Why is Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Leadership Important to Your Business?
Kanika Selvan - Powered By Diversity Collective
At the age of 25, I left the voluntary sector in a terrifying career leap into the private sector. In retrospect, Energy Retail isn’t very private sector, but at the time I had been working for organisations for whom doing social good was the core objective, the idea of moving to an organisation where the objective could be profit over social good, was terrifying to me.
The biggest fear was that I wouldn’t align with the values and mission of the organisation who I was set to work 40+ hours a week for. I wouldn’t fit in with the teams who probably drove big cars and had different voting practices to me. I wouldn’t be inspired to follow the leaders who were lined up to motivate me to deliver a mission I was unsure I could get behind.
Now I realise that this was all a fear that the leadership and culture of this new organisation wouldn’t be inclusive of me. As a woman with a variety of identity markers that could set me at a disadvantage, I have learnt to be vigilant in assessing the organisations Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) thinking, it’s an early warning sign for me, a red flag. Will I be accepted, could I thrive, and will I then enjoy working for the organisation?
In 2022 the BYP network published an article stating that 52% of black women plan to quit their jobs and only 33% of them felt valued by their teams. Micro-aggressions, sexism and racism being some of the key barriers believed to be driving the stagnation of their careers in the workplace. That’s just one group, if we step back and consider this when it comes to those with other protected characteristics, when we consider the intersectional nature of the challenge... its an iceberg.
As the years have gone by, I’ve collected my receipts in EDI; building and chairing employee networks, sitting on EDI committees, public speaking, lobbying and reviewing various different EDI plans and strategies.
I now work in change management, that personal journey of navigating different organisation has naturally combined with an EDI mission that is intrinsic to my change management practice.
Statistics like those from the BYP network don’t surprise me anymore, they reflect the challenges that a lot of marginalised communities face when attempting to find a fulfilling career or even just a career that pays the bills and isn’t damaging to that individual’s health.
One of the reasons why I speak to organisations and facilitate workshops on EDI leadership, is because I get asked by a lot of leaders how they should consider solving the EDI challenge in their organisation. As the challenge is structural in our society, it requires leaders to actively work to re-mould their organisations in a new way. Doing nothing on EDI is a decision to accept a lack of inclusion in the workplace.
As EDI thinking is an area that evolves over time, my thinking about EDI has also evolved. If you had asked me 10 years ago, I would have given a speech on looking at your larger strategy, looking at the organisational mission, avoiding tick box exercises, getting people energised and bought in on the ground.
But now I think the real root of EDI change is first in the minds of every leader. So, I suggest that they ask themselves first, before they launch a United Colours of Benetton EDI pamphlet, before they request that staff disclose their identity markers on a questionnaire, or even start an employee network that will probably get too loud to allow in the boardroom..... I ask them... so what?
You want to do EDI... so what?
You want inclusivity... so what?
You want a diverse workforce... so what?
What’s the reason why you as an individual want to do this? Why do you want to be an Inclusive leader of an organisation that gets EDI? Is it the business case... better performing teams, is it morally the right thing to do or even... is it something you have to do because reputationally or legally, you can’t be seen to not do EDI?
The steppingstones to build out EDI are clear, we know the steps in the dance and once we mobilise this in organisations, it creates a momentum of its own. But it wont ever really make the impact, it wont embed, without authentic and honest EDI leadership setting pace and ambition. Its not about being an expert, its not about always being comfortable, but it is about knowing why you as in individual prioritise this for your organisations future.
As a word of warning, without that clarity of individual purpose... that’s when leaders get caught out. Organisations get found out, because its not just black women, like me, reviewing the EDI policies and watching the CEO speak on youtube, before I submit my job application.... there is a whole bunch of people asking themselves if your organisation’s type of leadership will allow them to thrive.
About the author
Kanika Selvan is a change leader who believes in disruption through straight talking, questioning and authenticity. A northerner, a woman of colour, a neurodiverse leader, she has shaped Beetroot Consulting with the knowledge that through work and play, enabling people to see the beauty in difference is one of our biggest un-tapped opportunities.
Kanika is part of the Powered By Diversity Collective, a collaboration of over 400 diversity and inclusion experts.
About the Collective
The Powered By Diversity Collective works with Powered By Diversity to produce a wealth of lived experience playbooks, videos and other training materials to give businesses the tools to create a truly equitable, diverse and inclusive workplace.
Further materials (available though subscription to the Powered By Diversity award winning data platform)
An Ally’s Guide to Inclusive Language
How to Recruit for Equality and Retain Diverse Talent
An Introduction to Sex, Gender & Equality
An Allies' Guide to Anti-Racism for the Workplace
Disability Inclusion & Anti-ableism for the Workplace
How We Do Inclusive Recruitment (video)