At Morelli Consulting, we understand the importance of embracing sustainability in its widest sense and that a key pillar of sustainability is embedding an inclusive culture that supports and motivates a diverse workforce. Morelli’s approach to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) is led by specialist Lorna Gavin, with 17 years of experience as Head of DE&I at an international law firm.
In this blog, Lorna shares her insights on the past, present and future of DE&I and discusses strategies for embedding DE&I into organisational culture.
What is DE&I?
“When we talk about DE&I, we’re talking about creating an environment where everyone feels respected, valued and empowered to contribute. Beyond numbers or representation, it’s about creating an inclusive culture where everyone, regardless of background, has fair access to opportunities and a sense of belonging.”
Where did DE&I come from?
“DE&I’s journey has been long, marked by significant milestones and shifts in understanding. For the longest time, societal inequalities have been prevalent – it’s less than a century since women over 21 were given the right to vote in the UK. Homosexuality was still illegal only a couple of generations ago. The roots of DE&I can be traced back to various social movements throughout history, such as the Civil Rights and the feminist movements. These movements fought for equality and representation for marginalised groups.
Towards the end of the 20th century, corporations began to recognise the role they had to play and the benefits of greater diversity in their workforces. Often the focus began with the more visible inequalities – gender and ethnicity. Over time, programmes embraced the needs of other underrepresented people, including those with disabilities, different sexual orientations, religious beliefs and from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
Until recently, DE&I was often seen as a ‘nice to have’ rather than a business imperative. Dedicated DE&I resources were an exception, not a rule, and networks giving support and a voice to minority groups only began to gain traction after the Millenium.”
How has the DE&I landscape changed in the last five years?
“We have witnessed a significant shift in the landscape, partly driven by increased awareness of social justice issues alongside a growing understanding of the importance of embracing DE&I. The murder of George Floyd and the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement, in particular, catalysed a global conversation about systemic racism and the need for meaningful change.
Other societal shifts have had an impact, such as #MeToo and recent cases highlighting conflicts between transgender, non-binary and gender-fluid people on the one hand and, on the other, those who believe that people cannot change their sex and that sex is distinct from gender identity. There has been a growing awareness of neurodiversity and mental health issues, menopause and the barriers faced by those growing up in lower socio-economic backgrounds. Organisations are also recognising that people don’t fit ‘neatly’ into one category and can face multiple layers of discrimination.
With societal shifts, however, has come some pushback against DE&I as a profession and inclusion as a business aim, including accusations of ‘wokeism’. Much of the rhetoric is just that, and it’s generally badly misinformed, but it leaves leaders and practitioners having to make the case against more active resistance. It feels like the need for DE&I has never been greater.
What is the future of DE&I?
“With 82% of business executives thinking DE&I is critical to business strategies, it’s here to stay. Shifting norms such as multigenerational workforces, flexible working, and AI/tech present fresh challenges and opportunities. In the UK, legislators are pushing for greater transparency and action. Wider societal attitudes (for good and bad) will continue to be a factor.”
How can organisations effectively communicate the business case for DE&I?
“An inclusive workplace enables more diverse talent to realise its full potential, reaping benefits such as increased innovation, improved employee engagement and morale and attracting the highest calibre talent. DE&I initiatives can contribute to the organisation’s bottom line.
Leaders should understand the current demographic of their organisation and use that information, along with data sources such as engagement scores and promotion and attrition rates to inform their priorities. That data, sitting alongside the benefits outlined above, should help build the business case. That business case needs to be fed down to operational managers as their day-to-day actions will be a key contributor to the inclusive culture and in turn diversity in the organisation.”
How can organisations embed DE&I?
“A hybrid top-down and ground-up approach is required, combined with key tools to embed culture change and accountability.
Vocal and active senior sponsors are crucial. Their support can help to create a sense of urgency and provide the necessary resources and authority to implement change. They can help challenge the status quo and foster a culture of inclusivity, bringing the board along the journey of improvement. Board accountability is essential for ensuring that DE&I is a strategic priority. By involving the board, organisations can demonstrate their commitment to DE&I at the highest levels, ensuring that DE&I is hard wired into key decision-making processes, aligned with the overall business goals.
Ultimately, targets, accountability, integrating into new business practices and tackling structural inequalities are what really make a difference.
- Targets must drive change without compromising meritocracy, and to work, need accountability at all levels, from the board to divisions, teams, and individuals. We work with clients to implement effective ways of monitoring progress towards targets with their DE&I and wider employee data.
- DE&I must integrate into business practices, especially when considering recruitment, procurement and working with the supply chain.
Finally, and most challenging, tackle structural inequalities; an oft-heard mantra is ‘don’t fix people, fix the system’. This is really important but also really hard; we have to disrupt the norms and face some uncomfortable truths. For any of this to stick, people at all levels of an organisation need to talk about diversity. That can feel daunting if it’s new; part of my role is to support people and help them understand key concepts and how to be inclusive in their language.
What tools can be used for embedding DE&I?
“There are so many. Communication and awareness-raising through storytelling, particularly videos and blogs, help win hearts and minds. Employee resource groups – networks – and visible champions and allies are impactful.
Reverse mentoring can foster cross-generational understanding and challenge biases. By pairing senior executives with junior employees with different lived experiences, organisations can create opportunities for learning and growth on both sides. From my experience of establishing reverse mentoring programmes, I have seen senior executives have their eyes opened to the daily challenges other colleagues experience and how small changes to their words and actions can make a huge difference.
These things help build a platform to take some of the positive measures that will make a tangible difference (think mentoring, sponsorship, balanced shortlists, inclusive recruitment practices – all of which could fill a blog in their own right).”
How can organisations create a safe, inclusive, and fair work culture for employees?
“A safe and inclusive culture is essential for attracting and retaining top talent. Organisations can create such a culture by promoting open communication, fostering respect for diversity, and addressing issues of discrimination and harassment promptly.
Organisations can balance the need for equity and the principle of meritocracy by ensuring that everyone has equal opportunities to succeed and that promotions and rewards are based on performance, potential and ability rather than ‘fit’. This may require tackling systemic biases and providing additional support for underrepresented groups.
Finally, clear accountability is key. Every leader, every team member, should be alive to their actions and the impact they can have on others – and they should be prepared to call out and help deliver the changes that might be needed to enable others to succeed.”
