At a time when some parts of the world are stalling on their position on diversity, equality and inclusion with some organisations seemingly pulling back their focus or programmes, or both, following the recent declarations in the US, it seems to me that it could be timely to consider what it is that we mean by these terms. Not considering technical definitions rather the principles and values that underpin them and the fears that need confronting.
If we imagine ourselves sitting down with a few people, having a cup of tea and exploring our fundamental beliefs about DEI what would we imagine the conversation might cover?
That all people have the right to be treated equally? It’s quite hard to imagine a real argument against that one. Whatever my age, income, gender, faith, cultural heritage etc. surely I have the right to be treated with dignity and respect.
That the nature of diversity is endless? That there are as many diverse aspects within and about people as there are people on the planet – in other words at one level we are all unique. We may think differently, we may ‘look’ different, we may have different cultural backgrounds, different physical or intellectual capabilities and so on. If we accept this premise, then why would we have any problem with the fact a person may be different to me?
And inclusion…presumably we would say that any process, any policy that enables people to have fair and equal access to the benefits of that process or policy is a good thing – wouldn’t we?
So what is preventing DEI from being a reality in our world and why are continued education, awareness raising and policies still needed? Could it be that at the base of most discrimination is fear. Many fears. For example, fear of what we don’t know and understand leading to us acting from a place of ignorance. Or perhaps, the fear of scarcity, that there’s not enough (of anything) to go around so the more people we can ‘exclude’ from the situation the better chance we have of succeeding.
And yet, as we know, it’s vital to the peaceful and healthy future of humanity – not just within business though of course there. But in every aspect of our lives. The progress made by the early pioneers for DEI such as the Suffragettes, Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Gandhi to name but a few of the more famous, has brought us a long way down the road. The cosmopolitan melting pot in many parts of the world is showing us we can live side by side, embracing diversity and indeed celebrating it. Yet, we remain a long way from true equality. And fairness. And inclusivity. And, of course, peace.
Unless we are each willing to look at our own biases, unconscious or conscious and work on them – seeking to understand others, opening to difference, embracing fairness as a matter of principle – we can be sure that we will not create a better world for our children. We must keep striving; we must challenge ourselves and our institutions to do better. Now is not the time to pull back.
So by all means let’s rebrand it or refine it but let’s not lose the essential principles of the work that has been going on in our institutions in these past couple of decades. The data shows us we still have some way to go to build the culture that truly reflects the principles, or we might say truths, underpinning DEI: that we all have the right to be treated equally, to have our diversity respected and to have fair and equal access to opportunities. So let’s keep challenging fears and biases.