Amazon

Great British Businesswoman of the Year : Beth Knight, Amazon in the Community Leader, Europe, Amazon

Great British Businesswoman Awards 2022 finalists revealed

  • The most inspiring women in business have been shortlisted ahead of the Great British Businesswoman Awards Grand Final
  • The second annual awards ceremony will celebrate businesswomen in industries from tech to creative
  • Grand Final is to be held in London on November 29
The shortlist for the Great British Businesswoman Awards 2022 has been unveiled ahead of a Grand Final in November.
160 women in business have been named as finalists in the second annual awards in categories including Construction Businesswoman, Social Enterprise Businesswoman and Diversity Initiative of the Year. One of the winners will also be crowned the overall Great British Businesswoman of the Year, which was won last year by Unilever’s Leena Nair.
The programme launched last year to recognise the inspiring women innovating and leading the way in their respective industries. Despite this, statistics still show that there is still a long way to go before the number of women in top corporate jobs is equal to men.
Research has estimated that £250 billion could be injected into the UK economy if women were equally as prominent in leading businesses as men.* It’s hoped that the awards will play an active role in showcasing the importance of having more women in leading corporate positions and, ultimately, getting closer to realising that untapped potential.
The awards took place for the first time virtually last year, but the organisers are making the event bigger and better this year by holding it in-person at the De Vere Connaught Rooms in London.
It’s hoped that the live ceremony will offer guests the opportunity to connect with their fellow attendees, and ticket holders will also have access to a finalist networking conference in the daytime before the main prize-giving event.
Founded by the team behind the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, finalists and winners are also encouraged to remain engaged with the programme after the final as they are welcomed into a growing alumni network where previous award applicants can connect, learn and share ideas.
The finalists will be whittled down to 21 winners selected by a panel of expert judges spanning a wide range of industries and big name companies, from Greggs PLC Chief Executive Roisin Currie, to Easyjet Trading & RM Director Melissa Skluzacek.
Awards founder Francesca James said that the judges have a tough decision on their hands: “The standard of entries was fantastic and the breadth of talent and achievement demonstrated by the finalists is nothing short of inspirational. The finalists should be very proud to have been shortlisted out of so many worthy applicants, and I don’t envy the judges who now have the task of choosing the winners.
“Celebrating and supporting women in business is not just for other women – if we want to see more women leaders in business, it will be strong collaboration between us all that achieves it. We’ve created these awards to reflect that, with categories honouring male advocates, corporate initiatives and teams that are empowering business women and championing equality and diversity.
