How do you raise awareness of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Publish date: 11/11/2022
MIM 56 - How do you raise awareness of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion within your company ethos, and how does this set you apart from others?
(382 words)
Every workforce should reflect the customers, colleagues and communities it serves but far too often that isn’t the case, as entire cohorts are commonly underrepresented.
Yet the times they are a-changing and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is quickly becoming an essential element in corporate cultures for the future. And as Bob Dylan championed equality through his music, business leaders are finding new and innovative ways to bring DEI into greater focus.
At FMG it’s early days in our DEI journey. We’re proud of our diverse colleague base and we respect our moral obligation to create a fair and welcoming safe space for all colleagues to bring their authentic selves to work every day. By investing in DEI we’re intentionally creating an environment where colleagues feel valued and respected, where they seize opportunities and bring fresh and varying perspectives to any situation.
DEI is a matter of ethics, yet we predict the business benefits will also stack up, as better engagement and retention ultimately drives innovation and financial performance. For now, we’re building solid foundations:
1. Strong backing from leadership teams will play a key role in bringing DEI to life quickly, by setting the tone for the organisation and aligning DEI priorities with business goals, to create deep-rooted solid foundations.
2. Rethinking recruitment and advertising strategy and training will promote more routes into our careers for those from diverse backgrounds and under-represented groups. Broadening our talent pool in this way can unlock a potentially huge untapped resource.
3. Enlisting companywide support will create a good understanding of the different cultures, preferences and priorities within our business. We’re recruiting an employee resource group (ERG) – the DEI Committee - with the objective to promote a culture of connection, belonging and support with every colleague touchpoint.
4. By promoting action not words we’ll bring fun to the workplace whilst embedding DEI into our culture. Creating an events calendar to celebrate cultural events and important days, such as Pride, Black History Month, Easter and Holi is our deliberate act of welcoming and valuing diversity and a show of respect and appreciation of our many differences.
The business case for DEI is stronger than ever and it’s important for businesses to recognise the key role they play in recovery, resilience and financial performance.
Andrew Chandler,
Sales Director,
FMG