Diversity Voices

Diversity Voices Interview: Victoria Jones

1. Victoria is there anything that you learnt over the last couple of years that has challenged or changed your thinking in relation to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion?

In my role, I have the privilege of learning and evolving continuously, but over the past couple of years, a few key areas have particularly influenced and reshaped my thinking.

The Importance of Intersectionality

One of the most important insights has been the critical role of intersectionality. While I had an understanding of the concept, it wasn't until I deeply engaged with the lived experiences of others through an intersectional lens that I truly appreciated its significance. Intersectionality helps reveal how different aspects of a person's identity, such as race, gender, and socioeconomic status, intersect and create unique experiences of privilege and discrimination. For example, the challenges faced by a woman of colour can differ significantly from those faced by a white woman or a man of colour. This understanding has highlighted the necessity of approaching all ED&I initiatives that I embark on with an intersectional perspective.

The Role of Allyship

Another critical lesson has been the importance of visible and proactive allyship. It's not enough to merely implement and support ED&I initiatives; we must all actively engage as allies. This means taking tangible actions to support marginalised groups, such as speaking out against injustices, amplifying the voices of underrepresented individuals, and continuously educating ourselves about the issues affecting these communities. The distinction between performative allyship and genuine, impactful support has become a significant focus. Everyone has a role to play as an ally, which brings me to my final point.

The Importance of Trusted and Inclusive Leadership

Inclusive leadership is essential for fostering an equitable and welcoming environment. Leaders set the cultural tone for organisations, and trusted, inclusive leadership goes beyond endorsing diversity initiatives. It involves creating spaces where all voices are heard and valued, implementing fair policies, and ensuring representation at all organisational levels. Advocating for leadership development programs that emphasise these values, along with practising active allyship, is crucial in this regard.

These learnings have influenced my approach to ED&I, reinforcing the need for a holistic, intersectional strategy supported by active allyship and trusted and inclusive leadership. They are not just theoretical concepts but practical principles that we can all strive to embody and promote.

2. The concepts of ‘ED&I fatigue’ and ‘diversity ditching’ are becoming more commonplace: what is your take on why it is happening and what are your thoughts on what we can do to challenge it?

While there is some evidence of ED&I fatigue and diversity ditching, it's crucial to note that this phenomenon is localised. Many people and organisations remain deeply committed to embedding ED&I into their practices, aiming for long-term, sustainable change. However, where fatigue does occur, it can often be attributed to a few key issues:

Lack of Visible Progress

It can be disheartening when efforts to improve ED&I don't yield immediate or visible results. This lack of apparent progress can lead individuals and organisations to feel a sense of futility, potentially dampening enthusiasm and commitment.

Tokenism and Performative Actions

In some cases, ED&I initiatives are perceived as superficial or tokenistic, which can cause disillusionment. Trust diminishes when actions are seen as mere box-checking rather than fostering genuine change. This undermines the credibility of ED&I efforts and contributes to fatigue.

Competing Priorities and Resource Constraints

Often, multiple pressing challenges arise at both the individual and organisational level. In such situations, ED&I initiatives may be deprioritised in favour of more immediate concerns, especially during times of economic or organizational upheaval. This can lead to the perception that diversity efforts are less critical.

Everyone needs to stay committed and positive about ED&I. Meaningful change is achievable and benefits society and organisations as a whole. To counteract fatigue and prevent diversity ditching, we can focus on several key areas:

Set Realistic and Measurable Goals

Establishing clear, achievable milestones allows for regular assessments of progress. Celebrating small wins helps maintain momentum and demonstrates the impact of ED&I efforts. It is essential to recognise that these initiatives take time and require ongoing support and commitment.

Ensure Authentic Commitment

Avoiding performative actions is crucial. ED&I should be deeply integrated into an organisation's core values and strategic objectives. It should be an inherent part of both individual and organisational identities. Authentic commitment builds trust and reinforces the importance of sustained ED&I efforts.

Address Resistance Proactively

It's important to confront sources of resistance head-on. This can be done through education, dialogue, and inclusive policy changes. By proactively addressing resistance, we can create a more supportive environment for ED&I initiatives to thrive.

Leverage Data and Analytics

It is vital to use data to track progress, identify areas for improvement, and make informed decisions. Often, a lack of data can lead to misconceptions about the effectiveness of initiatives. Data-driven approaches provide tangible evidence of impact and areas needing attention, helping to sustain focus and effort and facilitate communication with a broader audience.

Challenging ED&I fatigue, and diversity ditching requires a strategic, authentic, and sustained approach. However, we should not lose sight of the many positive examples of impactful change. For those readers in the UK, you may have tuned in to a recent Channel 4 documentary featuring journalist Sophie Morgan. The documentary highlighted the lived experiences of travellers with disabilities when travelling by air. The lack of dignity and respect provided to them was atrocious and one that no able-bodied traveller could ever truly comprehend. However, Sophie shared the pioneering efforts of one airline that is prepared to lead the way in championing change by designing seats on aircraft that all, including passengers in wheelchairs, could use. These stories remind us that while progress takes time, the impact of our efforts is significant.

3. With regards to social media, do you perceive it as a help or a hindrance to EDI?

Social media can help and hinder Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). It helps by amplifying diverse voices and promoting awareness of ED&I issues globally. However, it can also hinder ED&I by spreading misinformation, fostering echo chambers, and enabling discrimination and harassment.

4. In your role as Global Vice President of EDI at Atkins Realis what are your top 2 priorities and your biggest challenges?

As Global Vice President of ED&I at Atkins Realis, my top two priorities are promoting an inclusive company culture and implementing strategic initiatives to ensure diverse representation at all levels. The biggest challenges include overcoming unconscious bias and ensuring consistent ED&I practices across different regions and cultures.

5. AI is moving at a fast pace; have you any concerns about its impact on diversity and inclusion? What aspects of AI are you excited about?

As an ED&I practitioner, I find it natural to have concerns about AI, particularly regarding potential biases. However, we must engage actively with our technical colleagues to apply an ED&I perspective to all AI developments, ensuring fairness and mitigating bias.

I'm very excited about AI. It offers the potential to make our work more efficient and significantly enhance accessibility, a passion of mine. AI-powered technologies like voice recognition and natural language processing can greatly improve communication tools for people with speech or hearing impairments. Additionally, AI-driven image recognition can assist visually impaired individuals in navigating their environments. These advancements promise exciting times ahead in making technology more inclusive. Let’s all get involved and use technology to enhance everyone's experience of the world.

Victoria Jones  (she/her) FIEDP