“Congratulations to all of our fantastic finalists – I look forward to finding out who our 2022 winners will be!”
The Grand Final of the Great British Businesswoman Awards 2022 will be held on 29th November 2022 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Tickets are available at freshbusinessthinking.com/great-british-businesswoman-series/tickets.
Great British Businesswoman Awards 2022 Finalists: 
Banking and Finance Businesswoman sponsored by Global Processing Services 
• Dr Narisa Chauvidul-Aw, KogoPAY Group
• Roxana Mohammadian-Molina, Blend Network
• Natasha Frangos, Haysmacintyre LLP
• Rosie Lyon, Allied Irish Bank GB
• Liz Jackson MBE, BCMS
• Palak Tewary, Price Mann
• Katharine Wooller, Dacxi
• Chloe Mercer
• Private Markets Alpha Limited
Construction Businesswoman 
• Carol Massay, Access Group
• Sophia Graves, Real
• Louise Stewart, ProjectPay
• Roni Savage, Jomas Associates
• Leanne Coop, The Tiny Housing Co
• Kelly Cartwright, Core Recruiter Ltd
• Gauri Talathi-Lamb, Iolas Capital
• Mandy St John Davey, Mandy St John Davey
Consumer Goods Businesswoman 
• Greta McDonald, Sweet Lounge
• Emma Macdonald, The Tartan Blanket Co
• Martha Keith, Martha Brook
• Monika Ludwiczak, Everlasting Brows
• Bethan John, The British Blanket Company
• Amanda Mountain, Lola Design
• Emma Naumann, Cogito Talent Limited
• Mellanie Lykourina Struthers, Draught Drop
Creative Industries Businesswoman 
• Shannon Jennings, The Very Group
• Priya Downes, Nudea
• Chloe Baldwin & Abigail Baldwin, Buttercrumble
• Claire Menzies, Istoria Group Ltd.
• Debra Mayfield, DML Marketing
• Anna Kyriacou, The Zeros Art
• Sedge Beswick, SEEN Connects
• Lucy McCarraher, Rethink Press
Engineering & Manufacturing Businesswoman 
• Samidha Anand, Caterpillar
• Beverley Gibbs, NMITE
• Nathalie Sorde, CMR Surgical
• Dr Zoe Tolkien, Advanced Furnace Technology Ltd
• Lara Edison, Encirc
• Lana Harrison, Exterior Solutions Ltd
• Mandy Forster, AA Flags Limited
• Rachel Garrett, CMG Technologies
Entrepreneurial Businesswoman 
• Sharon Daly, Venture Life Group Plc
• Lizzie Carter, Only Curls Ltd
• Abi Selby, Spabreaks.com
• Emily Riddington, TechNET IT Recruitment
• Emma Bardwell, Bardwood Support Services
• Alice Hall, Rowen Homes
• Hannah Allen, Operatix
• Anita Dougall, Sagacity Solutions Ltd
Food & Drink Businesswoman 
• Joyce De Hass & Raissa De Hass, Double Dutch
• Krisi Smith, Bird & Blend Tea Co.
• Shakshi Chhabra Mittal, FoodHak
• Ellie Webb, Caleño Drinks
• Hannah Williams, Tiny Rebel
• Laura Belshaw, Musclefood
• Olivia Ferdi, TRIP CBD
• Nirali Buch Mankodi, Superfoodio
Social Enterprise Businesswoman
• Hannah Samano, Unfabled
• Alison Delaney, Little Bird People Development
• Melanie Vaxevanakis, The MAZI Project
• Toni Horn, Think Differently Coaching CIC
• Emily Aklan, Serenity Welfare
• Julie Hawker & Kate Doodson, Cosmic
• Marva Trenton, Lifelong Family Links
• Anisa Morridadi, Beatfreeks
Technology Businesswoman 
• Georgina Nelson, TruRating
• Laura Hutton, Quantexa
• Tanya Field, Novatiq
• Charu Bjuvestig, QA Talent
• Lesley Da Costa, Bendac
• Collette Allen, SmartSearch
• Deepti Velury, Tag Worldwide
• Sarah-Jayne van Greune, Payen Limited
Telecoms Businesswoman 
• Beverley Brookes, Spoke Interactive Limited
