Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) work is often misunderstood or misrepresented. Some see it as a separate initiative, an optional extra or a tick-box exercise rather than an integral part of how an organisation functions. This misconception can lead to resistance as people struggle to see how EDI connects to their day-to-day work.

In reality, EDI is not just about statements, programmes or standalone strategies. It is embedded in the way organisations operate, whether they acknowledge it or not. EDI may already be part of your ways of working. However, to make it more intentional and impactful, it is still important to have strategies, policies and resources in place. EDI is not just an add-on but should be aligned with existing aspects of your organisation to create meaningful and lasting change.

1. Your marketing is intentionally reflecting your audience and their needs...
If your marketing campaigns and messaging feature authentic representation of different groups and actively avoid harmful stereotypes or language, you are incorporating EDI principles. Representation matters. When your brand intentionally reflects diverse voices and experiences, your customers feel seen and are more likely to engage.

2. You use a range of perspectives to design new products and services...
If your product or service development process actively includes data, feedback or testing from a wide range of people, you are driving innovation using EDI. Diversity of thought leads to better solutions. Involving people from various backgrounds ensures that your offerings are accessible, effective and valuable to a broad audience.

3. Your talent management processes are structured...
If your recruitment, promotions and performance reviews are structured to be consistent and transparent, you’re building an inclusive workplace by reducing biases and promoting fairness. A structured approach to hiring and career progression ensures that all employees have equal opportunities for growth and success.

4. Your organisation’s mission and values talk about inclusion...
If your mission explicitly states a commitment to helping communities, improving lives or creating social impact, you are promoting EDI principles. Additionally, when your organisational values highlight respect, fairness and collaboration, EDI becomes an integral part of your identity rather than an afterthought.

5. Inclusive behaviours are part of your leadership frameworks...
If your leadership frameworks include inclusive behaviours such as active listening, empathy or authenticity and your leaders are trained and evaluated on these behaviours, you’re embedding EDI principles in leadership expectations. Leaders shape workplace culture. When they prioritise inclusion, it has a key role in creating the expectation for an environment where everyone feels valued and heard.

6. Your organisation is legally and ethically compliant...
If you’re meeting industry equality regulations, implementing policies against workplace discrimination and harassment, reporting your gender pay gap and adhering to legal frameworks relevant to your country, you’re already doing foundational EDI work. Compliance is the minimum standard but it’s also an essential part of the work.

7. Your user experience reflects the user's needs...
If your digital products and services are designed to be accessible, you offer content in multiple languages and you build intuitive interfaces that are easy to navigate for all ages and technical abilities, then you’re incorporating EDI into user experience.

Final thoughts: 
Equity, diversity and inclusion isn’t just about policies or initiatives. It should be woven into the very fabric of your organisation, whether or not you label it as "EDI."

To create real impact, EDI must be aligned with your organisation’s overall strategy as well as key areas such as brand and marketing, digital and people strategy. When EDI is fully integrated, it enhances innovation, engagement and long-term success.

Let's talk! 
We can help you make EDI more meaningful within your organisation by embedding it into your existing structures and strategies. Get in touch to learn how we can support you in developing a more strategic approach to your EDI work.

As someone who is passionate about celebrating Black History Month in a meaningful way, it can be frustrating to see organisations produce initiatives that are rushed and tokenistic - often not due to a lack of good intention but instead due to a lack of planning and strategic approach.

Building on our previous blog on Meaningfully celebrating Black History Month we want to help organisations do better. This blog post will guide you through an assessment of the maturity of your Black History Month activities, using a framework with three levels: reactive, proactive, and strategic. 

By assessing the maturity of your organisation's Black History Month activities, you can identify areas for improvement and enhance your future plans. 

Audience

• 1) Reactive: The focus was only on external audiences using social media by the comms team.
• 2) Proactive: There was recognition of both internal and external audiences, with internal communications teams playing a role in organising activities.
• 3) Strategic: There was a deliberate effort to align internal and external interventions, with internal work being profiled externally.

