How can you apply intersectionality to your diversity and inclusion strategy?

Ensure that your diversity initiatives prioritize representation and inclusion of individuals from marginalized or underrepresented groups across all intersecting identities, including race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, socioeconomic status, and more. Collect data on demographic characteristics such as race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and disability status, and analyze this data intersectionally to understand how different identity factors intersect to shape experiences of discrimination and inclusion within your organization. Provide training and education to employees on intersectionality and its relevance to diversity and inclusion efforts.

One thing we have found helpful when assessing how diverse is your organisation is to 1. carry out a workforce demographics assessment 2. Use a diversity climate survey ( we want to ascertain what your employees perceptions are around equity, inclusion etc. ) 3. Carry out a thorough review of the organisations policies, practices and procedures to uncover any disadvantages that may exist for certain groups or anything that may fail to support diversity and inclusion. This review will probably include Recruitment, promotion, training, retention, compensation, accommodation policies, and anti-discrimination policies. Again the whole aim of this is to pinpoint any barriers to diversity and inclusion that may exist in your organisation.

In assessing an organization's diversity and inclusion, I've found that an authentic understanding of intersectionality requires us to look beyond the surface. It's critical to engage in continuous learning and reflection. This means regularly updating our awareness of different identities and experiences, and considering how these intersect in unique ways for each individual. Additionally, establishing clear, actionable goals based on this understanding can significantly drive progress. It's not just about identifying gaps but actively working to bridge them, ensuring our strategies are adaptive and inclusive of all voices.

Incorporating intersectionality into diversity and inclusion strategies demands understanding your company culture and team's diverse identities and experiences. Engaging with employees reveals insights beyond data, highlighting the importance of various backgrounds like gender, race, disability, and sexuality. Moving past surface metrics to explore how intersecting identities impact experiences within the organisation is crucial. Acknowledging these nuances allows for more targeted and effective initiatives, catering to diverse communities. Diversity and inclusion efforts must evolve based on team feedback to maintain a truly inclusive, valued, and empowered environment.

Applying intersectionality to a diversity and inclusion strategy involves recognising the overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination and privilege that affect individuals differently. This means gathering detailed data on multiple identity factors such as race, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, and disability to identify specific barriers faced by different groups. Policies should be tailored to address these nuanced needs, ensuring inclusivity at all levels. Training programmes on intersectionality can enhance awareness and empathy, while diverse leadership ensures varied perspectives in decision-making.

DEI work is hard and requires having a lot of uncomfortable conversations, both with yourself and others. That’s why we shouldn’t strive for perfection but for growth. People are bound to make mistakes, that’s part of the journey. But don’t let your fear of making mistakes paralyze you. This is a very common phenomenon for white women where our need for perfection is often preventing us from engaging in anti racism work. Here’s a great Time article on this topic: https://time.com/6227993/white-women-perfection-anti-racism/

In my experience, organisations don't know what they don't know. Therefore, education often comes after engaging with internal and external stakeholders, highlighting the gaps in education, which then inform the design and implementation of policies.

The History of the term was coined. In one of the lawsuits in the US, a woman appealed against her firm for discrimination. The judge saw, 1. If there was evidence of gender discrimination --> He saw because white women had been hired --> 𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 2. He then checked for any evidence of racial discrimination ---> because black men were hired ---> 𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗖𝗟𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡: 𝗡𝗼 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 The judge failed to see the intersection between race and gender where the woman appealing belonged.

Exploring the depths of intersectionality in diversity and inclusion strategies demands an ongoing commitment to learning and open dialogue. Diving into academic works, engaging with firsthand narratives across various platforms, and participating in workshops can illuminate the complex realities faced by intersecting identities. Additionally, implementing structured reflection sessions within your organization encourages everyone to critically examine biases and understand the broader implications of their actions. By actively involving all team members in these educational processes, we cultivate a culture that genuinely respects and values diverse experiences, paving the way for more inclusive practices.

Education is key in embedding intersectionality within I&D strategies. This concept is dynamic and constantly evolving, requiring continuous learning and reflection throughout the business. Start by enhancing the understanding of its foundations and practical applications, along with the diverse perspectives and lived experiences of your team. It's crucial for both leaders and employees to grasp the importance of intersectionality and learn how to integrate this knowledge into their roles and daily interactions, thereby nurturing a more inclusive workplace culture. Only through relentless education and collaboration can your organisation navigate the complexities of intersectionality, ensuring that your efforts are informed and impactful.

Intersectionality involves collaboration of various stakeholders who give their insights , expertise, experience from their organisations or movements. This enables inclusion and a participatory approach.

Diverse representation matters, by ensuring that both the team and stakeholder or all individuals who will engaged and potentially impacted by the strategy reflect a variety of identities and experiences. Diversity also should be defined in a broad context from visible (Age, Sex, Race, etc.) to invisible diversity (thought, background, perspectives, etc.).

To apply intersectionality effectively in diversity and inclusion efforts, engaging in open dialogues and feedback loops with diverse stakeholders proves critical. By prioritizing active listening and empathy, we can uncover unique challenges and opportunities that various groups face. Furthermore, employing a transparent decision-making process that reflects this myriad of perspectives ensures that diversity and inclusion strategies are truly inclusive and equitable. This approach not only enriches our understanding but also promotes a sense of belonging and investment among all involved.