• Nektaria Efthymiou, BT
• Tejal Maniar, BT OnePhone Ltd
• Amanda Jobbins, Vodafone
• Jeanie York, Virgin Media O2
• Claire Harvey MBE, Vodafone
• Gill Cooke, Three UK
• Rebecca Armstrong, Talk Talk
Transport & Logistics Businesswoman 
• Sarah Taylor-Jones, Evri
• Fiona Smith, AGS Airports Ltd
• Lorna McAtear, National Grid
• Ginny Buckley, Electrifying.com
• Nancy Hobhouse, Evri
• Caroline Green MBE, Pallet-Track Ltd
• Rachel Houghton, Business Moves Group
• Katie McIntyre, Adverttu
Utilities Businesswoman 
• Lisa Waterhouse, National Grid
• Charlotte Swift, British Gas
• Sharna Matson, Cadent Gas Limited
• Lynne Higgins, Octopus Energy
• Marianne Moberg, Utility Warehouse
• Jacqueline O’Donovan, O’Donovan Waste Disposal Ltd
• Vicky Kelsall, Scottish Power
• Katie Jackson, Shell UK
Young Businesswoman sponsored by EMCOR UK 
• Rachel Thomas, The THOMAS Recruitment Group
• Jade Cohen & Brittany Harris, Qualis Flow
• Laura Cooper-Jackson, Industrial Signs Group
• Chiara Macarti Speranza, Google
• Lucie Rowley, Evri
• Natalie Porter, Happy Plants
• Lissele Pratt, Capitalixe
• Millie Goodwin, With Love Cosmetics LTD
• Nipuni Karunaratne, IVY TECH Ltd
• Megan Gamble, Hashtag Me
Diversity Initiative of the Year Award 
• Lucile Kamar, ITN
• Tasneem Bhopalwala, Oxford University Press
• Christopher Sumner-Smith, Charu Bjuvestig, Hannah McDougall, Christina El-Hawi and Kieran Prout, Qa LTd
• Carol Poloni, Amina Folarin, Sagina Shabaya, Vijay Chohan, Theresa Sarbeng, Melanie O’Hagan and Jerome Ntumba, OLIVER
• Nadia Edwards-Dashti, Harrington Starr
• Nadine Campbell, ACE Entrepreneurs
• Charlene Brown, Howlett Brown
• Jodie Greer, Be #PeopleSmart LTd
Female Ambassador of the Year Award 
• Fran Pestana, E.ON
• Nikki Ross, Thames Valley Partnership
• Beth Knight, Amazon
• Chloe Foster, Valorum Care Group
• Angela De Souza, Women’s Business Club
• Patricia Phillips, Panasonic
• Ruby Sweeney, The Events Hub
• Tracey Secker, The Haven Wolverhampton
Gamechanger in Sport Award 
• Jess Roper, I am Fighting Fit
• Katie James, bpsorty Ltd
• Yvette Curtis, Waves Wahines CIC
• Charlene Gravesande, Sky UK Limited
Male Advocate of the Year Award 
• Conor Whelan, Experian PLC
• Richard Port MBE, George Green LLP
• Matthew Read, Volume99
• Seb York, CatSci Ltd
• Ian Boyd, Trekstock
• Simon Martin, OLIVER
• Lee Proctor-Wright, Encric
• Daniele Fiandaca, Token Man Consulting
Rising Star Award 
• Janani Prasad, Minority Supplier Development UK
• Lauren Williams, gemsatwork Ltd
• Joan Tolentino, Infoteam International Limited
• Krystle McGilvery, Mind Over Money
• Giulia Pedretti, Arteak Limited
• Louise Blisset, Inception Consultants Ltd
• Lisa Dukes, Dukes & King
• Lucie Grech, The Laser Lounge Enterprise Limited
Role Model of the Year Award sponsored by Moody’s 
• Lucile Kamar, ITN
• Raqual Amador Quintanilla, Bango
• Sadie Restorick, Wellity Global
• Emma-Jane Taylor-Moran, Rebel Law Ltd
• Georgina Moseley, Help Harry Help Others Cancer Support Charity
• Melyni Bronson, Masterclassing Ltd
• Claire Russell, Mental Health in Business
• Mahira Kalim, Spruce
Team of the Year Award 
• Bendac Group
• Criteo
• PUMA UK&I
• Independent Schools Examination Board
• Mount Street
• Pallet-Track
• Your Space Property Group
• Noble Events
• Lendology CIC
• OLIVER