Budget

• 1) Reactive: There was a limited budget agreed reactively, and the programming was limited by these constraints.
• 2) Proactive: A budget was set aside for Black History Month, but it was small compared to other activities.
• 3) Strategic: There was sufficient budget to match the vision of those organising the activities.

External community engagement

• 1) Reactive: External Black communities were invited to speak or be part of events and initiatives, but there was limited engagement with the wider Black community.
• 2) Proactive: Colleagues attended major external events run by Black communities, and there may have been some collaboration with Black-led/centred groups.
• 3) Strategic: A large proportion of the budget was spent on giving to community organisations and/or including Black-led businesses.

Planning

• 1) Reactive: Planning was last-minute and rushed.
• 2) Proactive: Planning started a few months in advance.
• 3) Strategic: Black History Month was integrated into a year-round strategy, with planning starting at the beginning of the year.

Staff engagement

• 1) Reactive: Turnout was small, mainly consisting of passionate individuals.
• 2) Proactive: The turnout was good, but it was primarily the “usual suspects.”
• 3) Strategic: There was high engagement, with broad turnout across departments and backgrounds.

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Black staff involvement

• 1) Reactive: The work was solely led by passionate volunteers, not the wider business.
• 2) Proactive: The ED&I team collaborated with Black staff to create activities, but leadership involvement was limited.
• 3) Strategic: Leadership recognised and rewarded the contributions of Black staff involved in Black History Month activities.

Content

• 1) Reactive: Content focused on general inclusion or anti-racism.
• 2) Proactive: The content celebrated and uplifted the Black community internally, but it may not have been diverse or inclusive.
• 3) Strategic: The content promoted a wide range of Black contributions and celebrated Black communities.

Intersectionality

• 1) Reactive: Intersectionality was considered when it came to the representation of speakers.
• 2) Proactive: Staff networks supported each other and collaborated on intersectional initiatives, but this may not have been a central focus of the programming.
• 3) Strategic: There was a deliberate effort to make the programming intersectional, aligning with overall ED&I strategic priorities.

Sustainability

• 1) Reactive: Efforts were concentrated solely around Black History Month, with limited focus on year-round activities or initiatives.
• 2) Proactive: Black History Month efforts reflected a lasting commitment to Black communities internally, but they may not have been integrated into a broader year-round strategy.
• 3) Strategic: Black History Month efforts brought together a range of existing long-term commitments.

How did you score?
We hope this guide has been helpful in assessing your organisation’s Black History Month maturity. Share your experiences and insights in the comments below. What areas do you plan to focus on for improvement?

Thank you for reading! If you found this helpful and want some advice and support on how to strategically commemorate key dates, get in touch with us so we can help! 

- Hayley Bennett, Director of HTVB

At HTVB, we often talk about being ‘outcomes-focused’ when it comes to implementing initiatives and strategies for diversity, equity, inclusion and wellbeing, but most importantly, when measuring the impact for our clients.

What do we mean by "outcomes-focused"?
An outcomes-focused approach prioritises measuring the results of DEI initiatives rather than simply tracking activities. While outputs, such as the number of DEI training sessions or diversity profile of job applicants, are important, they don't tell the whole story.
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True impact is reflected in the changes that occur within your organisation and your broader community. This requires a strategic approach to KPI development and a variety of measurement techniques that this blog will explore.

KPI development in DEI
The most important place to start is to ensure you are aligning KPIs with strategic outcomes. To ensure that KPIs accurately reflect the goals of your DEI strategy, they must be directly linked to specific outcomes associated with the headline goals or strategic objectives within your strategy. Therefore, your strategic objectives should be bold but measurable. This allows you to clearly define what success looks like for that specific strategy ie, if we go ahead and deliver everything in the strategy, what will actually have changed?

Next, it is time to create metrics that directly measure progress towards these objectives. For example, if an objective is to increase leadership diversity, a KPI could be the percentage of women [and other marginalised communities] in leadership roles rather than just the number of women who have taken part in leadership development programmes.

Using different types of KPIs
Outputs: Measuring Activities
These KPIs track the actions and efforts undertaken to promote DEI:

• Number of DEI training modules completed: Quantifies training participation.
• Diversity of job applicants: Measures the breadth of talent that have been attracted to the organisation and filled in your diversity monitoring forms.
• Employee participation in ERGs (employee resource groups): Can indicate engagement or growth in employee resource groups.
• Number of DEI-focused events held: Tracks whether you have delivered your planned engagement activities.

