How to embed Inclusion and Diversity into your corporate DNA

When I was hired into GHD’s Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) team six months ago, I knew I was joining a small team of professionals whose primary focus is to build an inclusive community where all of our people can thrive. Perhaps the biggest reward since then has been to bear witness to the massive commitment by everyone at GHD to support a workplace culture that values belonging – on a global scale.

Over five years ago, GHD embarked on an I&D journey that included testing new ideas and implementing new programs to shift behaviours and perceptions of how we interact in the workplace. It Is a significant undertaking, especially when you consider that the experiences and sense of belonging can greatly vary from person to person, especially for those who are underrepresented in a workforce of more than 10,000 people across five continents.

It is encouraging to see at GHD we are not alone in this pursuit. There is a growing number of business leaders who are embracing I&D as a key business driver as they look to the future. Taking a fresh look at how we foster a greater sense of belonging while supporting a culture where individuals feel it is okay to bring their authentic self to work, is a key component to our progress. From our company’s perspective, driving greater inclusion is nonnegotiable for the simple reason that we will not succeed as an organization without it.

It Is incredible just how significant each of the company’s achievements in I&D have been over the years. Among many, these include achieving a 50 per cent representation of women in GHD’s Board, signing a partnership with Inroad’s in Canada and the U.S. to foster career pathways for ethnically diverse high school and college students, conducting the company’s first global pay equity review, establishing LGBTQ+ initiatives around the world, and appointing Global and Regional I&D leaders like me to devote our efforts exclusively to creating a more inclusive future for the company.

As GHD evolves, so does our understanding that the definition of diversity must also include differences such as educational background, thinking and leadership styles, culture, LGBTI+, diverse abilities/disabilities, age, generations, Indigenous and First Nations peoples, and those looking for flexible working arrangements. Today, GHD employees contribute to nine Employee Resource Groups (ERG) that support our efforts foster greater inclusion in the workplace.

A recent survey conducted in partnership with Jennifer Brown Consulting revealed that 81 per cent of employees at GHD believe they can be their authentic self at work and do not feel they need to hide aspects of their identity, proving that when belonging is a part of the everyday culture people show up in a real and authentic way.

Global events such as Pride and International Women’s Day are seen as extremely valuable opportunities for people to safely raise issues of concern like pay equity, leadership profiles and parental leave. Experiences like these provide a forum where difficult questions can be asked, and challenging situations viewed as opportunities rather than roadblocks. Actively encouraging a workplace environment for real and honest conversations has proven a powerful conduit for change at GHD, where it is welcome to ask questions or challenge existing thinking.

Defining success is pivotal in building an achievable I&D strategy. Combined strategic direction with constant and disciplined measurement are the cornerstones of an evergreen and flexible I&D strategy. At GHD we use external I&D assessments, employee surveys and consultation, industry analysis and strategic partnerships with leading organizations focused on improving I&D in the workplace and the community.

Here are a few of the milestones in GHD’s I&D journey since 2015:

• Between 2015 and 2017 the firm shifted to recruiting and retaining women and under-represented talent across its 200 offices globally. Milestones from this commitment include signing a 10-year agreement to provide internship opportunities to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, providing employment for refugees and asylum seekers across Australia, and increasing Māori and Pacific leadership representation in New Zealand. By 2017, GHD Board had 50 per cent women representation.
• Additional initiatives that were born in Australia and New Zealand started to gain strength in GHD’s global offices by 2018 and its definition of inclusion and diversity broadened with the launch of unconscious bias training for all North American employees, training that had taken place in Australia since 2015.
• By 2019 GHD established its Global I&D Council and expanded its Young Professionals ERG in the Philippines –four years after the Group was created in North America.
• In 2020, GHD’s ERGs expanded their influence and reach across other dimensions launching a Neurodiversity ERG, which focuses on the idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in many different ways. The same year, the firm launched its first global pay equity review.

Embedding I&D into the DNA of your company is not a one size fits all approach, however I believe there are a few things all organizations can do to weave this into their culture:

• Bring I&D to life through the company's values
• Make it a part of "business as usual"
• Lead through an inclusive lens
• Create space for all voices to be heard

Your I&D journey may not be the same as the next organization and that is okay. Don’t feel that you must replicate other efforts or rush into something that does not fit within your organization. I&D needs to be a thorough process, built in collaboration with talent at all levels that will ultimately shape your organization’s DNA.

I believe that as a society, we are on the right path in building more inclusive and diverse workplaces, and I am optimistic about how the cultural changes we are making today will shape how future generations work and live.

Reference : The Chemunicator Summer 2022

Joel Howell is GHD’s Inclusion & Diversity Leader for Americas/ EMEA. Based in Tampa, FL, he serves as a strategic advisor and works closely with leadership, employee resource groups, the I&D Council and People Team to achieve the overall I&D goals for the enterprise. Joel has more than 15 years of experience in HR and diversity leadership roles. His expertise includes diversity and inclusion, HR strategy, employee engagement, coaching and public speaking.

Acerca de GHD

GHD es una empresa líder en servicios profesionales que opera en los mercados mundiales de agua, energía y recursos, medio ambiente, infraestructura y edificaciones, y transporte. Comprometidos con la visión de garantizar que el agua, la energía y las comunidades sean sostenibles para las futuras generaciones, GHD ofrece soluciones en consultoría, servicios digitales, ingeniería, arquitectura, medio ambiente y construcción a clientes del sector público y privado. Fundada en 1928 y propiedad de sus trabajadores, GHD cuenta con una red de más de 12.000 profesionales en más de 160 oficinas en cinco continentes.