For any growing business celebrating and recognising inclusion is vital.
But although many companies pay lip-service to the issue, many can sometimes struggle to come up with strategies to best celebrate inclusion.
Yet doing so is of crucial importance.
Later this month the topic will come into even sharper-focus when the UK celebrates National Inclusion Week.
Running from September 23 – 29 the week is dedicated to celebrating inclusion and taking action to create inclusive workplaces
The theme for National Inclusion Week 2024 is ‘Impact Matters’, a call-to-action to everyone, from leaders, to inclusion professionals through to teams and individuals.
The subject is important as the latest data shows the UK is now more diverse than it has ever been, with 18% of people in England and Wales from ethnic groups.
That is up from 14% in the 2011 Census although there is variation across the regions with, for example, the proportion of ethnic groups doubling in Northern Ireland over the past ten years.
Integration is also increasing, as the mixed ethnicity population in England has risen by 40% over the past ten years: 2.4 million households are now multi-ethnic.
In combination with diversity, an inclusive workplace will benefit from a 60% improvement in decision-making and a 19% increase in revenue compared to their competitors, reflecting the power of united teams.
Jack Hayes, the founder of Champions Speakers, has helped support multiple businesses with strategies for the best ways to celebrate National Inclusion Week.
He said: “National Inclusion Week is an important time of the year for giving people the opportunity to pause and reflect on how others around them identify themselves, and exchange ideas on what they can do to value one another and make the workplace more inclusive.
“Celebrating National Inclusion Week is a great way for us all to admire our differences. The theme for National Inclusion Week this year is “impact matters”, which is a call-to-action to everyone in your organisation, from leaders, to inclusion professionals through to teams and individuals.
“It centres around understanding, identifying and measuring impacts on potentially marginalised groups and taking action that can result in genuine sustainable change.
“Each of us holds the potential to make a profound and positive impact and some top ideas for getting started include:
Sharing his nine tips for best driving inclusivity in the workplace, Jack said:
- Start a conversation to create deeper understanding and connection
- Share who you are – consider how how present yourself in terms of pronouns in email signatures
- Introduce yourself and meet a neighbour
- Expand your circle and meet with colleagues at work who you have not yet spent time with
- Support businesses that are owned by a minority or diverse group
- Be an ally and help others understand their own privilege
- Invite someone new to lunch or to your child’s birthday party
- Pledge your action and share your intentions publicly
- Hire a speaker to host a talk on the issues affecting inclusivity
Data compiled by Champions Speakers, which is based on reviews and feedback from thousands of events shows the current top UK keynote speakers for National Inclusion Week events in 2024 to be:
Retired Team GB Swimmer Mark Foster;
Inga Beale, the first female CEO of Lloyd’s of London;
Asif Sadiq, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer for Warner Bros;
Shola Kaye, a leading voice in diversity, inclusion and equality space;
Piers Linney, AI expert and former Dragons Den Star;
Akala, the BAFTA award-winning hip hop artist, poet, historian and diversity speaker;
Charlie Martin, the first transgender professional motorsports racer;
Martine Wright, a survivor of the 7/7 bombings now Captain of the British Paralympic sitting volleyball team; .
Kate Richardson-Walsh former a Team GB hockey gold medalist;.
The actor and campaigner Simon Callow;
Rugby star and LGBT+ advocate, Gareth Thomas;.
Retired Olympic cyclist Victoria Pendleton;
John Amaechi, widely considered to be “one of the world’s most high-profile gay athletes”;
Belinda Parmar best known as the CEO of The Empathy Business;
Perrine Farque a powerhouse crusader on how to cultivate a connective culture of belonging;
Gina Buckney is the mastermind behind ‘Your People Are Your Power’ campaign;
Ayo Sokale an environmental leader and inclusion expert.