LEADERSHIP
Leadership commitment starts with becoming more aware of the challenges facing ethnic minorities and women in the sector. Education and training can help accelerate progress and equip leaders with the knowledge needed to be champions and sponsors for ethnic and gender diversity.
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Aim to ensure the board is at least representative of the workforce in terms of gender and ethnicity and set targets for improvement. Alternatively appoint a champion/ally on the board
Encourage leaders to be visible in their support for equality, diversity and inclusion activities and to 'walk the talk' and demonstrate real progress over time
Have an executive sponsor for race equality, and/or gender
Educate all leaders on the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion, what it means and how it aligns with company objectives
Introduce reverse & intergenerational mentoring to improve understanding at the different levels within the company
Use shadow boards to improve representation and innovation at leadership level
Ask for examples and results of diversity-related initiatives
CASE STUDY
Supporting Development in the Sector - Melanie Onn, RenewableUK
"RenewableUK's 'Member Values Charter' and 'Future Leaders Programme' have come about as a result of an active, engaged and enthused Shadow Board which reflects..."
SuperGen-eration
"Leaders can provide the tools for change and keep momentum up..."
CASE STUDY
Supporting Development in the Sector - Melanie Onn, RenewableUK
As our events producer Evie Hoolahan will confirm, securing panels with women and ethnic minority in senior positions from companies can be hard. To overcome this, rather than sit and wait for it to happen organically, RenewableUK set up a pioneering ‘Shadow Board’ model to help prepare people in the industry to take the next step in their careers and become senior leaders.
The Shadow Board meet in advance of every board, have access to current senior leaders as mentors and advisors, have access to staff at every level of RenewableUK and participate in the strategic discussions for the association. RenewableUKs ‘Member Values Charter’ and ‘Future Leaders Programme’ have come about as a result of an active, engaged and enthused Shadow Board which reflects the diversity RUK would hope to see widespread across the sector.
RenewableUK also hosts a Futures Forum, a series of webinars and online content, to draw new talent into the sector. Whilst overwhelmingly the interest has come from university students, the attendance is diverse from across the country and not isolated to one or two institutions. Analysis is ongoing regarding the breakdown of diversity but will be available once the first year of the project has been fully completed.
BEST PRACTICE GUIDE 2021 - INTERACTIVE
CASE STUDY
CASE STUDY
SuperGen-eration
Countless organisations have tried to create real change in diversity and inclusion. All of them cite that real change only happens when the leadership gets involved. Leaders can provide the tools for change and keep momentum up. Without that initiatives will progress slowly, and are just not implemented by middle managers.
This requires more than leadership commitment. It requires a leader that understands what diversity and inclusion really means and is visibly engaged on the topic. This includes overseeing the organisation's vision and strategy in terms of diversity, taking every opportunity to use their platforms and influence to speak about the benefits of diversity with others, as well as 'walk the talk' through their behaviours (The Inclusion Solution, 2015).
