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Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Event

 

On March 8, Acorel organised an inspirational event on Diversity, Equality and Inclusion. For some attendees, the topic initially made them “itch”. A true sign of the awareness that was created, is that the same people were mostly enthusiastic about the topic by the end of the session.

The description of the relationship between diversity and inclusion, explained as “Diversity is being asked to the party” but “Inclusion is being asked to dance” relates very nicely to something we have been working on within Acorel! We have decided to make our formal language “English”, as a way to ensure that all our colleagues can participate fully in the organisation.

An important part of working at Acorel is working in teams. Learning about unconscious bias gave us insight into the importance of being critical of the representation of diversity within a team. It is easy to create a team with people you have a “connection” with, but that means you may lose out on new perspectives and creative ideas. In order to be able to respond well to diverse markets and diverse customers you need diversity of ideas and diversity of talent.

So how can you become more inclusive as an organisation and attract more diverse talent? It is important to listen to understand instead of just to react. Honesty is also crucial, no excuses. Lastly, make sure everyone has a seat at the table. Do not only talk about diversity, but make sure you invite a diverse crowd to the table.

Taco Schallenberg, CEO at Acorel, says: “Very insightful event that showed that Diversity and Inclusion is a topic that can definitely be improved within almost every organisation and ofcourse also within Acorel. By creating an inclusive environment, a lot can be gained. Employees feeling comfortable and more valued will definitely improve the way people work together and improve the employee experience. And as we know well, improving employee experience will also improve customer experience!”