How diverse and inclusive is your organisation?

This question is asked many times but why are we still having the same conversations? Here at Penna, diversity and inclusion run through the heart of everything we do, and as recruiters leading on changing the face of the public sector, we want to drive the agenda forward.

To do this we must change the rhetoric to ensure we aren't having the same conversations in 20 years. Our 6 June webinar Diverse and inclusive workplaces – the blockers and the solutions was the perfect place to start

We discussed with Tosca Fairchild, chief of staff at NHS South East London Integrated Care Board, and Arif Sain, managing director at Inclusivity Global, why inclusion means becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable, and how to embed equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) cultures within organisations holistically.

Developing policies and initiatives focused on certain groups is not enough, explained Ms Fairchild. ‘Lived experiences' are instrumental in creating a better understanding of one another. We must move away from EDI feeling like a tick-box exercise and focus on the individual and their story.

But who is responsible for EDI? We all have a part to play, explained Mr Sain, and it is time for us to ‘be bold and be brave.' Don't let the fear of tough conversations get in the way of delivering upon your EDI agenda.

The effectiveness of a good EDI strategy and policy to an organisation's business objective was also touched upon. It should be rational and actionable, with clear steps outlined, and should be applied in all business processes and on all levels – from recruitment and training to senior leadership decision-making.

After such a remarkable level of interaction from our audience, we are excited to continue the webinar series, and the discussion, and tackle the real barriers to equality and inclusion in the workplace. If you would like to watch the full webinar, please visit our website.

Amin Aziz and Sapna Sharma are senior consultants – public sector executive search, at Penna

www.penna.com