Caution: Focusing solely on output KPIs can create a false sense of progress. It's essential to correlate these activities with desired outcomes.

Outcomes: Measuring Results
These KPIs assess the results of DEI interventions but are usually based on some kind of assumption that the actions and steps within your strategy have directly influenced the result you are aiming for in the KPI:

• Employee satisfaction scores, broken down in an intersectional way: Indicates how different groups feel about the workplace.
• Turnover rates among diverse groups: Measures retention of diverse talent but ultimately how valued and included they feel too.
• Promotion rates for diverse employees: Tracks how equitable advancement opportunities are, and how well interventions relating to leadership and progression are working.

A note on assumptions: Assumptions in impact measurement are the underlying beliefs or beliefs that inform our understanding of cause-and-effect relationships. These assumptions can be helpful in guiding our research and analysis, but it's important to be aware of them and to consider alternative explanations. By acknowledging and addressing potential assumptions, we can improve the accuracy and reliability of our impact measurements.

Measuring impact: KPIs for progress
These KPIs gauge the broader influence of DEI efforts as a collective and can be used to help identify return on investment:

• Revenue growth from diverse customer segments: Demonstrates the business impact of DEI.
• Innovation metrics (e.g., new patents, new products): Correlates increased diversity and inclusion to enhanced innovation, creativity and problem-solving.
• Employee productivity: Measures the overall wellbeing and inclusion impact on the performance of the workforce.
• Brand reputation or familiarity: Measures the impact of external campaigns on building customer perceptions and widening of the potential market share to include more diverse customers.

Whilst quantitative KPIs are valuable tools, it's essential to remember that they are just one piece of the puzzle. Qualitative data, employee feedback, and storytelling are equally important in understanding the true impact of DEI initiatives.

Many organisations fall into the trap of using KPIs solely as a checklist, focusing on outputs rather than outcomes. This can lead to a superficial understanding of DEI progress. To truly measure impact, KPIs should be used in conjunction with several methods including:

Qualitative data analysis: Gather input from your employees, customers, stakeholders and communities. Use expert researchers to conduct surveys, interviews, focus groups, to provide data that can be used to assess DEI progress. As with any research, clearly articulate the specific questions you want to answer through the research. Remember that data can also be found in impromptu conversations, written comments on internal/external channels, or suggestion boxes.

Market research: Don’t forget that market research can be used to play a crucial role in understanding how DEI efforts are perceived by external stakeholders. This is especially when expert researchers are able to gain feedback from a wide range of communities and provide intersectional insights. By measuring brand perception, customer loyalty, and engagement metrics, organisations can assess the impact of their DEI initiatives on their reputation, customer base, and market share.

Case studies:
Case studies are powerful tools for illustrating the tangible outcomes and impact of DEI initiatives. For example, focus on an outcome and use case studies to either share personal narratives of employees who have benefited from DEI initiatives, such as promotions, increased job satisfaction, or improved work-life balance. For example, if a company implemented a mentorship programme for women and subsequently saw an increase in the number of women in leadership positions, a case study of a woman’s journey through the programme to the leadership role can demonstrate the programme’s effectiveness.

Outcomes harvesting:
This approach involves systematically identifying and documenting the positive changes resulting from DEI efforts. It helps to connect activities to outcomes and impact. Look for patterns by analysing data to identify common themes and trends that indicate positive outcomes. Be mindful of other factors that may have influenced the outcomes and ensure that the connection is clear and compelling.

Note: this is the approach HTVB takes based on our learnings from working to measuring and evaluating the impact of social programmes we have been part of. We have taken learnings from the sport for development sector and good practice relating to developing theories of change.

If you are finding measuring the impact and return on investment (ROI) of your dei work, get in touch with us so we can help! 

- Hayley Bennett, Director of HTVB

Learn what to say, do and avoid.

