Diversity

Apr 13

Written By Kim Vinet

*|MC:SUBJECT|*

Here is Issue 04 of Affirmative’s Newsletter -
What Sustainability Really Means - focusing on DIVERSITY

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DIVERSITY

TRENDING:

Which Hiring Techniques Work?

HAVE YOU HEARD OF?

Diversity, Equality & Inclusivity (DEI)

SDG SPOTLIGHT:

Goal 5: Gender Equality

IMPACT TIP:

Equal Representation

WHAT’S IT MATTER?

Intersectionality

AFFIRMATIVE
SUSTAINABILITY INC.

p. 250-814-4657
e. info@affirmativesustainability.com
a. PO Box 1734 Revelstoke BC V0E 2S0
w. affirmativesustainability.com

TRENDING:
WHICH HIRING TECHNIQUES WORK?

“There are more CEOs of large U.S. companies who are named David (4.5%) than there are CEOs who are women (4.1%) — and David isn’t even the most common first name among CEOs. (That would be John, at 5.3%.)” - Harvard Business Review (April '16)

No matter which marginalized demographic we consider, going beyond diversity and attaining inclusion is the key to successful retention. Educating employees as to why diversity is important, asking for feedback and amending policies that aren’t working, are important steps to ensure accountability.

Recently, the NFL announced that all 32 teams will hire a minority offensive assistant coach for the 2022 season. This is in addition to an update to the 2003 Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview at least two external minorities (women and/or people of colour) for top positions, including head coach.

Metrics-oriented hiring campaigns can be effective if they are followed up with positive employment experiences. Including a limited number of marginalized individuals can highlight their differences, which can lead to inferences of incompetence. Remember, it can also be difficult for new hires to feel like effective team members if they are underrepresented in a homogeneous workforces.

Few organizations know how to measure the effectiveness of their DEI initiatives. We need to focus on the employee experience, opportunity for growth and an inclusive corporate culture to ensure lasting change.

Customize a DEI strategy with Affirmative ➙

HAVE YOU HEARD OF?

DIVERSITY, EQUALITY & INCLUSIVITY (DEI)

Diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) should be at the top of every team’s priorities. Drawing on a diverse set of skills and life experiences has proven to increase innovation, employee satisfaction and financial outperformance.

Equality ensures fairness of opportunity and a level playing field for advancement. But hiring diverse talent isn’t enough to create an inclusive culture — it’s the workplace experience that shapes whether employees remain and thrive. The key to establishing longterm diversity targets is supporting openness and belonging.

Leaders in equal rights create opportunities that otherwise would not have existed, they strengthen leadership accountability and create an environment where microaggressions are not tolerated. A healthy workplace normalizes open, welcoming behaviour and encourages connections built between diverse individuals. The gap between leaders and laggards is widening, which affects both employee satisfaction and corporate performance.

More on how to lead in DEI➙

SDG SPOTLIGHT:

GOAL 5: GENDER EQUALITY

TARGET C: Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and empowerment at all levels.

Have you adopted gender biases in your life?

Empowerment & Opportunity:
- How are you elevating or creating opportunities for all to access career advancement?
Participation:
- Is there equal representation of all genders throughout staff & management?How are you making space for equal representation?
Roles & Expectation:
- Are there certain roles you expect filled by certain genders? Do you promote the shared responsibility of tasks amongst genders? Have you created a space that is free of micro aggressions?
Gender Definition:
- Are you creating a safe space for gender expression across the spectrum? Is the use of proper pronouns respected and supported?

Set industry leading policy with AFFIRMATIVE ➙

IMPACT TIP:
EQUAL REPRESNTATION:

Diversifying the experience of teams and their management is a proven method to increase performance factors such as innovation, adaptability, solidarity and thus; profitability.

Whether you are representing a corporation or yourself as an individual, consider how expanding your circles might expand your ingenuity. Look for opportunities to learn from someone with different life experiences and perspectives.

Remember: to be effective, climate planning must equally meet the needs of every demographic!

3 tips for diversification ➙

WHAT’S IT MATTER?

Intersectionality

What is intersectionality?
Intersectionality is the acknowledgement that multiple discriminatory factors intersect and influence how someone experiences the world. Anything that could potentially marginalize people – gender, race, class, sexual orientation, physical ability, language etc. combine and compound to enhance the experience of inequality. Intersectionality was first coined by Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989, in the context of antidiscrimination laws treating race and gender as mutually exclusive categories, which failed to protect Black women.

What is the connection between gender and climate change?
Globally, women account for 80% of people who become displaced by climate change. Although women have a heightened understanding of climate change related vulnerability, they are unequally involved in climate-related planning and decision-making. Though, when given the opportunity to lead; every 1% increase in the share of female managers, correlates to a 0.5% decrease in global CO2 emissions and that firms with greater gender diversity reduced their CO2 emissions by about 5% more than firms with more male managers.

What does diversity have to do with climate change?
Due to the lack of access to natural resources, the effects of climate change disproportionally affect our most marginalized populations. Underprivileged communities experience increased exposure to hazard, susceptibility to damage and inability to recover from the effects of a warming planet. Not only that, but these communities become further compromised as their access to resources is diminished.

Prioritize equal opportunity with Affirmative➙