Opinion: The importance of having leaders committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The implementation of a DEI strategy is not just a "trend" or an "innovation" - the main goal is to contribute to the financial and human success of the organization.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) - one of the current topics that is widely discussed, but which is complex because, like many other topics when it comes to people, there is no "right" or "wrong".

So why should organizations consider DEI in their strategy? Where to start? Are leaders truly focused on prioritizing the topic? And do they recognize its true value?

In order to address these issues, on the 22nd and 23rd of February, a workshop on "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" was held at the Oney Bank facilities, organized by Diversity and Inclusion Journey, in partnership with GRACE - Empresas Responsáveis. During these days, 28 participants from 20 organizations gathered around the same objective - to understand how they could implement a DEI strategy in their organizations.

With several sectors and types of organizations represented, it was clear that one of the biggest challenges is transitioning from implementing some ad-hoc activities that aim to address specific challenges, to the implementation of a complete and holistic DEI strategy. This is a movement that cannot be accomplished without the commitment and involvement of various leadership levels - it is not enough for the directive to be top-down, everyone must understand the added value and urgency of this movement. The commitment of all hierarchical levels and all areas is urgent, but in many cases, leaders don’t see the topic as a priority yet.

One of the topics discussed during the workshop was exactly the business case for DEI, which can be a fundamental help in changing the mindset of more reluctant leaders: several studies confirm the relationship between the implementation of an effective DEI strategy and above-average company financial performance, increased productivity, greater innovation and well-being, faster decision-making, and greater talent attraction - both internally and externally. In summary, for an organization to prosper, the existence of diverse teams, managed with equality, equity, and true integration, is a fundamental condition. The implementation of a DEI strategy is not just a "trend" or an "innovation" - it is contributing to the financial and human success of the organization.

With committed leadership, it's time to outline the DEI strategy, answering some questions:

What is the current status of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the organization?

What are the company's priorities and which areas of DEI make the most sense to prioritize?

Define benchmarks of organizations that are further along in the journey.

What are our goals, KPIs, and metrics?

Who are the key internal stakeholders? How do we get their buy-in?

What data do I want to collect, how, and how often? Who are the internal responsible parties for each objective and KPI?

Throughout the process, clear and transparent communication is essential to keep everyone aligned and committed to the strategy.

With no magic or infallible recipe for implementing a successful DEI strategy, cooperation and joint work between organizations is essential to guide each other on the path to success and go further together.