265: Blended – DEI in the Workplace – Not Just The Smart Thing To Do, But The Right Thing To Do
It’s episode 20 of Blended: I’m joined by another fantastic panel of guests and we’re talking about the business benefits of DEI. Previously on the show, we’ve talked to underrepresented groups and specific communities – whether it be women, people of color, trans folks – and, as part of our discussions, we’ve heard them passionately share their stories and illustrate why, of course, they’re such an integral part of successful teams. So we thought it was time to really put a focus on that and dedicate a whole show to the importance of embracing DEI in your business.
Today, our guests will be exploring what DEI means to them; sharing their own personal experiences; reflecting on issues such as creating safe spaces, ongoing education and authenticity; and discussing the importance of supplier diversity.
Introductions to our Blended panelists. Shay – Senior Event Manager at S&P Global Asheley – Director of Customer Success at Flowspace Gennifer – Founder/Executive Director at TransNewYork Amani – Director Of Operations at Malao Logistics
The group discusses DEI: what it means; why it’s important; the challenges; and real-life examples of who’s doing it right and who’s doing it wrong. Creating the right environment and culture Accepting people for who they are Representation Burden of tokenism Impact of Gen Z Education and training Budgets and investment Advocacy and mentorship Creating safe spaces Celebrating awareness days and months, and finding the right balance Intention and authenticity Consistency “It’s not about just the [awareness] month – because I’m going to be black every single day, not just in February!” Asheley
.21] The panel takes a closer look at both the obstacles and benefits of supplier diversity. Increasing customer demand for diversity Barriers for small businesses, eg extended payment terms, expensive tables at events etc Making it equitable
.19] The group sum-up their learnings from today’s discussion.
Resources & Links Mentioned
- You can connect with Shay, Asheley, Gennifer and Amani over on LinkedIn.
- If you found this episode interesting, you might enjoy Episode 1,What’s In A Word or Episode 7, Equality vs Diversity: What’s The Difference?.
- Check out our other podcasts HERE.