Comprehensive review of UK corporate workplace diversity and inclusion launched

Leading brands across the UK are being encouraged to take part in a ground-breaking diversity and inclusion report that aims to shed light on some of the key issues holding back growth, innovation and creativity in the economy.

The McKenzie Delis Foundation, a charitable organisation committed to moving the dial on diversity, equality, inclusion and belonging in the workplace; and Ipsos MORI, the third-largest market research company globally, are behind the report and have today announced its launch for 2021.

In an open letter penned to the CEO’s of every FTSE 100 company, Leila McKenzie-Delis, CEO of Dial Global and Founder of The McKenzie Delis Foundation, and  Lord Simon Wooley, Operation Black Vote CEO and member of the House of Lords are amongst those calling on corporate leaders to widen their lens of diversity and have invited companies to be part of the new initiative.

While other lists focus on a single facet of diversity, such as gender or ethnicity, the 2021 McKenzie-Delis Review on Diversity and Inclusion is the first review of its kind to take a holistic approach to diversity and inclusion by providing a comprehensive review of how employers are addressing and prioritising their efforts across 10 facets of workplace diversity and inclusion. These are: Ethnicity, Gender, Age, Nationality, Mental Health, Sexual Orientation, Socioeconomic Status, Disability & Neurodiversity, Religion, and Parenthood.

The Review, expected to be published in April 2022, is based on self-reported practices of UK companies and follows an inaugural report in 2020. The 2021 report will also cover the U.S. market for the very first time, incorporating businesses from the Fortune 100.

“The McKenzie-Delis Review is not your typical ranking or best-of list but creates an industry-standard diagnostic and meaningful report to harness the power of all aspects of both visible and invisible diversity,” said Leila McKenzie-Delis, Founder, The McKenzie Delis Foundation.

“The Review is designed to help companies turn commitments into actions and go beyond traditional diversity pledges to track progress over time in a way that will help position them to recruit and retain the top talent they need to be competitive.”

Large and medium UK businesses will be invited to participate in a survey on their D&I approach and practices that will inform the report starting October 4. The Report will showcase the top 25 companies driving change to create greater diversity and equality in the workplace across the 10 facets. It will also share overall progress and corporate trends and provide actional guidance for businesses to further accelerate their D&I efforts. Other partners include LexisNexis Risk Solutions, KPMG, Britvic PLC, Ipsos MORI and Revolt Communications.

Lord Simon Wooley, Operation Black Vote CEO, member of the House of Lords and Co-Chair of the UK McKenzie Delis Review Committee, said: “Big businesses are starting to ask some searching questions when it comes to diversity and inclusion but there is so much more that needs to be done, particularly in senior leadership positions.

“We need to ensure we create multiple pathways to success and a pipeline of diverse talent so that people know it doesn’t matter where you start – you can get to wherever you want to be. Institutions, policy, business and society all benefit if we can get diversity right.”

Bina Mehta, Chair of KPMG UK and Co-Chair of the UK McKenzie Delis Review Committee, added:

“I see the benefits diversity brings to business every day, from the quality of conversations and different perspectives people bring right the way through to delivering better business outcomes for our firm and our clients.

“It’s vital businesses play their part in championing inclusion, diversity and equity. Diversity of thought is integral to the growth and sustainability of all businesses. Participation in the McKenzie-Delis Review is a chance to join with like-minded organisations to make a difference in society as well as business, to drive equity and inclusion, and, to dismantle barriers and empower growth and progress.”

An independent review committee of corporate and non-profit leaders will guide the report’s framework. Members include representatives from Verizon, KPMG, Walgreen Boots Alliance, Google, Intel, Microsoft, Motorola, Bridgestone, and other international companies. A complete list is available here.

“One of the oldest pieces of management advice is what gets measured gets done,” said Ben Page, CEO of Ipsos MORI in the UK and Co-Chair of the UK McKenzie Delis Review Committee. “Through participation in The McKenzie-Delis Review, companies can track their progress to demonstrate if and how they are moving the needle and identify where they need to focus.”

In the US, Tami Erwin, Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer, Verizon Business, will Co-Chair the U.S. McKenzie-Delis Review Committee alongside John Standley, Executive Vice President Walgreens Boots Alliance & President of Walgreens.

“Data shows that by focusing on the full spectrum of employee diversity, employers can create a stronger, more impactful culture of inclusion,” said Tami.

“Participation in the McKenzie-Delis Review is a chance to join with like-minded organisations to make a difference in society as well as business, to drive equity and inclusion, and, to dismantle barriers and empower growth and progress.”

The McKenzie-Delis Review will also serve as a diagnostic tool for businesses that take part. All participants receive a personalised scorecard that compares their performance to peers and top-performing organisations in the UK and the U.S. for each of the 10 facets, at no cost. The tool identifies opportunities for improvement and provides guidance on how to get there.

