Whether it’s at the C-suite level, within the HR, Marketing, Finance functions or beyond, it’s key that equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is embedded in every aspect of your business. EDI should not just exist as policy, or stay in the domain of HR departments, but should be put into practice throughout your organisation.
This process starts at the very top – if the C-suite are committed to putting EDI policies into practice, then this ensures that organisations will integrate them into their core values and business objectives, promoting greater accountability. In turn, this will feed into the development of a culture where individuals feel valued at work and able to be their authentic selves. It sees organisations establish themselves as employers of choice, attracting top, diverse talent.
With diverse talent comes diverse perspectives within teams. This can enable enhanced innovation, creativity and problem-solving, leading to higher profitability and better experiences for customers. In addition, having diverse talent within teams means organisations better represent who customers are, and the experiences they have – meaning products and services can be better tailored for what customers want and need. Finally, by ensuring that EDI is integrated into all functions and that teams are inclusive, organisations can ensure that a diverse talent pipeline progresses through all departments, and feeds into the leadership of the future.
It’s clear that embedding EDI in every aspect and department of your organisation, rather than simply seeing it as the role of the HR function, can reap multiple rewards. The inaugural inclusion in Awards, powered by WiHTL & Diversity in Retail, offer the chance to demonstrate how this might be playing out in practice within your organisation.
The deadline for the Awards is fast approaching! You have until midnight on Friday 23rd August to get your entries in for the only Awards dedicated to celebrating excellence in EDI within the Hospitality, Travel, Leisure and Retail sectors.
‘These awards will be an incredible celebration and reminder of the positive changes that we are driving, and the power of togetherness, especially in the workplace.’ – Ebony Quow, inclusion in awards judge 2024.
‘We look forward to seeing all the incredible initiatives that individuals, teams and organisations are implementing to ensure the Hospitality, Travel, Leisure and Retail sectors continue to foster inclusion for all.’ – MBS Group, Most Inclusive CEO in Retail Award sponsor 2024.
With multiple categories to enter, the Awards will ‘celebrate outstanding efforts to promote diversity and inclusion across the HTL industries’ (Dan Rymer, inclusion in Awards judge and sponsor), and also present an excellent opportunity to celebrate those demonstrating exceptional commitment to the promotion of EDI in our industries. As Patrice Gordon, another of this year’s judges, points out: ‘often, this work goes unrecognised and is done on top of someone’s day job. So, even being nominated will be a boost to someone trying to improve the levels of inclusion in their workplace.’
Entries have been coming in thick and fast – so don’t miss your opportunity to recognise the efforts of teams and individuals within your organisation. Browse the categories and enter the Awards here!