Introduction:
In today's interconnected world, effectively discussing the impact of racism and racial injustice with colleagues and friends is crucial to ensure your organisation's efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion are perceived as authentic and meaningful to marginalised colleagues. The media continually highlights these issues, and social media often urges leaders to respond or act. However, it's essential to approach these conversations thoughtfully and sensitively. This guide is designed to provide key considerations and practical advice for communicating about these important topics, whether you're addressing a large audience or engaging in a one-on-one dialogue.

When addressing racism and racial injustice, the method of communication plays a significant role in how the message is received. Here are some channels to consider:

✅ Organisation-wide emails: Crafting personal, swift and thoughtful emails that recognise and address the gravity of issue on employees and the community. This should ideally come from the top of the organisation, followed by other leaders disseminating it further to their teams. 
✅ Manager check-ins: Managers should take the opportunity to check-in with their team members, providing support and creating a safe space for dialogue.
✅ Social media posts and statements: Publicly acknowledging racism and racial injustice issues through social media can demonstrate a commitment to justice and equality, but it's important to be genuine and informed. Do not do this without any other action as it can come across as performative.
✅ Informal colleague discussions: Sometimes, informal conversations among colleagues can be the most impactful, depending on your relationships and ability to create a brave space.
✅ Hosting spaces, virtually or in person: Offering a dedicated time and place for discussions can help people process their feelings and experiences in a supportive environment. This should be facilitated by someone who has a genuine experience and commitment to anti-racism and who is trained accordingly. 
✅ Networks/ERGs hosting special meetups: Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) or networks can organise meetings or events to specifically address events/issues, providing education and fostering collective healing and community.

The ethical concerns associated with AI been widely discussed, as well as the lack of diversity within teams working on AI and the corresponding data sets used to train tools. However, I am yet to see DEI leaders discuss the implications of using AI in our work - which we know is happening - even if people are not admitting it!

Be honest if you are working in DEI and are utilising AI in your day-to-day work. AI, specifically generative AI, is now part of our world in ways we probably did not imagine it would be. In this blog post, I am sharing some thoughts, based on what I have noticed, on what I see as the Do's and Dont's for DEI leaders when it comes to using generative AI to support our work. 

Generative AI, has the ability to transform the way we communicate and potentially even enhance the inclusivity of our communication. By leveraging AI, DEI leaders can ensure that their messages are tailored to their audience and are delivered in a way that is easily understood. Just like any tool, it must be used thoughtfully, taking into account its constraints and possible drawbacks. 

Do:

1. Ask AI tools to help you ensure your written communication is clear and concise.
2. Use AI apps to help you on your administrative talks that help you save time for your more meaningful work.
3. Use AI input to make a communications skeleton plan to help your organisation to commemorate key dates.
4. Try AI functions on presentations to help  create visual aids that support education and engagement.
5. Aid information retention by enabling AI tools in Teams, Zoom etc, helping make your meetings more effective and inclusive through clearer notes.

Don't:

1. Rely only on AI for creating translations and transcriptions for your colleagues. Why? Whilst translation and transcription technology has come a long way, it is still riddled with mistakes and inaccuracies that make understanding content a barrier for people you are trying to support! Read about the dangers AI translation can pose in the case of asylum applications.
2. Misuse the trust of colleagues by inputting their data into AI tools. Even if it's anonymised, this is unacceptable! Why? It is not ethical to input colleagues' data into AI tools, especially when you have not told them this will be done. Misleading people in this way can breach trust within the team and violate individual privacy. 
3. Use email writers that can stop you from meaningfully connecting with people, and make you come across inauthentic. Why? Relying too heavily on AI-generated content will undoubtedly make you seem inauthentic. As a DEI leader, you need to role model authenticity and openness which may contradict with using AI in your writing - for some people. It is all about balance, so if you are using AI to speed up your writing, think about how you could come across, and whether it is appropriate in that context/to that audience.  
4. Rely on AI generated content to be effective in raising awareness. Why? While AI can assist in creating content that is engaging, and could help raise awareness of DEI topics, it should not replace the human element. Evidence tells us that inter-group contact (aka contact between members of diverse social groups) is the effective way of creating awareness and educational outcomes we strive for in DEI work. This cannot be replaced by AI. 
5. Create a DEI strategy or workshop using Chat GPT recommendations. Please just don’t! Why? There are so many reasons for why this is not okay (see my last post for what makes an effective DEI strategy!) but most of all, we have to remember that AI still has a huge potential for error. The responses you receive are not likely to be based on evidence, and could cause more harm than good! 
6. Use AI generated images of ~ diverse ~ teams to give a misleading impression of your workplace. Why? Other than the reality that AI image generators often give racist and stereotyped results, these creepy images overstate how diverse your team is which gives an unfair and false impression, causing harm to marginalised folks internally and externally. 

