Firstly what is a D&I committee? A Diversity & Inclusion Committee is devoted to building consciousness by increasing visibility of D&I standards, resources and best practices for racial, ethnic, religious, sexual orientation and gender differences, as well as diverse skill sets, mindsets and cultures at all levels of the organisation.
The people who can truly tell you how inclusive and diverse your workforce and culture are going to be the individual who lives and breathe it daily
Getting buy-in from the C-suite is critical to a D&I committee’s success. Company leaders should participate in activities such as attending a D&I program,
Objectives that are grouped into three strategic themes:
- Improving the representation, progression and success of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) students and staff, both at home and overseas
- Addressing the challenges experienced by disabled students and staff; particularly those experiencing mental health difficulties
- Embedding diversity into workforce planning to create high performing teams
Here are some tips for creating that Diversity and Inclusion Council in your company:
- Make sure you’re very clear about the role, purpose, and function of the council. All of these need to align with the overall goals and missions of the organization.
- Be selective on who you bring on the council. Many organizations casually ask people to serve on a committee or invite them because they seem interested in D&I work. You must have a strategic approach to who you invite to the council and how that invitation is extended.
- Be thoughtful about how this position is created. The invites should come from the most senior leader and it should feel like a privilege. I like to recommend a direct invitation served by the President, CEO, or another influential senior leader. Make it feel like a significant appointment (because it is).
- What is the structure? Do you have subcommittees? Do you need a chair? How are individuals selected, etc? You don’t want a very large council, but you want ways to engage and get buy-in from others. That’s where subcommittees can be important.
- Always have a commitment statement. This helps people crystalize what they’re getting involved with. Attach the purpose of the council to the business case for D&I. Have a statement that the people in the council and the organization can refer to.
- Make sure you have a safe space where people can respectfully question and challenge things (i.e. leave your formal roles outside the door). Remember that you are peers who are there to learn and challenge each other. If the group is not conditioned to operate in that lens, how effective are they going to be in modelling that into the culture of the organization? It’s important to have values that are respected and accepted.
- Set the tone and establish consistency in how the group interacts through clear expectations and agreements. Routinely post these expectations and agreements in the meeting room or on the agenda. As the team is developing the function of the council, it is just as important to make sure you’re just as thoughtful about what the D&I council is NOT there to serve. Set these in your expectations.
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