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Thursday 22nd December 2022
Pharmaceutical companies have a huge role to play in our communities. Across the board, we know that accessible products and services are better for everyone. We also know that diverse and inclusive teams are happier and perform better. Research in the health sector has shown that more inclusive practices lead to more engagement of health practitioner…
We can leave ‘microaggressions’ that shape the way many marginalised groups experience the workplace and conversation behind us this new year.
Friday 16th December 2022
What is cultural intelligence ? To be culturally intelligent is to adapt and operate effectively in a range of contexts. These can be across national, ethnic, organisational, generational, and departmental settings. Cultural intelligence is made up of four key capabilities. These are: Drive: The curiosity and motivation needed to work…
Psychological safety is the most important factor in what makes people feel Included in an organisation. What is psychological safety? On the individual level, psychological safety is “feeling able to show and employ one’s self without fear of negative consequences to self-image, status, or career”. For our teams at work, it is a “shared belief that…
Attracting diverse talent and building an inclusive recruitment practice is high on the agenda for many organisations. Inclusive recruitment should mean everyone gets a fair chance when applying for roles. But, this is not the case by default.CSI researchers submitted 3,200 fake job applications changing only the applicant name. All fictious cand…
Approach the holiday season in an inclusive way that celebrates and welcomes everyone in your team because not all of your employees will celebrate the same holidays.From Christmas to Hanukkah to Kwanzaa, many individuals and organisations will take the opportunity to celebrate the end of the year with an event or gathering. You may have scheduled you…
Before the men’s World Cup began, a number of football captains had committed to wearing a One Love armband in protest against Qatar’s criminalisation of homosexuality and as a mark of allyship. Yet, this commitment quickly fell away when FIFA, the international governing body for football, announced that all players wearing the armbands would re…
We believe sport is an essential area for getting inclusion right. Representation at massive sporting events like the Olympics and Paralympics and the UEFA European Championships can inspire generations. Included was founded as a legacy of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which illustrated an authentic commitment to inclusion through deli…
This National Adoption Week, Included asks why the UK Government discriminates against adoptive parents and what can be done about it Ask any parent to describe what it is like to raise a child and early in their description will be the word expensive. Most parents don’t start the process of beginning a family thinking in detail about the …
Sports are a great opportunity to bring people together, and can improve health and self-esteem. Sports have a huge influence on our culture, from the positives we saw after England’s win in the Women’s EUROs to the racist backlash that was seen after the Men’s EUROs final in 2020. The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games illustrated a…
October is Black History Month in the UK. To mark the start of this month, we’d love to share our recommendations of those doing great work and celebrate Black cultural and historical figures. This month is also an opportunity to look specifically at the rich history of the Black community in the UK. Engage with Black history all year round As with Pr…
Protests in Iran The killing of Mahsa Amini by the ‘morality police’ in Iran have sparked days of protests in cities across Iran. Amini was detained by the police for wearing a hijab in a way deemed ‘improper.’ Women bear the brunt of constraints by the state and are protesting for their social and economic rights. The protests have seen women taking…
After the shooting and killing of Chris Kaba, we are left with questions, grief, and anger. Chris was an unarmed Black man fatally shot by a Met police officer on 5 September. Chris’ family have described the shooting as ‘totally racist’ and that the suspension of the police officer was too slow. A Black Lives Matter spokesperson stated ‘we need immed…
D&I work is challenging, ever-evolving, and can be daunting. For those moving into their first D&I role, or taking a step up to a senior or global D&I position, it can be hard to find support. Induction for D&I leaders Using coaching methodologies and a unique programme, Included supported a D&I professional moving…
