With this week’s National Inclusion Week (NIW) about to kick off, it’s a perfect opportunity to show workplace diversity in action. The theme for NIW 2023 is Take Action Make Impact, a call to action for everyone at all levels in our organisations. Take Action Make Impact is a powerful message which aims to get us all thinking about what actions we can take and what positive impact these actions could and should have for marginalised colleagues.
The Diversity Panel at LBWF’s Job Fest – L-R Fiona Broni, LBWF, Dawn Kemp,(Kinovo), Debbie Betts (Aston Group), Harveen Dhillon (LBWF), Celestine Ekpenyong (Hill Group)
Last week, our HR Director Dawn Kemp co-Chaired with Fiona Broni, Project Support Officer at the London Borough of Waltham Forest, a Diversity Panel at Waltham Forest’s Job Fest which took place at the London Academy of Sustainable Construction in Leytonstone. Joined by 20 members of the public, of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds, including 7 young people and their Teachers from a SEND School, the panel discussed their own backgrounds and career journeys in the construction sector, barriers they’ve overcome, and debated how to tackle EDI in the future. One of the panellists, Debbie Betts was an awesome gas engineer and despite being blind in one eye, she has pursued her dream career
Inclusive Employers
HR Director Dawn Kemp comments: “This is just one real-life example of how as a group we are practically trying to rise to the challenge of ensuring people from a minority or under-represented group have the opportunity to join our vibrant sector. Individuals and groups from across our businesses also work closely with Women In Social Housing, HMP and DWP and have recently joined Inclusive Employers.
“Diversity, equity, and inclusion, or EDI, have been hot topics in the business community over the past few years, and rightly so. Job seekers are on the look out to join EDI organisations, in fact, *67% consider workplace diversity as an important factor, and more than 50% of current employees want their workplace to grow diversity. Happier employees are more productive and engaged and workplaces tend to be happier and more relaxed work environments, too. Employees feel valued and respected, which leads to greater collaboration and creativity. This also reflects in financial performance with diverse teams 35% more likely to perform better.
“We look forward to exploring and developing our EDI strategies through our membership with Inclusive Employers.”
