Chloe Gilliard, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Manager at Version 1, has revealed the global digital transformation company’s plans for marking National Inclusion Week for the first time this year.
As a people-centred organisation, in its continued drive to ensure it is as inclusive as possible, Version 1 will celebrate National Inclusion Week which runs from 23 to 29 September for three weeks, rather than just seven days, in a bid to ensure its employees have the time to fully immerse themselves in the events, while still delivering for customers.
The Belonging team at Version 1 is hosting a series of events, including five sessions which are all aligned to the theme of this year’s National Inclusion Week, ‘Impact Matters.’ These sessions will all be based on important topics, with internal and external speakers participating. Kicking off internally, the first session will host speakers from the Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging team based in Version 1 Birmingham, who will showcase their work around cultural dialogue. The team’s efforts in this field have been particularly impactful for the Birmingham team locally, and they will share their discovery and learning with the global teams.
External speakers include Sile Walsh, a DEI Inclusive Leadership Consultant and Laura O'Donovan from the National Centre for Diversity, who will give an insight into active allyship. There will be further sessions from internal speakers, including the content and social value teams at Version 1. Employees will hear how a focus on inclusivity in action has delivered real benefits for customers and the wider community, through social value initiatives that the organisation collaborates on with its customers.
To bring it all to life, there will be a spotlight on some of the incredible individuals across the organisation – showcasing the power of everyone working together, bringing perspectives froma wide variety of different backgrounds that continually drives excellence. Chloe comments ahead of the jam-packed schedule: “We are giving our highly-talented people centre-stage to share their lived experience and talk about who they are. We can all learn and growth togetherleaning on individual and shared experiences and understanding how we can all belong in our work environment as our authentic selves.”
This year’s action-orientated theme includes understanding, identifying and measuring the impact on marginalised groups and being accountable for genuine, sustainable change that matters.
Chloe explains that having a dedicated Belonging team at Version 1,which includes a newly-formed Belonging function underscores this commitment to actionable change, understanding and embedding inclusivity so that it is intrinsic across the organisation.
The team is determined to drive positive social impact through initiatives that not only promote equal opportunities and representation, butgenuinely build a true sense of belonging, which Chloe explains has to be done through action. “We are wholly accountable in making sure those actions are real and measurable. We want to lead lasting change, not just internally, but with the communities and the wider society we're involved in, which is what this year’s theme of ‘Impact Matters’ is all about.”
For companies who have not yet started their DEI journey, Chloe advises the first step should involve building awareness and commitment from leadership to ensure all DEI efforts are supported at top level. It is important that senior teams are actively engaged, which sets the tone for the entire organisation. Once this is secured, the next crucial step is assessing the current landscape of DEI and looking at data with a diversity and inclusion lens. From there, you can start to set your company’s individual goals, which must be specific to your own unique organisation and overall objectives, rather than a ‘one size fits all’ approach. By educating and empowering employees across all levels of the organisation and opening dialogue, people will start to feel heard and valued.
The benefits a successful DEI strategy brings to an organisation cannot be overstated and it is all dependent on trust. Defining and measuring the success of a DEI strategy must be human centric, with people at its core.
Chloe comments: “DEI takes into consideration internal, external and quantifiable circumstances - but also the qualitative side of it, and that is going to look different in every company. Making sure you build up trust with staff members is key, so that people feel secure to answer truthfully in internal surveys. It is vital that whenever people do make suggestions – appropriate action is taken. It is all about remembering the human is at the heart of everything that we do.”
Version 1 is global leader in business transformation and for nearly three decades has been strategically partnering with customers to go beyond expectations through the power of cutting-edge technology and expert teams. To learn more about the current opportunities at Version 1, as well as read further about the company’s comprehensive core values and inclusive DEI culture, visit: version1.com.
