Following the recent anti-racism protests which have sent shockwaves across the world, one of the founder's of All-In Diversity, a project launched with the purpose of creating the tools for the global industry to progress in terms of diversity, inclusion and workplace equality, has put together an in-depth essay discussing the issue of prejudice.
The essay, titled Laws don't destroy prejudice - people do, is authored by Christina Thakor-Rankin, who works day-to-day as a principal consultant for 1710 Gaming.
In her thought-provoking write-up, Thakor-Rankin delves deep into one of the most sensitive issues of our time, while touching on All-In Diversity’s hard work to establish the first ever BSI standard for DEI in the British workplace, as society moves further toward a more equal and just world for all.
The essay may be read in full below:
Laws don’t destroy prejudice - people do
This is the cornerstone of the All-In Diversity Project sponsored BSI standard PAS 1948:2020 Diversity, Equality & Inclusion in the Workplace - A Code of Practice.
History and experience have shown us time and again that laws and regulations do not remove, reduce or eradicate prejudice - or for those who prefer the softer, fluffier term - ‘bias’.
Prejudice [or bias] is something that is the product of any number of one, or a combination of, social, cultural, religious, educational, environmental and experiential influences, which over time become so ingrained as to become hard-wired into an individual’s cerebral DNA - consciously [or unconsciously] feeding into every thought, emotion, reaction or decision they make.
No piece of paper is going to be able to wave a wand and magically remove years, in some cases generations, of indoctrination. If it could then a hundred years after women won the vote, two hundred years since the abolition of slavery, and half a century since the first equality laws were passed, we wouldn’t still be struggling with inequality, talking about gender pay gaps, or bearing witness to the horrific consequences of institutionalised racism in the workplace.
Telling someone they have to like another does not work, it just makes them more adept at hiding it.
Experience tells us that the only things really proven to change hearts and minds long-term have been people and profit [or gain]. Sometimes the two are linked, oftentimes they are not - the former influencing the world of play, the latter the world of work and the two combining to help change attitudes in society at large.
For example, Rosa Parkes and Dr Martin Luther King, Jnr. without doubt had an influence, but this influence was limited to those they represented and those who supported their moral arguments. It did not engage or resonate the widest possible audience in the way that say Jesse Owens or Mohammed Ali representing the USA at the Olympics forced the population at large to choose between patriotism and prejudice.
Entertainment has also helped to change perceptions and attitudes. Sammy Davies, Jnr. standing shoulder to shoulder with Old Blue Eyes and the King of Cool, Elvis greeting his African-American backing singers with a kiss, and Liberace beloved of millions and the highest paid entertainer in the world at the time, probably all did more to help shift the dial of acceptability than a piece of paper ever did.
This though pales in comparison [pun intended] to the most effective catalyst for change of all - profit [or gain] in all its forms. For instance, how much was the abolition of slavery and female suffrage due to campaigning and the fight for equality, and how much of it was influenced by political expediency - to win votes? The fact that we are still today talking about issues that date back hundreds of years probably answers that.
Both world wars saw women enter the workplace out of necessity, but peacetime quickly saw a return to the role of woman as wife and mother. Unrest and the need to restore or regain civil and social order has also played its part - race riots, gender pay strikes, protests and public outcry at the indefensible have all resulted in action, but all too often this action is superficial and aimed at addressing the immediate issue at hand. As such they are no more than a temporary fix for temporary gain – a sticking plaster that does not even come close to addressing the root of the matter, thereby ensuring that it is only a matter of time before it surfaces again.
While all of this has helped move the conversation along, it has been on a per needs basis, not at any great pace, and often an initial step-forward has very quickly become two steps backwards when issues resurface and it becomes clear that actually nothing has really changed.
The only real proven driver of long-term change has been ‘profit’ [or gain] in its basest form - making or saving - and it all links back to the workplace.
War comes at a cost. In this case, death duties and the depression crippled the wealthy who could no longer afford to keep themselves let alone servants, and men going to war and not coming back led to a rise in the numbers of single women without a husband to support them presented society with a stark choice - either the state and the taxpayer stepped in to support these people, or the rules changed to allow them to support themselves. Suddenly women in the workplace was not such a bad thing.
