For many of us, the environment in which we live has become ‘more diverse’. Compared to 30 years ago, there are more ‘strangers’, from other countries and continents but also from other parts of our own country. Do you want to bring that ‘diversity’ more intentionally into our organisation? Why would you want to do that? And what diversity would you emphasize, all our primary social identity changes depending on the context we are in? Moreover, the catch phrase of ‘DEI’ goes beyond ‘diversity’. It also refers to ‘equity’ and ‘inclusion’. Some even talk about ‘DEIB’, adding ‘belonging’ to it. What do these other references mean, and how does it all relate to each other, in practice?
Here a set of questions to help you think this through.
· What is your motivation, what is your purpose?
· What diversity will you be looking for?
· How do you acknowledge multiple social identities?
· Where in the organisation would you start?
· How broad will your DEI practice be?
· What do you want your organisation to be, in terms of diversity, in five years from now, and in ten years?
· What to prioritise: diversity or inclusion?
· Do you need to specifically address biases and racism?
· Do you need to specifically address ‘power’?
· Are you ready to absorb the costs of DEI?
· How in practice do you get to a more diverse organisation?
· Do you add the ‘B’ of ‘belonging’ to your DEI strategy?
Our short brief elaborates this in more detail. Download it here.