A vital issue for us all

Ranjana Bell MBE asks how diversity affects both you and your business, how we can build a more inclusive community, and what we can learn from geese.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Ranjana Bell MBE, Founder and Director of rba Equality and Diversity, has been appointed to the AIA Council. She focuses on mainstreaming equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) by creating ‘safe spaces’ for open and honest dialogue between individuals, be they staff, strategic leaders, volunteers or local politicians. She has over 40 years of experience in the field of EDI, having worked across public, private and voluntary sectors over this period of time. Ranjana shares with us her experiences in this area, and how we all work to build a stronger society.

What has equality, diversity and inclusion got to do with you? All the research and evidence that is produced, by academics and other researchers, shows that we have still not grasped the value that having diversity in all aspects of business brings.

A brief personal history… Ranjana Bell shares some of the experiences which led her to fight for a more diverse society.

My journey to fight injustice began when my mum, my brother (aged six) and I (aged four) joined my dad in London in 1955, having left India three weeks earlier to travel by ship to join him. My dad had a vision that by fully integrating the family into English culture, our life would be full of good fortune. He so wanted to be English that we lost our Indian identity as we tried to blend in. I could share many stories about how his heart was broken by his and my mum’s experiences.

I saw and felt their pain from an early age. My brother and I were separated from our parents when we arrived in London. They could not find accommodation where children would be allowed to join them so my brother and I joined the many Black and Asian children in the unregulated homes that were being offered by rich families with big houses, whilst our parents tried to find a place for us to live together. My four year-old self has never really recovered from those feelings of abandonment, when I was isolated from everything I knew.

Eventually, after what felt a lifetime, we rejoined mum and dad and started a completely new life attending school, being seen as ‘exotic’ by people in the street and frequently touched and talked about as if we were not there! I heard terrible stories about how my mum was treated and got very angry when I saw her cry. Turning the other cheek never worked for me, so this is when I think my passion for fighting injustice began.

I just couldn’t and still cannot let things go! Silence is not an option to me. It is our silence that allows the ‘discriminators’ or ‘oppressors’ to win. I have got myself in trouble many times for speaking out. The latest attack on people like me who won’t be silenced is to call us ‘woke’. I am proud of being woke (or aware). To me, this means I live my life caring for others and standing up for justice for everyone, so I will continue to be very proud.

Established in 2011, Inclusive Employers is the first and leading membership organisation for employers who are committed to prioritising inclusion and creating truly inclusive workplaces. In inclusive workplaces, all employees are valued and contribute towards the success of their organisation. Below, I share some of its guidance on the business case for diversity and inclusion (see bit.ly/3J8WS1T).

Inclusive Employers: the benefits of diversity

‘Why is diversity important for business? Some of you may be wondering why we are still asking this question; haven’t we had this conversation? Maybe, but it’s important to take time to reflect and recalibrate so we are

We could learn a lot from geese….

When you see geese flying in a V formation, you might consider why they fly that way. As each bird flaps its wings, it creates uplift for the bird immediately following. The whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own. People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going more quickly and easily because they are travelling on the trust of one another.

When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone – and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front. If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed the same way we are.

When the head goose gets tired, it rotates back in the wind and another goose flies point. Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. It is sensible to take turns doing demanding jobs.

Finally – and this is important – when a goose is sick or wounded and falls out of formation, two other geese will land with it to provide help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly or until it dies. Only then do they take off to fly with another formation or rejoin their group. If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other like that.

‘If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.’

Archbishop Desmond Tutu 1931-2021 in the best position to have these meaningful conversations within our organisations. The start of a new year feels like the ideal time to do this.

‘It has been well documented that diverse and inclusive organisations are typically more successful. Whether including more women at a senior level, realising the full potential of Black and minority ethnic workers, or simply being considerate of those with poor mental health.

‘Research by Forbes tells us that decisions made and executed by diverse teams delivered 60% better results and inclusive teams make better business decisions 87% of the time. When you think about it, it’s not rocket science. A diverse group of people will bring a diversity of skills and experiences, different perspectives and, collectively, better problem solving and more ideas.

‘Having a culture where people feel included, appreciated and safe will have a positive impact on productivity. We encourage employers to create safe spaces where everyone can be included and bring as much of themselves to work as they choose. As well as improved productivity and profitability, providing a psychologically safe environment can bring other benefits for organisations, including improved engagement, increased trust and better teamwork.’

The need for conversations

Inclusive Employers talk about the importance of ‘safe spaces for difficult conversations’. After 45 years of working in the field of EDI, my worry is that if we don’t have these conversations, we will continue to hold on to myths and unconscious biases, which will influence how we make decisions. I have facilitated many ‘safe space conversations’ with executives and have seen how perspectives can change, as they see the value of doing things because it is the right thing to do and not just to tick boxes.

I have just retired after 24 years as a non legal member of Employment Tribunals. I have seen the consequences of the failure of employers to understand the legal requirements of the Equality Act 2010 and the catastrophic impact of bullying and harassment on employees. There are no winners, despite any financial gains, as reputations are tarnished and people’s pain is displayed in public. It is not easy to ‘play any card’ to get a case to an employment tribunal as there are many hurdles to climb before a case is lodged. My plea to you is to talk and have these difficult conversations. Whilst profit is important, your people are the ones that will take you on the journey to success. Respect, trust and confidence is earned and works both ways.