Author - Hayley Bennett, Director of HTVB. 

​In this post, I am sharing some key elements of a successful DEI strategy. When it comes to DEI strategy developments, you need to think about these key elements that are often overlooked.

Read along as we play a little game of bingo to determine whether your DEI strategy is indeed a strategy or just a list of good intentions. 

If you are developing a strategy, ask yourself these questions to ensure it is effective. If you are not happy with your answers, get in touch with me and we can support!

1) Does it state how the actions will be carried out as well as what the actions are?
A DEI strategy is more than just a list of intentions. It should be a comprehensive plan for progress, outlining not just what the actions will be, but also how they will be carried out. So, ask yourself, does your DEI strategy detail the how and what of your actions?

2) Are there outcomes that can be measured, as well as KPIs?
A key part of any strategy is the ability to track progress and measure success. Does your DEI strategy have measurable outcomes and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)? This is vital in evaluating whether your DEI strategy is making a tangible difference within your organization.

3) Is it aligned to your organisation’s goals, mission, purpose and values?
Your DEI strategy should be an integral part of your business planning, aligning with its goals, mission, purpose, and values. Can you confidently say that your DEI strategy aligns with your organisation's key objectives and is seen as something that can help your organisation achieve its business goals?

4) Can the majority of the workforce tell you the key focus areas?
The success of a DEI strategy largely depends on employee engagement and awareness. Would the majority of your workforce be able to tell you the key focus areas of your DEI strategy at the very least?

5) Does it have a well-defined focus with SMART-objectives?
A well-defined focus, along with SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) objectives, forms the backbone of a successful strategy.

6) Is there a governance structure and a strategic task-force / working group that meets regularly?
To ensure the implementation and effectiveness of your DEI strategy, you need a governance structure in place and a strategic task force or working group that meets regularly. Otherwise your strategy will remain just a document.

7) Is there accountability for progress through a consistent monitoring and evaluation process?
Accountability is crucial for the success of any strategy. Within your strategy, you should ensure that responsibilities are clearly defined and that all those responsible are aware of their roles and expectations. By upholding accountability at all levels, a strategy is more likely to be executed efficiently and goals are more likely to be achieved.

8) Has the ExCo only looked at it once or twice, or do they periodically discuss it?
The commitment of the executive team is often a determinant of a strategy's success. It is essential that the leadership not only reviews the strategy once or twice but also prioritizes it by regularly discussing it during their meetings.

9) Is there a communications plan to bring it to life both internally and externally?
Having a comprehensive communications plan is essential for bringing your strategy to life. Internally, effective communication ensures that all team members are aware of the goals and initiatives outlined in the strategy. Incorporating communication strategies such as town hall meetings, newsletters, social media campaigns, and diversity reports can help build traction and keep the workforce informed and engaged.

Externally, an aligned communications plan should help create credibility and visibility for your organization's strategic direction to stakeholders, customers, and the public through things like press releases, social media updates, website announcements, and industry events.

10) Can it be used to track progress on an ongoing basis?
A strategy needs to be regularly monitored and tracked so that you can hold yourself accountable for progress. A robust tracking and monitoring tool should be developed at the same time as the strategy. This seems obvious but so many strategies miss this key part as people perceive the creation of the strategy itself as the goal, rather than a means to achieve wider goals.

