The necessity of integrating equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) as standard practice within organisations has been underscored by recent discussions.
- Professor Shivani Sharma from Aston University stresses the importance of EDI becoming integral to business culture to address pay gaps.
- Government criticisms highlight the ineffective execution of EDI initiatives perceived merely as obligatory schemes.
- Omar Rashid emphasises that EDI efforts must transcend token gestures to reflect the diverse workforce and customer base.
- Examples of superficial EDI practices demonstrate the need for comprehensive and continuous engagement throughout the year.
The recent discourse on equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) within organisations highlights a significant need for these elements to become embedded as everyday practices rather than superficial obligations. Professor Shivani Sharma, Deputy Dean of People, Culture and Inclusion at Aston University, articulated the necessity of making EDI ‘everybody’s business’, particularly to tackle gender and ethnicity pay disparities. Her insights, shared on the ‘Aston Means Business’ podcast, urge a shift from outdated approaches reliant on individual goodwill, which history has shown are insufficient.
Sharma’s perspective is echoed by Omar Rashid, Director of The HR Dept and President of the Asian Business Chamber of Commerce, who acknowledges the government’s criticism of EDI initiatives as potential ‘wastes of time’ when not executed properly. Rashid underscored the risk of these initiatives being perceived as mere formalities rather than integrated cultural norms. He argues that acknowledging a multicultural society with diverse workforces and customer bases is essential for EDI to yield tangible benefits. Rashid also pointed to examples of the ‘tick box mentality’, where organisations participate in activities like Black History Month only to neglect diversity efforts throughout the rest of the year. He insists that such gestures, without ongoing commitment, prove ineffective.
Sharma advocates for using ‘world days’, such as International Women’s Day, as opportunities to focus on persistent inequality issues. However, she insists that these occasions should not replace a sustained strategy aimed at dismantling barriers to equitable inclusion in workplaces and society at large. Highlighting Aston University’s Athena Swan Gold award achievement for gender equality, Sharma recognises the continued underrepresentation of ethnic minority women in senior academic roles. She calls for an enduring effort to rectify this imbalance, noting a disproportionate number of male vice chancellors and professors, which illustrates the broader systemic issues at hand.
The discussion also highlights successful EDI practices, such as Aston University’s networking initiative inclusive of mentoring by senior leaders for minority ethnic groups, illustrating practical steps toward inclusivity. Rashid shared examples from SMEs leveraging diverse backgrounds for business expansion, such as branching into new markets by engaging employees from various ethnicities who possess unique cultural insights and connections. These instances underscore the broader benefits of diversity beyond mere compliance with formalities.
Elevating EDI from perfunctory obligations to foundational organisational norms is crucial for reaping its full benefits.
