Inclusive Leadership Is Key To DEI Success: Experts

Prioritising equity in DEI initiatives is crucial, as the business case for DEI is already well-established, but the focus must now be on effective implementation and continuous improvement. The 9th Edition of BW People HR Excellence Summit & Awards, themed "Equity at the Core: Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Modern Workplaces," gathered industry leaders to share their insights on promoting an inclusive culture that supports various forms of diversity.
Surabhi Sharma, Head of People India at Zinnia, moderated the event and set the tone by emphasising that while diversity is an inherent aspect of society, equity and inclusion are deliberate choices that organisations must make. She expressed a vision for a future where inclusivity is so ingrained in organisational culture that there would be no need for designated days to celebrate diversity. Sharma stressed that equity is the core element that drives genuine inclusion, beyond the natural existence of diversity.

Madhushree Dutta, Head of HR-India at Pure Storage India, initiated the discussion by sharing the importance of implementing effective DEI strategies starting from the hiring process. She underscored the necessity of tracking diversity metrics and addressing challenges to foster an inclusive culture. Dutta explained that Pure Storage uses an inclusive leadership dashboard, where each leader is held accountable for their diversity metrics. This dashboard tracks various parameters, including hiring practices, engagement levels, and attrition rates among diverse talent. She highlighted that leaders who fall short of these metrics are pushed to improve, ensuring that diversity goals are met and maintained throughout the organisation.

Pooja Malhotra, Head HR India at StoneX group (SNEX Technologies), focused on the role of equity within DEI. She pointed out that policies and processes can act as great equalisers in talent management. Malhotra shared the practice of conducting equality screenings for new policies, which involves diverse groups debating the potential impact of these policies. This approach ensures that new initiatives are scrutinised for their effects on all employees. She advocated for user-led thinking and design thinking in HR, emphasising that these methodologies can significantly enhance the effectiveness of DEI initiatives by keeping the needs of employees at the forefront.

Subramani Soman, Global HR Head- Strategic Business Partner at Atos Global, discussed the integration of technology with DEI efforts. He highlighted the potential of AI and other tools to enhance diverse hiring practices by removing biases and ensuring a broader representation. Soman explained how data can be used to track diversity in talent programs and identify areas for improvement. He stressed the importance of influencing external policies to support inclusivity, suggesting that organisations should not only focus on their internal practices but also on their interactions with vendors and service providers to promote a wider culture of diversity.

Rashmi Raghuraja, Chief of Staff - HR and D&I HR Lead at SAP Labs, emphasised the necessity of a project management approach to DEI. She argued that DEI efforts should be as rigorous and data-driven as business and product strategies. Raghuraja outlined the need for clear metrics, accountability, and regular reviews to track DEI progress. She highlighted that SAP includes questions about inclusivity in their annual and bi-annual employee surveys, focusing on team-level inclusion metrics. This approach ensures that DEI efforts are embedded at the grassroots level, starting with managers and team members, and scaling up to the organisational level.

The panel collectively agreed on the significance of inclusive leadership and the necessity for DEI initiatives to be deeply rooted in an organisation’s DNA, rather than being seen as a mere HR agenda. They discussed that for DEI to be effective, it must be integrated into the core values and strategic goals of the organisation, with measurable outcomes and accountability at all levels.