The term to know: DE&I
Move over, there’s a new kid in town: DE&I.
DE&I has gained ground over the last few years and stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
It’s an approach to increasing belonging and social sustainability in a workplace.
If you’re not sure what that difference between them is, don’t worry - we’ll explain it right here.
Definitions*
Diversity, as you probably know, means having different kinds of people in one place.
And by different, we mean race, ethnicity, gender, disabilities, sexual orientation, religion - you name it.
Equity is the fair and equal access to opportunities.
It acknowledges diversity and accepts that we all have different conditions and barriers to achieving an outcome.
It’s quite similar to equality, but where equality is about giving equal resources, equity is about giving the necessary resources to reach an equal outcome.
Inclusion is the creation of an environment where all differences are welcomed, embraced, and encouraged to participate.
The goal is a feeling of belonging, which is central to the DE&I approach.
Employees should thrive and have good relationships with their coworkers regardless of their backgrounds.
That is why some have started using the term DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) instead.
Differences
Since you, to some degree, can visually see diversity, it is often thought of as measurable.
It may be tempting to simply count how many are represented and then tick off boxes for each group.
But it’s important to remember that diversity does not automatically lead to satisfaction or happiness.
That’s why you need to consider equity and inclusion as well.
They’re more about attitudes, perceptions, and knowing what different people need.
To give you a simple picture of the difference between the terms, we’ll borrow an analogy from the inclusion strategist Vernā Myers.
She says that “diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.”®
To continue the analogy, equity is having no trouble getting in to the party, and belonging is dancing and having fun.
The DEIB approach helps raise employee engagement, attract talents, and create new innovations.
So, it’s a really good idea to add this to your list of CSR initiatives.
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