#24 For our last episode of the season on how to succeed in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), we are joined by the brilliant Jeffery Smith, VP DE&I at the online education streaming platform Masterclass.
With over 25 years of experience as an HR and DEI leader both in-house and as a consultant, Jeffery shares with us what it means to successfully integrate DEI into your business.
Integrating DEI in your business means that DEI should be considered as a critical business component for every activity in the organization. This implies multiple things. For one, Jeffery explains how to foster accountability for DEI in the different roles and at the different levels in the company: making employees responsible for embedding DEI in what they are responsible for delivering, whether they stand in HR, sales or marketing.
Integrating DEI also means that DEI should be at the table. But not just any table: the C-suite table at par with other business leaders, of course. Not only that, but the DEI leader should be considered a business leader first and foremost, weighing in and participating in major business decisions. As an extension, the DEI team should aslo be integrated in the day-to-day of the business.
Finally, we discuss the importance of allocating budget to DEI - just like for any other business component in the organization. In the end, an organization with a truly integrated DEI will see its positive impact not only within the workplace, but also in its marketplace, thus expanding the reach of DEI beyond company walls.
A perfect segue into our next season that will air later this year and where we will explore how to take DE&I from the workplace to the marketplace.
Tune in today, and make sure to subscribe in order to not miss our next episode!
You can follow Jeffery’s work on LinkedIn (@Jeffery Smith).
This season, we’re partnering with Mixity.co, the all in one digital platform for assessing, managing and promoting DE&I in your organization.
Mixity is offering our listeners an exclusive 2 months free trial for their all-in-one platform. Assess your DE&I footprint, define clear metrics and KPIs, and benefit from customized recommendations and hands-on support from their team of dedicated experts, all in one place.
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Curious to learn more about Diversity Secrets Agency Training & Consulting services? Get in touch: louise@diversitysecrets.co
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