We often think that algorithms and machines can’t be biased. But, this technology takes on the bias of those who built it. It’s crucial that diverse, inclusive teams are designing and innovating in the tech space to ensure bias is not carried through to the final product. Tackling bias is a central to Included’s purpose. We exist to build more meritoc…
What are the benefits for employers, candidates, and inclusion? Flexible working includes arrangements such as flexitime, compressed hours, and job sharing. From an inclusion lens, there are benefits to organisations taking a range of flexible working approaches. These include opening up your talent pool to a wider, more diverse range of candidates be…
“The Lionesses have brought football home; now it’s down to the rest of us to make sure it stays here. You think it’s all over? It’s only just begun.” Gabby Logan The England football team’s Euros win on Sunday sparked discussion of what the future of women’s sport could look like, and how to keep up the momentum. Ian Wright discussed how unequal acce…
It has been 10 years since the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Games illustrated an inspiring commitment to inclusion, which was espoused by the London Olympic and Paralympic Games’ Organising Committee. In order to truly deliver a ‘Games for everyone’, inclusion had to be embedded throughout each aspect of the Games, from recruitment to…
Lydia Collins, Consultant at global D&I consultancy Included, shares her thoughts around Disability Pride Month. Disability Pride Month All too often, Disabled people are left out of conversations around change, sustainability, and D&I. Yet, creative problem solving which punctuates the lives of many Disabled pe…
The fact that six of the ten initial candidates who launched formal bids to become leader of the Conservative party, and the next British Prime Minister, have Black or Asian heritage should be welcomed. On the face of it, this is a success story for ethnic diversity within the heart of the British establishment. And not an overnight success either. M…
This week the US Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion. A number of companies have confirmed they will be covering travel costs through their health insurance. For example, Disney employs 80,000 people in Florida where the governor has signed a law to ban abortions after 15 weeks. Disney has stated it will ensure “com…
Age is a protected characteristic under the UK’s Equality Act, but it is often not discussed in the same manner as other characteristics. Older workers can be overlooked for training and development, or subjected to assumptions about their skillsets. We are also seeing increased pension inequity with people of colour in particular experiencing inequal…
Pride month is an opportunity to reflect on how far the hard-fought battle for LGBTQ+ rights has come, as well as acknowledging the work still to be done. Legal gains have been made, as well as a cultural shift. Many increasingly view LGBTQ+ inclusion as a positive norm, with more organisations taking part in Pride activity than ever before. Whilst bi…
Recent news has covered the experience of Aviva’s CEO, Amanda Blanc, being subjected to a number of sexist comments during the business’ AGM. Additionally, new analysis by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) has found that despite ongoing efforts towards workplace gender equality, there is passive and even active resistance to gender equality, pa…
Many of us were brought up with the Golden Rule: ‘treat others as you would wish to be treated.’ However, in order to be truly inclusive, we should try to adapt to others. Therefore, we can instead adopt the Platinum Rule: ‘treat others how they want to be treated.’ This means we adapt ourselves to the needs of others, rather…
The theme for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week (9-15 May) is loneliness. One in four adults experience loneliness, and if experienced for a prolonged period of time, this can lead to mental health problems. The rise of remote working has seen a range of benefits, but there is a risk of increased loneliness and isolation. 52% of workers reporte…
Inclusion has to happen by design. Making small tweaks to organisational processes can have a significant positive impact on D&I. For example, research into hybrid work showed that there were benefits to disabled people from this change in working processes, although it’s important to acknowledge potential risk concerns about risks…
Positioning a brand as ‘green’ can be profitable. But, how can organisations be authentic and inclusive in response to climate change?