Next came the post-war economic booms which saw governments and organisations turn to migrants as a source of cheap labour either to keep up with demand or do the jobs no-one else wanted to do. This in turn led to other sectors from consumer goods/services to leisure and entertainment opening their eyes to a previously ignored group of consumers with new aspirations and the money to realise them.
And that’s how we start long-term meaningful change. With each successive generation what initially starts as an aspiration, becomes a reality and from there an expectation. For example, in the 60s and 70s people aspired to have a colour TV; by the 80s colour TV had become a reality for most; and by the 90s it was just expected that that’s what a TV was - colour. The same holds true of attitudes, behaviours tastes and what eventually becomes the norm - what was an aspiration for a previous generation in time becomes the expectation of the next. This includes diversity, equality and inclusion.
One of the best examples of this generational shift is MTV. Whether the stories of unconscious bias and ‘blackout’ in its early days are true or not, the fact remains that the channel eventually had to open its doors to non-white artists if it wanted to stay relevant to both stakeholders and audiences. The world had moved on - what might have been OK to before, was no longer acceptable now.
And in a roundabout way this brings us back to the standard.
The world is about to experience the biggest generational shift ever. From 2020 onward, millennials and Generation Z will combine to become the biggest ever generational group in the history of the planet. This is the internet generation a group that transcends borders living as comfortable in the virtual world as the physical. Better educated and more travelled, they are more socially responsible, ethical and driven by values. A group that champions individuality and difference and believes labels are for things not people. They are tribal. They have mass. They have scale. The evidence of this is all around. From Greta Thunberg and students leading the protests in Hong Kong to shunning or calling out established brands and individuals they believe have crossed a line.
Early research into workplace attitudes suggests that 70 per cent of this group do not want a boss, but if they have to have one they want them to be more a coach or mentor than a traditional boss. Less than 25 per cent are focused on salary or traditional career progression. Over over 90 per cent do not intend to stay in the same job for longer than three years. This is going to be challenging enough when it comes to attracting and retaining the talent of the future, but throw in the fact that over 80 per cent believe business is about more than just financial performance, over 70 per cent believe organisations can have a positive impact on society, and a staggering 50 per cent would consider taking a massive 15 per cent pay cut to work for an organisation that shares their own values.
Make no mistake, this is big and it is going to fundamentally change the way in which organisations operate. Anyone who wants to hire the best talent or develop the next generation of products or engage with the next generation of consumers, is going to have to meet with their values and expectations. And not just commercial entities. This extends to all organisations and sectors including sport, leisure and government agencies.
For this generation diversity, equality and inclusion in all aspects of life, especially in the workplace is an expectation not an aspiration and those organisations who don’t, won’t or can’t hit the bar are going to find themselves fighting a losing battle against those that do, will or can.
Already coming up to the 50 per cent mark, it is estimated that by 2025 this generation will account for 75 per cent of the global workforce. We have five years to put things right. We need to start now by giving businesses the tools to be better. This is not a standard for HR or DEI specialists. This is a standard for organisation owners, leaders, decision-makers and influencers, that looks at strategy, policies, people and product and includes a simple to use set of tools that users can adapt to suit their organisation, their pace and their budget.
We want the first version of this standard to be the very best, so we are issuing an open invitation to every organisation around the world to get involved with the public consultation process. There is no cost or fee to getting involved, and you can tell the world you are supporting the development of the world’s first PAS 1948:2020 Diversity, Equality and Inclusion in the Workplace - [Voluntary] Code of Practice.
If you like us you believe that everyone human being in the world has the right to expect dignity, respect and equality of opportunity in, and as a result of the workplace, please join us.
To be a part of the PAS 1948:2020 Diversity, Equality and Inclusion in the Workplace - [Voluntary] Code of Practice sign-up for free here: https://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/PAS1948/
History and experience have shown that if we want to drive long-term meaningful change it has to start with the workplace and from there everything else follows.
