Catherine Salmond: Diversity means we won't be an echo chamber

Dani Garavelli, James McEnaney, Kerry Hudson, Daniella Theis and Cat Boyd, to name a few. 

Why? Their talent for one, of course; what they offer in their specialist fields to our readers and therefore to strengthening The Herald brand through the quality of content they give every day.  

This is their similarity. But their differences are our collective strength and that is also why they were asked to join my team. They are all, individually, brilliant thinkers and writers, but they are also very different and come at things from different angles and backgrounds. A varied and bold team. And how wonderful is that? 

I understand that many people go to a news brand to have their views reinforced; to feel the title reflects their stance on life and society. That feeling of reinforcement is satisfying. But most people also like to have their views challenged, or to have new ideas or areas of interest introduced to them. It is my job as editor to make sure we are not an echo chamber by ensuring our content is diverse and wide-ranging, that our columnists cover a spectrum of views, while also ensuring this is built on the foundations of accuracy, trust and quality.  

On Thursday night, I was delighted to attend The Herald’s Diversity Awards in Glasgow, the eighth annual event of its kind to celebrate inclusion and difference across Scotland.  

It was moving to say the least, to hear about the trailblazing work being done in our country to make workplaces, and therefore society, more inclusive.  

The list of finalists, not to mention nominees, was inspiring, covering areas such as education, sport, the public and charity sectors, and campaign work.  

A stand-out for me was the inaugural Lynne Connolly Achievement Award, given in honour of the 49-year-old who lost her life to cancer earlier this year. As an Abrdn employee, Lynne was its global head of diversity, a ‘force for good’, and a driver in getting these annual awards off the ground all those years ago. The tributes paid by those who knew her were moving.  

Every workforce needs a Lynne Connolly, or ideally an entire team of Lynne Connollys, who understand why diversity, to influence societal change, is so important.  

At The Herald, although we have taken steps to diversify the voices and content we offer to you, our readers, we know there is still work to be done. And we are not standing still with that. To truly represent our readership – and it understand and celebrate it – our newsroom must be wide-ranging. Our eyes are open and alive to the challenges and needs.