Discussions around race are nothing new, so what needs to change?

Discussion about race in the workplace is not a new phenomenon, says Mary Asante, Director at HRi, so what needs to change?

The UK first passed the Race Relations Act in 1965. This act was reviewed in 1968, and again in 1976, with the most recent act about race, the Equality Act, passed in 2010. George Floyd’s death and protests across the world by the Black Lives Matter movement and its allies have highlighted how widespread and sensitive the issue of racism still is. Race discussions continue to be a difficult and uncomfortable discussion in society at large and particularly in the workplace. People still seem reluctant to talk about it, fearing they may say something wrong and inadvertently offend someone. In most workplaces, it is quietly subsumed into the equality or diversity and inclusion discussions and rarely receives enough mention, discussion, or attention. The result of this is sadly limited change and slow progress.

Race and Employment

The issue of race raises its head right from the onset of the employment journey, at the recruitment stage and may be prevalent throughout the employee lifecycle. Although the reality is that it starts way before this in society and in the education of our children.

Recruitment and Selection

The recruitment and selection process often unfairly discriminates against candidates from ethnic minorities, often unconsciously. For instance, the CV screening process may preclude candidates with foreign or minority sounding names. This is regardless of whether the individual is British, born and raised in Britain or not. As a result, there has been a call for blind selection of CVs (i.e., selecting CVs without candidates’ names on them) as a potential solution to this issue. Whilst this may help at initial stages, this alone will not resolve the issues surrounding racial bias and discrimination in the recruitment process, they will instead simply rear their head further along in the process.

Let’s look at an example for you to further demonstrate this point. Amy applied for a senior manager in a large well-known company. She was very qualified, educated to degree level, with years of experience in her field. She was a highflyer, meeting a lot of the job role requirements in the job description. Amy was shortlisted for and had a successful phone interview. She was invited to the second stage face-to-face interview, which she was extremely pleased with. Amy turned up for the interview and introduced herself at the reception, stating why she was there. The receptionist seemed surprised, as did the hiring manager when they came to the reception area to meet her. Amy is Black British, born and raised in London. She is well spoken and articulated. There was no indication whatsoever during the phone interview that Amy was Black. Hence, the recruiting team were totally surprised and taken aback when they met her in person. This made the second interview awkward. Amy did not get the job. The hiring team could not rise above their prejudice.

Progression and Talent Development

When it comes to progressing within organisations, the glass ceiling for most minorities is much lower. The McGregor-Smith review on Race in the workplace highlights that ‘only one in 16 in top management positions are held by an ethnic minority person’. This figure becomes even lower when you take a closer look at the separate groups within the ethnicity pool. The representation for Black and South Asian in top management positions is much lower. It doesn’t take much to realise that there is a real ‘wastage’ of talent and indeed, a missed opportunity for employers to engage and benefit from the skills and talent of a diverse workforce by limiting the development opportunities for minority individuals.

Minorities are often overlooked for promotion for a variety of reasons. In some cases, there is a lack of recognition for the roles minorities play in organisations. They may never truly belong or be given opportunities to shine in the same way as their white colleagues. Whether this is down to unconscious bias, conscious bias or favouritism or a combination of all three remains a challenge which needs to be further explored.

Here’s another example. Roy was a member of the leadership team of a technology company. The team comprised of seven senior managers, four of whom were already directors of the business. Roy looked after a number of functions in the business, including the IT department. He made significant contributions to the business and the strategic direction of the business. Over a period of two years, two of the three non-directors were made directors of the business. Roy was side-lined. There were never even any discussions around appointing Roy to the Board of directors. Operationally, Roy operated at director level, but was never offered the opportunity or recognition as a director of the business. The sad reality is that the organisation is not going to appoint a Black man to their Board of Directors, but were quite happy to exploit his skills, expertise, knowledge, hard work and dedication.

