Christina Thakor-Rankin, the co-founder of the All-in Diversity Project, has called on the gaming and gambling industries to strive for inclusion as well as diversity.
‘Diversity is a trendy buzzword,’ she said in a conversation at ICE London 2020, ‘but inclusion is the key. We need to make people feel like they actually belong. It can’t just be about ticking boxes.’
Thakor-Rankin went on to state that the upcoming generation was the most diverse generation in history and that, for them, diversity is no longer an ‘aspiration’, it is an ‘expectation.’ She pointed out that by the end of this year millennials and younger people will make up fifty-percent of the work force and so it was absolutely crucial that her sector reflects this.
Thakor-Rankin is also the Principal Consultant at 1710 Gaming Ltd, an organisation that works with start-ups, investors, established operators, regulators, law enforcement and industry groups across the world.
After twenty-five years of experience in the gambling and gaming industries, Thakor-Rankin co-founded the All-In Diversity Project alongside Kelly Kohn in 2017 to champion the causes of diversity, inclusion and workplace equality within these industries.
‘All-in is not about banging drums and waving flags,’ Thakor-Rankin said on the organisation’s website, ‘It is understanding that the world around us is changing and that unless we as an industry start to accept and embrace those changes today, we will cease to hold any attraction or relevance, for the employees or the customers, of tomorrow.’
During lockdown, the All-In Diversity Project has held a variety of online events, from digital marketing mixers to a ‘Women in Gaming’ power hour.
Lee-Ann Johnstone, who hosted last month’s digital marketing mixer, commented:
‘The Digital Marketing Mixer is a key event for digital and affiliate marketing businesses to get better connected during this uncertain time. The objective is simple, bring people together to talk, to collaborate and ensure new business and service opportunities continue to thrive. I’ve created this free networking event for everyone to benefit from in the affiliate industry to help get new business deals done.’
Prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, they had already taken their message to the USA, Europe and Africa with various international ICE events, cementing the All-In Diversity Project as very much a global endeavour. And they have not allowed the pandemic to prevent them from getting their message heard.
Photo by Leighann Blackwood on Unsplash
