Diversity and Inclusion: how do we make it become part of our corporate culture?

In times of social unrest, it becomes more critical for founders and leaders to dive deeper into diversity and inclusion within their organisations.

With recent events across the world bringing systemic racism and inequality to light, it is more important than ever to be upholding diversity and inclusion within the workplace. The worst thing any organisation can do right now is to do nothing.

But where do we start? How do we navigate the topics of diversity, inclusion, and equality with respect and do it right? How do we communicate about this with our team and our customers? How do we become more aware of our unconscious bias within our HR, marketing, or daily operations and address them effectively? What steps can we take to ensure long-lasting diversity and inclusiveness is part of our company’s culture?

EO Melbourne has been into the topic and some members have shared their thoughts and tips through the article “We asked the question: As an entrepreneur, how do you practice diversity and inclusion in the workplace?” This time, the chapter invited Dr Emma Fulu, Founder and Director of The Equality Institute, and Hannah Kassay, a refugee who came to Australia 17 years ago from Eritrea, to shed more light on this issue as they shared their experiences and thoughts on how we, as a society, can do better.

Emma talked about her personal experience coming from a family of diverse backgrounds. Growing up, she has received undue treatment from people who have perceived her as different from them. Since she found herself wanting to address injustice and inequality, she then pursued a career that enabled her to do this.

She became a researcher, social entrepreneur and one of the world’s leading experts on equality and the prevention of violence against women and girls. Her groundbreaking research has been featured widely in international media, including on BBC, Al Jazeera, CNN, and Huffington Post, and published in high-level academic journals. She is also a representative on the Victorian Government’s Ministerial Council on Women’s Equality, co-Chair of the Gender and Rights Advisory Panel of the World Health Organization, and a member of the Lancet Commission.

Eventually, she founded the Equality Institute, a global feminist agency working to end violence against women and girls with the ability to combine world-class research with creative communications.

For companies who want to uphold diversity and inclusion in their organisation, Emma stated that it is best to communicate with honesty and humility, to listen to team members, to acknowledge areas for improvement on this aspect, and to take further action that can create long-term impact. She recognised that there is no quick solution to ensuring equality in companies, but a good approach is to have a diverse recruitment process to more targeted groups, which may require more time and effort.

Hannah, on the other hand, shared her journey from her childhood in Eritrea to her move to Australia. “When I came to Australia as a refugee, ZERO was the only way one could describe my starting position. Without knowing English or having any real formal education, it was only power of will, utmost dedication on a daily level, and continuous personal growth that made me into what I am today - a businesswoman with a deep awareness of what it takes to convert ZERO to ONE,” she revealed.

She started her company, ACS Cleaning Melbourne, from scratch with zero income and built the business into a trustworthy resource that it is today through old-school perseverance, dedication, and customer-obsessed approach. Today, her business has 10 franchises and growing, with plans for expanding nationally.

Throughout her journey, when she has come to realise that she was different from everybody else, Hannah began to educate herself. Later on, she developed self-esteem and saw her value as a person. “Diversity comes from within,” she remarked, and equality is something she regards as self-responsibility. For her, diversity and inclusion in any organisation must be a genuine effort where the leader or CEO explores what it truly means to be different and conducts open communication about it. She also pointed out that embracing diversity will also nurture the creativity and growth of an organisation.

Through her business, Hannah extends an opportunity for women and those who are marginalised to reach their goals through franchising. At present, she does some public speaking and organises workshops and mentoring sessions for everyone interested in hearing and learning about the principles that proved their value and soundness during her whole career. “I have a special interest in empowering underprivileged women and youth, helping them find their place in a global business ecosystem,” she stated.

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EO Melbourne comes up with webinars and learning events like this that helps entrepreneurs look into various social issues that may be beneficial in growing their business and developing their organisation.

The Coronavirus Disruption Project: a webinar with Jeffrey Cole

"Daily life is far more disrupted by the pandemic than after 9/11 or the beginning of World War II, and anxiety is at levels only seen after Pearl Harbor and the Great Depression," said Jeffrey Cole, Director of the Center for the Digital Future in the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. The Center conducted a study titled "The Coronavirus Disruption Project: How We are Living and Coping During the Pandemic," which found rapid life changes and concerns as to how Americans confront the pandemic.

Jeffrey recently held a webinar with EO Melbourne on The Coronavirus Disruption Project and shared the findings of this study, which provided insights that helped better understand the thoughts of people who go through similar life experiences, anxieties and coping mechanisms.

Jeffrey has been at the forefront of media and communication technology issues both in the United States and internationally for the past three decades. An expert in the field of technology and emerging media, he serves as an adviser to governments and leading companies around the world as they craft digital strategies. In 2016, Jeffrey was one of the founders of the Global Disruption Fund (GDF), a technology investment fund based in Australia. He is one of the members of the Investment Committee identifying innovative companies and those about to be disrupted, making investments based on his work.

Veering from the Center's traditional work in annually examining digital change since the year 2000 in 35 countries, The Coronavirus Disruption Project took an extended look at life during the pandemic. As people are living through the greatest social science experiment of all time without warning or preparation, millions have had to suddenly move their work, learning, buying and everything else online. To see how everything has changed and will continue to change, Jeffrey gave a detailed look at how people have lived and coped during the crisis.

It was an insightful webinar for the attendees as Jeffrey elaborated on the data they gathered last April and June. People revealed what they missed most when isolated due to the pandemic. He also tackled people’s hobbies, habits, and sources of information with the new lifestyle that COVID-19 has brought to people's lives. With the shift of activities to the online and virtual space, the study revealed how people are navigating through the changes and how they perceive the transformations in their lives. Following his presentation was a healthy discussion as Jeffrey answered questions from the webinar participants related to the topic.

EO Melbourne continues to hold online learning events like this that allow its members and community to acquire additional knowledge and deeper understanding not only of the business environment and the entrepreneurial journey but also of the adjustments and modifications entrepreneurs can employ to adapt to the present environment.

Check out EO Melbourne’s past events in this page and its 2020-2021 Q1 events through the video at the homepage. Are you interested to be part of EO Melbourne? Read here on how to join.