Tailoring messages that resonate with various intersectional identities demands a deep appreciation for cultural nuances and experiences. Engaging diverse stakeholders is important but missteps in communication can inadvertently alienate certain groups or overlook their distinct needs. Communication becomes a delicate balance. Make sure you enter conversations informed.

To effectively integrate intersectionality into your I&D strategy, engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders is essential. This approach must be adaptive, acknowledging that there's no one-size-fits-all solution; it requires collaboration. By involving a wide array of individuals, you can tap into varied voices and needs. It's crucial to include employees from all levels of the organisation, as well as partners and communities, both within and beyond the business sphere, providing them with opportunities to contribute meaningful input and influence outcomes. This inclusive approach ensures your I&D strategies are deeply enriched by diverse perspectives, making them fundamentally more inclusive.

Adapting intersectionality into D&I strategies mirrors agile's emphasis on adaptability, requiring systemic changes akin to code refactoring. It's not merely surface adjustments but deep structural enhancements for inclusivity. My experience in leading teams underlines the importance of evolving D&I initiatives dynamically, similar to agile's feedback-responsive adjustments. This ensures policies are not just inclusive but equitable, fostering an environment where all feel valued, much like the collaborative essence of agile development. This approach, blending principles from technology management and social equity, proves critical in creating truly inclusive workplaces.

What I would love to see in this context would be companies adjusting the compensation packages of women and other marginalized groups so that they finally match their white male counterparts’ compensation - and ideally add something on top to make up for the years & decades of pay discrimination and lost compound interest power. That would be true equity.

It is important to recognise that intersectionality extends beyond visible identities, acknowledging diverse backgrounds, experiences, and privileges that shape individuals in nuanced ways. It is a difficult task to tailor inclusion strategies to address all these intricacies which is why employee engagement is key to ensure strategies don't just cater to the needs of those who design them.

In designing inclusive policies, engaging in continuous dialogue with diverse groups is essential. This opens avenues for understanding unique perspectives, ensuring our strategies are not just inclusive on paper but in practice too. Implementing regular training sessions on intersectionality can cultivate an environment where every voice is heard and valued. Moreover, it's crucial to have mechanisms for feedback and adaptation, allowing policies to evolve in response to new insights and challenges. Through these actions, we create a culture where everyone feels seen and empowered.

Designing and implementing inclusive policies is indeed one of the most challenging steps in integrating intersectionality, necessitating a strong vision and purpose. It involves a systemic transformation, fundamentally rethinking decision-making processes across the business. Historically, these changes have been made with minimal input from teams, but it's crucial to involve communities in this process as much as possible. Such involvement cultivates a culture of respect, belonging, and empowerment. By actively listening, seeking feedback, and being willing to adapt your approach, you'll create an environment where every voice is heard and valued, thus reinforcing your commitment to genuine inclusivity and equity.

An example I've seen are working groups for intersectional groups so the progress is monitored on a continuous basis such as quarterly, or annually.

Equality Impact Assessments are really insightful if utilised proactively at the earliest opportunity. Giving consideration to individual areas will help understanding and collating that will help recognise and respond to intersectionality insights ultimately driving forward positive developments and improvement.

Applying intersectionality within diversity and inclusion strategies demands constant vigilance and adaptability. From my perspective, the key lies in developing a dynamic framework that continuously assesses the multifaceted impacts of our initiatives. This involves setting clear, measurable objectives that reflect the nuanced nature of intersectionality and ensuring regular, transparent reporting on our progress. Celebrating milestones is crucial, yet equally important is creating an environment where feedback leads to actionable insights, driving us towards a more inclusive future.

This crucial step in refining your I&D strategy underscores that intersectionality isn’t a static goal, but a dynamic and evolving journey, reflecting the continuous changes in the world around us. Monitoring progress and assessing impact are fundamental, allowing the use of data and insights to inform future decisions and adaptations. Challenges and resistance are part of the process, but they offer opportunities for growth and learning. Celebrating achievements and openly learning from setbacks are essential. This reflective practice ensures your I&D initiatives remain relevant and progressive, while also fostering a culture of transparency, trust, and accountability.

From my experience with evaluating and monitoring the impact of intersectionality it needs to be an iterative process. There is a well known phrase, 'Feedback is the breakfast of Champions' and having this continuous monitoring of progress gives us the motivation to keep going and also bench marks our progress and success. The data used is fundamental in these scenarios and we can use each milestone to celebrate success and our achievements as well as monitor what didn't work.

𝗞𝗶𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗲́ 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗮𝘄 𝗰𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝟯𝟬 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗴𝗼. Age, gender, culture, profession, social, financial background etc define us. 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘋𝘌𝘐 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘰. 𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘳? 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘵, 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘵.

The balance between tagging a person as diverse and being inclusive without tagging is a hard one to achieve. Acceptance is the turning point for driving an inclusive mindset. As Marcia Reynold says “ coach the person not the problem”. Our challenge is not diversity itself, it is the we as the people who need to be more accepting and enabling.

Adapting and innovating in diversity and inclusion means continuously scanning the horizon for fresh insights and unconventional approaches. To genuinely apply intersectionality, we should cultivate an environment where feedback is not just encouraged but is a cornerstone for strategy development. Engaging in active listening sessions across all levels of an organization can unveil hidden barriers to inclusivity. Moreover, integrating technology to analyze data can reveal trends and patterns in diversity that were previously unnoticed, guiding us toward smarter, more effective strategies.