EMBEDDING DEI&B IN EVERY STEP
​OF THE EMPLOYEE JOURNEY

20 March 2025

It is essential for HR leaders to commit to creating truly inclusive workplaces in which the principles of DEI&B are woven
​into every aspect of the employee experience from recruitment to retirement. The journey begins with inclusive hiring
​and interview practices that promote fairness and representation, training programs that emphasize unconscious bias and cultural competence. By embedding DEI&B in every stage of the employee journey, HR leaders can build more innovative, productive,
​and resilient organizations that thrive on diverse perspectives and experiences.

SPEAKERS:

Jemima Bradbury-Wade | HEINEKEN
​Yves Veulliet | KYNDRYL
​Auriel Rawlings | FOREIGN COMMONWEALTH & DEVELOPMENT OFFICE
​Manjuri Sinha | MIRO
​Alessandra Miata | CAPGEMINI

Jemima Bradbury-Wade
​Head of EDI & Well-being
​HEINEKEN


KEY POINTS

  • Heineken co-created the "Women and Allies Group Coaching Collective," which aims to accelerate the development of female talent through coaching on personal development and negotiation skills. This initiative reflects the company's commitment to listening to employees and creating relevant programs for key cohorts.
  • There is a growing importance of mental health in the workplace, particularly addressing the unique needs of various communities, such as LGBTQI+ and male employees. A focus on supporting these groups in a meaningful way is critical to both employee well-being and business outcomes.
  • Effective DEI networks require proper governance, leadership sponsorship, and resources. It's crucial to ensure leaders of these networks are well-supported and equipped to drive systemic change, while also developing their leadership skills in the process.

Yves Veulliet
​Associate Director Global Leadership & Talent Development KYNDRYL


KEY POINTS

  • The company has achieved high employee engagement, with 99% of employees feeling respected and 86% feeling they can be themselves at work. This success is largely attributed to the focus on inclusion, diversity, and equity (EDI), especially through education and training.
  • Kyndryl's inclusive environment has helped attract top talent from diverse backgrounds. A company known for its inclusive culture is more likely to recruit and retain skilled candidates, leading to better decision-making and innovation.
  • As a global company, Kyndryl emphasizes the importance of managing teams across different cultures effectively. This is particularly crucial for teams working virtually and interacting with clients from diverse cultural backgrounds.
  • The speaker highlights the role of training in promoting empathy, cultural competence, and leadership skills. The organization combats resistance to change by engaging employees early, providing opportunities for feedback, and offering voluntary training on unconscious bias and self-awareness.

Auriel Rawlings
​Regional Inclusion Adviser
​FOREIGN COMMONWEALTH & DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

KEY POINTS

  • Psychological safety is essential in creating a truly inclusive environment where employees feel safe to speak up, challenge ideas, and contribute without fear of negative consequences. Without psychological safety, diversity efforts may fail to create meaningful change.
  • It's imporatnt to embed Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) practices into the leadership behaviors and everyday experiences of employees. This includes training leaders to foster psychological safety, creating space for constructive challenges, and ensuring all voices are heard.
  • Several challenges are identified, including fear of repercussions for speaking up, performative inclusion without real cultural change, biases in leadership and systems, and resistance to change. Overcoming these obstacles requires shifting mindsets and ensuring DEIB is not just an agenda but a journey for all employees to contribute and thrive.
  • There is a need for continuous learning and development in DEIB practices, particularly around micro-behaviors, unconscious bias, and the bystander effect. Leaders should be held accountable for fostering psychological safety, with measurement tools in place to track progress and ensure DEIB is integrated into the employee lifecycle.

Manjuri Sinha
​VP HR / Head of GTM Org Success & People Partners
​MIRO

KEY POINTS

  • The key challenges in DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs, are external political influences, the misuse of DEI initiatives for branding purposes, and the lack of genuine psychological safety within organizations. These issues have led to a negative sentiment towards DEI programs, as reflected in a rise in employee dissatisfaction with such initiatives.
  • It's fundamental to make inclusion systemic rather than relying on one-off initiatives or broad campaigns. This includes using AI tools to enhance inclusive language in job descriptions, ensuring competency-based and group-based hiring decisions, and regularly auditing performance reviews, pay gaps, and promotions to ensure inclusivity.
  • Using AI tools, such as Meta View and Screen Loop, to identify bias in interview processes and during candidate debriefs. These tools can be valuable in improving the objectivity of hiring decisions and ensuring a more inclusive recruitment process.
  • Despite some companies pulling back on DEI initiatives, the speaker points out that only 5% have completely eliminated their DEI programs, and 22% have actually increased their budgets for such initiatives. This indicates that there is still strong support for DEI efforts, and the future of these programs remains positive.

Alessandra Miata
​CSR Lead Southern & Central Europe
​CAPGEMINI


KEY POINTS

  • It's important to regularly question whether Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices are truly fair. They stress that DEI programs should aim to increase fairness and not give unearned advantages, ensuring they are aligned with creating equal opportunities for all employees.
  • In a company with over 300,000 employees across 50 countries, diversity is a fact of life, not an issue. The speaker advocates for viewing diversity as a strength and a value, which contributes to the company's culture and success, fostering a sense of belonging and psychological safety.
  • Diversity is essential for business success, as it drives innovation, attracts top talent, and aligns with clients’ demands for diverse suppliers. A diverse workforce is seen as critical for maintaining competitive advantage and meeting client expectations.
  • The speaker refutes criticisms of DEI programs that claim they unfairly target specific groups. They illustrate this with the analogy of providing different types of bicycles for children and adults, emphasizing that a "one-size-fits-all" approach doesn't work for a diverse workforce. Companies should embrace diversity and create tailored approaches that respect individual needs while maintaining standard organizational processes.

THANK YOU!



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