11) Does the strategy have clear expectations for the entire workforce, broken down by departments and individuals?
The strategy needs to establish clear expectations for the entire workforce, outlining roles for both departments and individuals, to ensure everyone comprehends their part in the DEI strategy. This is where I see most strategies fail. Whilst there are key players who are responsible, accountable, consulted and informed, everyone has a role to play. Does your strategy convey this?
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12) Is it just a static document or is it flexible with planned reviews?
Regular reviews and assessments are necessary to ensure that the DEI strategy remains relevant. By actively seeking feedback, staying informed on best practices, and being willing to make adjustments, organizations can create a DEI strategy that is not only robust but also responsive to the ever-changing landscape of diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Can we help you develop a more effective DEI strategy and save you time and money? Get in touch today! 

On 1st March 2024, I was invited to give a talk at the Tackling Racism in Sport Conference hosted by UK Sport and the Home Nations Sports Councils. I have been blown away by the feedback. 
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I am all about action rather than talk, but one of the reasons I see for the inaction is that we haven’t moved on from how we talk about race and racism in sport in ways that is not always conducive to progress. These have become normalised as part of the discourse. 

So much of what we say indicates our mindset or lack of capability to lead and problem solve on anti-racism. How can we acknowledge this and move forward? I hope we can recognise some of the common but unhelpful phrases used during conversations about tackling racism in sport such as those outlined in this blog.

Let’s move on from these unhelpful takes about racism in sport:

1. “The athlete went out there and rose above it”
2. “If this [incident relating to another form of oppression] was racism it would be taken more seriously”
3. “The real issue is about class”
4. “It’s society’s problem”
5. “This is shocking, I can’t believe this is still happening in 2024”
6. “We are anti-racist. We have invested in a number of schemes to increase participation and promote inclusion”​

They prevent us from progressing anti-racism work because:

1. Those impacted cannot ‘’rise above’ racism, nor should they be expected to. We need to centre the wellbeing impact of racism on people involved in sport, especially athletes. Defaulting to topics we are more comfortable to talk about, such as social class,  is a way to avoid the reality of racism in sport or shift the focus away from anti-racism.

2. Thinking that it is supportive to be surprised at things that those with lived experiences live with daily can show a lack of awareness. It is not surprising, but scandalous.

3. Intersectionality is a thing! Making false equivalences or compare racism issues to other forms of discrimination often result in further exclusion and a race to the bottom for all marginalised communities.

4. Using systemic racism in society as an excuse for inaction shows a lack of responsibility from sport to tackle racial inequality and the way it specifically manifests in its context and culture. 
​
5. When we equate diversity and inclusion work with anti-racism work, it diminishes our ability to reimagine a sporting world that is truly anti-racist rather than just including racial diversity in a broken system..

This isn’t about avoiding ‘saying the wrong thing’ but avoiding downplaying the impact of racism in sport or reinforcing inequalities in the language we use. Let’s move the conversation along so we can set our sights on meaningful progress and move anti-racism work along too!

*POV: You have just been asked, or maybe you have even volunteered yourself, to start doing extra work which involves DEI within your organization.*
Me and my friend Ash Ahmad regularly find ourselves supporting folks in this position. So last week when we met up, we found ourselves discussing the advice we share... and this post was born! 

There is often a disconnect between your own motivations or expectations, with the reality of doing this work - especially if your organization is just getting started! 

So here are our 10 questions to ask yourself before taking on extra DEI work for your organisation - whether this is paid, 'voluntary', as an ERG lead or otherwise...

1. What are my motivations for doing this work?  
2. How will I be compensated and given recognition for doing this work?  
3. How will I identify gaps in my knowledge of DEI and develop myself as I take on this work? 
4. Which privileges and biases do I have, and what can I do to ensure I advocate for all marginalised people in the organisation?  
5. Who cares more about DEI, me or the people paid to be accountable for progress? 
6. How is my current mental health state? 
7. What will support look like from those in power?
8. Do I currently have the capacity mentally, in my role and in my personal life to take on the work?
9. What will I say ‘no’ to that crosses my boundaries?
10. Who is my support and accountability network?

If you have been in this position, what other questions did you ask yourself... or wish you asked yourself?

Co-created with Ash Ahmad! 

