THE death of George Floyd has prompted a global outpouring of grief and anger that individuals and businesses, as an integral part of society, cannot and should not ignore any longer.
While there have been events at both ends of the spectrum (both violent and peaceful), the issue must raise both self-awareness and action by companies. Across the world, much of the news, sharing of personal stories and response by police and governments alike has proved uncomfortable – as it absolutely should.
Businesses have faced many challenges over the last few months, and as they work on restart plans, it is vital to reconsider and review the diversity of our own organisations. Many businesses, if they interrogate themselves, will find they have sometimes failed in the past to promote diversity and inclusivity in all its aspects. This cannot be an excuse for inaction; the opposite is true as it must spur companies to change.
From considering racial equality, disability and age, businesses the world over have a significant opportunity to make a change for the better. Time should be dedicated to reviewing recruitment, HR and other internal policies to ensure they are fair, and guarantee a level playing field to everyone within an organisation to encourage success, growth and diversity.
Just as in the last column I looked at the value of data, one must not forget the value that individuals bring. Employees from all backgrounds come together to create a successful business.
As a community we must unite and take actions to ensure that we are inclusive. These can be as simple as making a conscious effort to recruit more individuals from BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) background at all levels, becoming aware of our own unconscious biases, to restricting the board during the next review to make it more inclusive and diverse.
Leaders should listen carefully to unheard and underrepresented voices, and aim to make their board and organisation diverse, reflecting the society around us.
Even within the IoD, we are taking strides to implement diversity policies to combat inequalities, and create diverse boards through mentoring or apprenticeships.
We must all remain accountable and transparent, implementing diversity KPIs (key performance indicators) for the organisation, and publishing ethnicity and gender pay data.
By acknowledging our own privileges as a catalyst for change, and working to collaborate with others, such as clients, suppliers, Government, industry associations, and NGOs, we will move to address any imbalance.
But, ultimately, we need to educate ourselves. There is a real lack of BAME education in schools, and so we must take responsibility for teaching ourselves, as well as our younger generations.
In a business context, ensuring you have the right information and a sound understanding of the issues and background to inform your strategy is vital; read up, seek help from those who can provide the right advice. While this issue is centuries old, let’s not use this opportunity to fall back on our laurels – we simply must make a conscious effort to make a difference and to deliver a better tomorrow.
We all need to embrace and encourage a fundamental change in attitude, and deliver a new atmosphere of equality, not just in business but across all of society. By creating a culture of diversity within our businesses – ourselves included, and irrespective of position - we can play our part in helping to change the landscape for future generations.
It is right to challenge old assumptions and old ways of doing things. Values must be refreshed and re-interpreted in light of new knowledge and understanding.
The motto on the IoD’s Crest, Integrity and Enterprise, will have meant something different to our founders in 1903, but it can serve today as a reminder that no director and no business can claim to act with integrity if they discriminate against anyone based on who they are.
Malcolm Cannon is the national director of the Institute of Directors
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