Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Consulting Services
Globalization, social movements and the recent pandemic have led to a shift that necessitates a more innovative, inclusive and nimble workplace culture. There is not only a change in the demographic of the workforce but also the consumer of products and services. It is imperative that governments, communities, social and economic sectors continually adapt to being more responsive to this change locally and globally.
A diverse and inclusive workforce is one of the most critical advantages and somewhat hidden secrets of successful organizations and impactful leaders.
What does EDI & B mean?
DIVERSITY refers to a variety of people, experiences, and perspectives. Often nestled under the umbrellas of identity, including race, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, dis/ability (differently-abled), culture, socio-economics, political affiliation and more.
Diversity is a fact.
INCLUSION is creating a top-to-bottom structure that encourages people of all groups, whether they are traditionally well-represented or underrepresented, in equal participation.
Inclusion is an act.
EQUITY is the process of just and fair consideration because of someone’s experience or social position. It acknowledges ‘One size does not fit all’.
Equity is a choice.
BELONGING is fostered when every individual, irrespective of their background feels psychologically safe to share his or her perspective. It is when one can bring their ‘whole self’ to a judgement free social or professional setting.
Belonging is a feeling!
Why EDI?
Increased employee engagement and retention are natural outcomes of individuals with a sense of belonging to an organization. There is an inherent value to diversity and inclusivity in a workplace. Leaders must ensure they tap into the diverse talent pools to remain competitive currently and in the future. The benefits of inclusive workplaces have been widely documented in the past few years.
In its 2018 report, Deloitte found that organizations with inclusive cultures were twice as likely to exceed financial targets, six times more likely to be innovative and agile, and eight times more likely to achieve better business outcomes. Source
"Trust is at the core of our work. We develop trusting relationships with our clients and help them build trusting relationships within their workplace."
~Sunita Gupta
What People are Saying
The John Howard Society of Kingston and District contracted Sunita Gupta, EDI Consultant at I2C Immigration Consulting, to complete an EDI audit on our agency. She worked with our existing EDI committee to create questions and understand our agency culture and our gaps and needs. She provided us with a detailed report that allowed us to understand our staff and how they identify and experience our agency.
She curated 5 EDI education sessions tailor-made for our team. These sessions framed the conversation for our staff to examine their privilege and intersectionality and understand how we can become better allies in the workplace. After each session, she sought feedback and checked in with our leadership team to ensure the sessions were meeting our needs. This experience allowed us to grow as a team and started a real investment in making our workplace a more equitable place for our all of our staff.
- Julie Langan, Executive Director, John Howard Society of Kingston and District