This post is about more than just inclusive leadership, it is about showing genuine commitment as well as having the skills to lead inclusively. On LinkedIn I shared that having a CEO and exec team member who "gets it" is a pre-requisite for any meaningful DEI work. In this work there are few things that feel worse than having a Senior Leader who appears to be consciously committed to diversity, equity and inclusion letting you down...

The five most common ways Senior Leaders have disappointed me are:

​1)   Ducking out of DEI meetings/events early once you've given an introduction (or staying but being on emails the whole time)
2)   Not doing enough to recognise, reward and support colleagues working in DEI (whether full time or as part of an ERG)
3)   just Asking to be 'kept in the loop' but never following up or being proactive about DEI work taking place
4)   Not being able to speak candidly and openly about DEI without having a script written by someone else
5)   Not walking the talk when it comes to your own recruitment practices...

So how can Senior Leaders really show up how and when it matters to play their role in DEI? This infographic contains some of my advice based on experience of working with Senior Leaders who really demonstrated their passion and dedication through their behaviours.​

Now more than ever it is important for organisations to meaningfully commemorate Black History Month. Although Black History Month is a time of year we look forward to, in a personal and professional capacity it can be frustrating and demoralising to see organisations produce initiatives that are rushed, tokenistic and sometimes offensive.

We are two sisters who are inundated with requests for the month of October and again wanted to share some advice and suggestions for how to properly commemorate Black History Month this year. Melissa (@HistorianMel) is a historian and community engagement professional and Hayley (@HayleyTVB) is an independent equity, diversity and inclusion consultant, speaker and campaigner. If you are an organisation or brand, and thinking of organising an event or creating some related content. Check out our 15 tips below:

1. Allocate budget and pay speakers and contributors
You may have gathered this from our introduction, but just in case DO NOT ask Black speakers to speak at your event or produce content for you for free. This is insulting and very problematic considering how much free labour Black men and women are already doing due in terms of both emotional labour and pay inequity. This also includes approaching people to advise you on your event programme, outward facing comms etc. You would not expect any other expert or consultant to come into your organisation and share their knowledge for free. 

2. It’s Black History Month not BAME History Month
Black History month was established more than 30 years ago to celebrate and acknowledge Black history. It is not appropriate to conflate other minority ethnic histories with Black History Month and this could be a costly mistake in terms of PR and credibility. There are other history months set aside to recognise other groups e.g. South Asian History Month and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month and you should be acknowledging these as well. The first East and South East Asian History Month took place this year.

3. Challenge ‘whataboutery’
The focus on Black people during October always makes others uncomfortable and can lead to people questioning why attention apparently isn’t given to other groups. This is an expression of anti-Blackness and should be challenged. It is important to understand the origins of Black history month to be able to articulate why it is needed, and how Black people have led the way in campaigning for recognition and civil rights that others have benefited from. Do not be afraid of being pulled into debates about ‘political correctness’, ‘culture wars’ or ‘rewriting history’ but be prepared for some people not to appreciate your work and have support for staff and a comms approach planned in case this happens.

4. Recognise Black contributions that have paved the way
Properly recognise the contributions of Black people to your company. If historically these contributions have been limited, branch out to the contributions of Black people to your sector more broadly. Highlight Black innovators and achievers who paved the way in your field regardless of where they worked. If you have not had the best history when it comes to inclusion, be prepared for Black colleagues to question the story you are telling in outward and inward facing campaigns, give them opportunities to share their concerns and provide them with evidence of real measurable intentions to change.

5. Explore Black History beyond slavery
Make sure you acknowledge the variety of Black history without over emphasis on enslavement. There are lots of other significant events to commemorate and learn more about. However, you can be honest about the various legacies that have led the world to be the unequal place that it is. Always ensure that Black histories are told from Black perspectives not white perspectives. This means that you may need to double check who authored some of the resources that you might cite or quotes that you might highlight. Avoid 'first Black person to' clichés and narratives as these are often proved to be incorrect later down the line. 

6. There’s more than the US Black experience
Make sure that you do your research and connect to Black History that is relevant and local. We all admire Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks but this does not mean that there are no Black British heroes that we can celebrate as well. There are lots of resources to help you with this including The Oxford Companion to Black British History, and Angelina Osborne and Patrick Vernon’s 100 Great Black Britons. Focusing on the US Black experience often implies a lack of knowledge and an unwillingness to acknowledge the UK’s difficult past when it comes to racism and racialisation.