Part of being an inclusive leader is practising empathy in the workplace. For example, recalling times when you have felt excluded, for example, and using this to deepen your relationships with your colleagues and clients and build trust. You can make your workplace relationships more personal in a number of ways. For example: Be your true ‘self’:…
The financial services sector is uniquely placed to make a significant impact on D&I. Diversity, equity, and inclusion is a regular discussion point and generally agreed to be of importance in the sector. However, significant strides still must be taken to deliver real change and impact. Women are just 20% of executive co…
It’s been five years since the #MeToo movement was born. The news of Harvey Weinstein’s extensive history of sexual harassment was broken in the New York Times telling of decades of systematic harassment and assault. Tarana Burke coined the phrase ‘Me Too’ in 2006 and the movement forced conversation about the intersection of gende…
As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues, it puts the safety of Ukrainian people and their right to determine their own future at stake. Russian citizens are also isolated through travel bans, barred financial transactions, and being shut out of a range of world events. Impacts have been felt globally, especially in neighbouring countries who have be…
Accurate gender and ethnicity pay gap data is essential for creating more meritocratic workplaces. Address the challenge with reporting.
This has been a tumultuous year – the first spent entirely in a pandemic in at least 100 years. For many of us, trying to find the silver linings in what has been undoubtedly a difficult time has meant trying new things or learning new skills – maybe we’ve really leaned into baking bread regularly, or finally decided to start learning a new language,…
What is accessibility? Accessibility evaluates a product, event, or situation from the perspective of whether people with different abilities can easily use it. 6% of the world’s population is affected by deafness or hearing loss, 1% uses a wheelchair, 2.6% have an intellectual disability and 1.7% is affected by blindness or a visual impairment. Each…
We recently surveyed our newsletter subscribers to understand the pressing D&I topics at the top of our community’s agenda. Reviewing our practical experience, we’ve gathered guidance and insight from our team at Included. How can you attract a diverse range of candidates? Plamena Solakova: Do not overly rely on referrals! St…
In the aftermath of the brutal murders of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa in London this year, conversations on women’s safety have spanned across our homes, friendship circles, the media, and our workplaces. Reports showed Sarah’s killer being investigated for being in a WhatsApp group with five other police officers and sharing “discriminatory”…
World Mental Health Day is an international day for global mental health education, awareness, and advocacy against social stigma. Stress has increased since the start of the pandemic, while job insecurity and isolated remote work have provided additional challenges for mental health in the workplace. Ahead of World Mental Health Day, members of the I…
The 23rd September is International Day of Sign Languages, which falls in International Week of Deaf People. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 466 million people have disabling deafness and hearing loss. This represents 2.6% of the world’s population. There are 300 sign languages across the world. ‘Hard of hearing’, WHO states, refers…
On Saturday 10th September, Channel 4 broadcasted it’s ‘Black to Front’ project: a day to promote and improve Black representation both on and off screen. It’s 24 hr schedule featured a mix of new and existing programmes, created and delivered by Black presenters, actors, writers and experts, contributors, and programme-makers. Online audience recepti…
Watching events unfold in Afghanistan over the past weeks has brought with it deep concern for all the people of Afghanistan as a result of the crisis that has erupted in such a traumatic way. The return of the Taliban has created fear and deep concern amongst women and other minority groups, including LGBTQ+ and religious minorities, as well as peop…
A recently published report by the UK Home Affairs Committee into racial disparities in policing has found that “serious and deep rooted racial disparities” still exist in policing, over twenty years on from the seminal findings of the McPherson Report, published following the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence and its aftermath. The inquiry set out to…
In the sports clothing business, it used to be the case that many of the top fitness brands would take a men’s product and ‘shrink it and pink it’ as they say in the industry. You’ll probably have noticed that more and more we see brands, products and even events, which have been developed to meet a woman’s wishes, as well as their physiological need…
South Asian Heritage Month in the UK runs from 18 July to 17 August. Beginning in 2020, it aims to provide a space for individuals to celebrate South Asian heritage and history, and to help others understand what this means in the 21st century. The histories of Britain and South Asian countries have been closely intertwined over the last f…
The UK comes out of lockdown The easing of the restrictions placed on people over the past 16 months due to the Covid pandemic is receiving mixed responses, many are welcoming the resumption of ‘normal life’, but there are also many who fear it. Particularly the elderly and the vulnerable who are now feeling more exposed. The last 16 months has…