As Lynne Ingram, Managing Associate at the solicitors, Freeths explains, it is vitally important that decisions relating to employees are based on skills and attributes rather than any conscious or unconscious bias. “Once an allegation of discrimination or less favourable treatment because of race is raised by an employee, the burden moves to the employer to prove that that any decision is not because of discrimination. The risks to the business are not only the failure to retain talent, losing out on the positives of a diverse workforce, reputational damage but compensation is uncapped for discrimination, the highest award was in excess of £1.5 million which was an extreme case, but the average award is £35k.”

Reward and Recognition

Minorities may be paid less for performing similar roles within organisations. The gap becomes wider for ethnic minority women. The same can be said for bonus payments and other incentives. All employees must be valued, recognised, and rewarded accordingly for
their effort, output, and contribution. The decision should not be influenced by whether the decision maker ‘likes someone or not’ but they often and sadly are. There have been calls for the government to make ethnicity pay gap reporting compulsory for organisations, similar to gender pay gap reporting (currently suspended due to the pandemic). The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reports that gender pay gap dropped from 17.4% in 2019 to 15.5%, a step in the right direction. Campaigners for ethnicity pay gap reporting hope that mandating organisations to report on ethnicity pay gap will have the same impact over a period of time.

Organisational Culture

Talking about race in the workplace is often seen as HR’s job, with senior leadership very often passing the responsibility on. The reality is however that for effective and meaningful conversations to take place in the workplace, and for change to happen, the leadership team need to be driving this. It needs to be on the boardroom agenda, not as a checklist exercise for HR to fulfil. Ultimately it be deliberated by the board; backed with action and accountability. And not only that, but the culture within organisations must be open to honest discussions around race. This is where HR can come in, to ask the challenging and sometimes uncomfortable questions and to help leaders look at their own organisations and in effect, hold up that mirror for them. HR can play a key role in highlighting the issue of racial inequality and racism within their organisation or when working with their clients as an external HR professional. This must be done at all stages throughout the employee lifecycle.

Holding leaders to account

Organisational leadership must be accountable for all aspects of race, racial discrimination, and racial inequalities. They must engage with HR, Equality and Diversity professionals and legal advisors to enable them to address the issue holistically, for their organisation to benefit from the skills, knowledge, experience, and talent of a more inclusive workforce.

With this in mind, I will close with some key questions organisations (and more specifically leaders) can ask themselves to help promote equality and tackle racism in their workplace:

  1. When have your employees felt different to others in the business?
  2. How did that impact your employee’s behaviours? This might not necessarily be work related. It could be for instance, not putting themselves forwards for opportunities within their teams.
  3. What is racism? And what does racism look like in our organisation because it will no doubt exist somewhere.
  4. How can we address racism within our business?
  5. How can we create and drive genuine equal opportunities within our
    organisation?
  6. What biases do I have as a leader? Leaders and managers would do well to take the Harvard Implicit Association Test (IAT)which highlights our own biases and how these can unconsciously impact our decision-making process.
  7. How do we include our minority employees in our discussions around race and other organisational challenges?
  8. How do we remove the language of fear that is so often associated with race in the workplace and ensure there is an open and honest conversation happening?
  9. How can we engage all of our employees in discussions around equality?
  10. How do we harness the skills and talent of our minority employees?
  11. How do we find suitable mentors (or better still sponsors) for our rising minority stars?
  12. How do we train our leaders and managers to understand racism and its
    challenges in our workplace?
  13. How can we hold ourselves to account?

Only once you have asked yourself all of the above questions and honestly considered your responses will you be in a position to confidently talk about race in your workplace. And indeed, only then will you be able to hold yourself to account.

Words by Mary Asante, Director at HRi.

 

14 Binge-worthy Podcasts About Race and Diversity

Sophie Chandauka, co-founder of the Black British Business Awards shares some of her favourite podcasts on race and diversity for 2021:

To start 2021 off right, we’ve assembled a list of binge-worthy podcasts on the topics of race, diversity, and inclusion. Ranging from informative to entertaining, from thought-provoking to soulful, you can be sure to find at least one show which captures your interest.