7. Plan both internal and external initiatives 
Use your whole sphere of influence to engage your employees and customers, users, clients and wider community. BUT make sure your external communications reflect how you celebrate Black people internally. Don’t just talk about Black history externally as a branding opportunity when it hasn’t been properly acknowledged internally. This can alienate and disengage your employees, and come across disingenuous. 

8. Consult with Black colleagues but recognise and reward them for their extra work
At this time of the year it is likely that your Black employees will be caught between already being really busy but also wanting to ensure that Black History Month isn’t forgotten within your company. Acknowledge this reality and acknowledge their input in shaping your activities through awards, objectives and promotion opportunities. Do not rely solely on staff networks or Black staff to programme and organise activities. Ensure that any additional work they do is compensated through time off in lieu, overtime, or other means.

9. Raise money and help to publicise Black charities and organisations
Use this time as an opportunity to fundraise for the charities who do this vital work. Engage with charities and community organisations, for example through social media posts and take overs, blogs and other campaigning. Bigger companies should aim to support activities for smaller community organisations through funding or providing resources. There are many Black-owned or Black-led venues and events professionals  that are struggling post COVID-19. Think about how you can spend your money where it will have the greatest impact on the community, rather than supporting the same corporate venue hirers and event planners. 

10. Represent the diversity of Black people fully
The theme for this year’s Black History Month is “Proud to Be” and it encourages us to celebrate Black History Month whilst also recognising intersectionality. If you have a programme of events, or are creating a series of content, ensure that you spotlight Black people with a range of different experiences and identities. Don’t perpetuate colourism by overemphasising contributions from light skin Black people. Ensure there is representation of all shades of Black people and don’t erase the experience of dark skin Black people. As with any event you plan, ensure that you include voices from different genders, nationalities, LGBTQ+ voices and the voices of people with disabilities.

11. Be mindful of just having Black people talk about racism
Black History Month is meant to be celebratory and shouldn’t solely focus on Black people sharing their experiences of racism. Whilst it can be powerful, it is very difficult to get this right in terms of balances of power and you should be wary of recycling trauma. Promote the Black experience in all its wonderful forms and create opportunities for Black people to talk about their work and their expertise. Promote Black Joy which is really needed in 2021.

12. Acknowledge that Black History is everyone’s history
It is important that you don’t unintentionally ‘other’ Black colleagues, especially when your intention is to be inclusive and celebratory. Black British History is British History, it has just not been integrated into the mainstream stories that we are more familiar with. You will exclude people if you imply that their community's history is separate or something that went on over there. Good references for this are David Olusoga's Black and British and Onyeka Nubia’s England's Other Country Men: Blackness in Tudor Society. 

13. Go beyond diversity and inclusion PR
Most organisations use the month of October to launch or celebrate initiatives relating to racial diversity. This can be problematic if it is the only thing you are doing during Black History Month. The focus shouldn’t be on patting yourself on the back for the progress made on race equity but about celebrating Black people’s contributions and the Black experience. 

14. Build lasting partnerships and coalitions 
Black History Month should not be a competition between sector peers or rivals. Addressing the marginalisation and under-representation of Black people is probably not something your organisation can solve on its own so see who you can collaborate with. This means working with experts and community organisations, as well as similar organisations who can share learnings and resources to make Black History Month more impactful. Consider how you can compensate/remunerate individuals and small organisations with limited capacity and low turnovers for assisting you.

15. It shouldn’t be just one month
Although Black History Month is a targeted month of activities, it should not be the only time that organisations work to support Black people. Plan other activities throughout the year and continue to support the work being done all year round to promote Black history and Black communities. For example, Black Pound Day takes place on the first Saturday of every month to support the growth of the Black economy. Black History Walks work with museums, schools, communities and government agencies and offer walking tours, educational talks and films in London.

This piece was written by Melissa & Hayley Bennett and is an updated version of the original piece published in 2020.