Where to start

In About Race, Reni Eddo-Lodge, bestselling author of Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race, heads up a podcast that takes the conversation a step further. Although there are only a handful of episodes, this podcast still ranks at the top of the list. Eddo-Lodge interviews MPs, activists, artists, journalists and more to discuss anti-racist activism and how it impacts politics today. Listen here: About Race https://www.aboutracepodcast.com/

Emmanuel Acho does not believe that ignorance is bliss. If racism is a disease of the mind, it can only be fixed by recognising and speaking openly about it. He joins famous celebs for uncomfortable conversations about white privilege in America, being brave enough to go where most other people shy away. Listen (or watch) here: Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man https://uncomfortableconvos.com/

Diversity and Inclusion – at work and in life

The Diversity Gap podcast focuses on the space between our good intentions and our good impact, specifically on the topics of diversity, inclusion, and equity. Host Bethaney Wilkinson has a goal: “to discover promising practices for closing diversity gaps in our everyday lives and work!” The episode library ended in 2020, but don’t stress. The podcast is continuing in 2021 under a new name. Listen here: The Diversity Gap https://www.thediversitygap.com/podcast-1

Inclusion Works explores how we can build inclusive cultures at work and in life. With new episodes every fortnight, this is a must-listen for anyone interested in tackling the topics of diversity and inclusion in the workplace. You will walk away with information which you can use to drive lasting change. Listen here: Inclusion Works https://www.hivelearning.com/site/inclusionworks/

Professor Binna Kandola OBE, expert on racism in the workplace, interviewed a panel of guests to look at the history of racism and how it comes into play in the workplace. The show doesn’t shy away from tough topics, including discussing micro-aggression and the importance of setting the right tone from the top. Listen here: Racism at Work https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/racism-at-work-podcast/id1471383724

Dr Jonathan Ashong-Lamptey, PhD from LSE, is a global authority on Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace. In his weekly podcast, he uses news and trends as the foundation for topical discussions on diversity at work. You might want to start with an episode from last month: Why Diversity & Inclusion Is A Quick Fix For Pandemic Problems. Listen here: Element of Inclusion https://elementofinclusion.com/podcasts

Industry-specific podcasts

Julia Streets, a city entrepreneur with more than 25 years in the financial services industry, hosts DiverCity® Podcast. This podcast focuses on the value of Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) in the financial services industry. Each episode highlights an area which needs greater focus in order to drive change. Listen here: DiverCity® Podcast http://divercitypodcast.com/

SideHustlePro claims to be “The first and only podcast to spotlight bold, Black women entrepreneurs who have scaled from side hustle to profitable business.” Creator and host Nicaila Matthews Okome used her own experience of shifting from side-hustler to successful entrepreneur in building out this show. With an impressive guest list of Black business owners, this show should interest anyone – male or female – who is keen to start up their own business. Listen here: SideHustlePro https://www.sidehustlepro.co/

Celebrating Your Identity

Hosted by sustainability consultant and creative director Emma Slade Edmondson, and Nicole Ocran, writer and co-founder of The Creator Union, Mixed Up is a podcast for, about, and by mixed heritage people. The show talks about the lived realities a life spent straddling two different heritages. Listen here: Mixed Up Podcast https://mixeduppodcast.libsyn.com/

New York Times bestselling author and teacher Layla F. Saad hosts the Good Ancestor podcast, where she interviews change-makers and culture-shapers. Her aim is to live and work in ways which will leave a better world for the generations to come, specifically Black girls and Black women. Listen here: Good Ancestor podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/6Atahbqw5vurttEHrjR7TR

In the 37, and still counting, episodes of Growing up with gal-dem, Liv Little and Charlie Brinkhurst Cuff take a fresh approach to interviews by having their guests look at their own personal journeys. In each episode someone is invited to respond to old diary entries, text messages, or letters from their younger selves – nurturing important conversations about growing up. Listen here: Growing up with gal-dem https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/growing-up-with-gal-dem/id1509199829

Black and British

BBC produces George the Poet’s award-winning and critically-acclaimed show Have You Heard About George’s Podcast? Updated weekly, George the Poet uses a mix of storytelling, fiction and music to provide a look at life in the inner city. Listen here: Have You Heard About George’s Podcast https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07915kd/episodes/downloads

Black, working-class women take over the microphones on The Echo Chamber Pod. Jade and Ez talk about topics which they believe interest Black British people, whether that be working life, family life, emotions or wellbeing. Listen here: The Echo Chamber Podcast https://linktr.ee/TheEchoChamberPodcast

Dope Black Dads is a digital safe space for fathers to discuss their experiences with being Black, a parent and masculinity. In their podcast, together with their special guests, the Dope Black Dads discuss everything from mental health to relationship ups and downs. Listen here: Dope Black Dads https://www.dopeblackdads.com/podcast

The start of a new year is always a great time to focus on self-improvement and education. These podcasts will help you improve your awareness of racism and its impact on the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic community. Through storytelling, interviews, humour and essays, these podcasters offer something for everyone. Pop in your earbuds and give a few of these a try.

Teresa Boughey launches brand new Inclusion247 podcast with a host of high-profile guests

Whilst the importance of Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) is being increasingly recognised by large and small businesses alike, a prevailing discourse exists that sees D&I as its own separate entity or it ends up being something that is only paid attention to when the next data is due. Teresa Boughey MA FICPD is passionate that inclusion should not just be prioritised when people are looking so has launched the Inclusion247 podcast where she interviews a host of high-profile guests about their inclusivity journey.

The Inclusion247 podcast is designed for professionals who want to create an inclusive workplace culture and make a difference to society as a whole no matter where they are on their inclusivity journey. Within the podcast, Teresa asks some of the most inspiring thought leaders of today what they are doing to break down barriers and how they are inspiring others to make a positive and lasting impact not only in the workplace, but across society. Teresa is determined to widen the discussion around diversity, equality, inclusion and belonging and endeavors to educate others on their important role in making a difference. So far, episodes featuring co-founder of Rethink Press Lucy McCarraher, Head of Happiness and Innovation at The Happiness Index Tony Latter and Daniel Sapuppo, People Advisory Services Manager at Ernst & Young (EY) with more exciting episodes to be released fortnightly.

The podcast is part of Teresa’s wider Inclusion247 initiative, whose mission is to help businesses to embed D&I within company culture as well as wider business strategy. Inclusion 247 is the essential resource hub for any business’ Equality, Diversity and Inclusion journey.The hub provides tools, resources, webinars and latest Inclusion and Diversity news and is currently open to join the waiting list. Inclusion247 is brought to you by Jungle HR, an award winning organisation that works with Executive Boards and Leadership Teams during times of change, business transformation and provides expert guidance to help businesses increase inclusivity and increase their workplace sense of belonging.

Teresa Boughey is an award-winning TEDx speaker, Non-Executive Director, and author of Amazon #1 bestseller Closing the Gap – 5 Steps to Creating an Inclusive Culture, designed to support business professionals at every stage of their inclusivity journey. Teresa is also a UK Female Entrepreneur Ambassador, Business Board Member of the Women and Enterprise and the Women and Work APPGs and a regular contributor to the media and public policy. Teresa will also be joining the University of Birmingham Centre for Women’s Expertise, Leadership, Economy and Diversity as one of their Entrepreneur Experts, contributing to the department’s research.

On the launch of the podcast Teresa said “Diversity is not a standalone initiative; I hope listeners will recognise diversity is around us all of the time and see the important role they play in order to create a true sense of belonging in society. The embedding of inclusion rests on the creation of an environment where everyone feels safe and comfortable to share their stories and I hope this podcast will not only provide a platform for this, but show listeners that progress can only be made if we come together to create change.”

The Inclusion247 podcast is available on a variety of platforms including:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7AR6224Uxw6DCpSA3pmNnM?si=r1Rh3EjET82GHlKHY43-QQ
iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/inclusion247/id1486566195
Deezer: http://www.deezer.com/show/653022
Libsyn: http://inclusion247.libsyn.com/