MLK Day: An opportunity for employers to review their DEI policies (and make changes)
Employers can begin pursuing more robust diversity, equity and inclusion strategies by asking, “What problem are we trying to solve?” so that there's a shared understanding of the issues in their company.
It has been 55 years since Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, and more than 30 years that the nation has paused each January to reflect upon his life and impact on civil rights and racial equity. In recent years, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion movement has gained significant attention and momentum within the corporate environment, but has meaningful progress been made? Martin Luther King Jr. Day presents an opportunity for businesses across the country to assess and evaluate their DEI efforts.
“In the years since MLK’s death, we’ve seen progress, but not enough,” says Kike Ojo-Thompson, founder of DEI consultancy, KOJO Institute. “So much of what MLK said, wrote, and fought against is still happening today. Globally, anti-Black racism still harms Black people every single day, disadvantaging us in every system.
“What that tells me is that the work MLK and his peers in the civil rights movement started is not finished,” she says. “Today’s DEI efforts are a continuation of the legacy that MLK left behind and an important step toward the world that he dreamed of. So, we cannot become complacent or resigned. We cannot accept or excuse racism, oppression, and injustice. There is work to be done, and now is the time to do it.”
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Ojo-Thompson shared her perspectives and ideas about the current state of DEI efforts, the work she and the KOJO Institute are doing and how organizations can pursue more robust DEI strategies.
How/why you got involved in DEI education?
I identify as a Black, cis-gender, heterosexual, African-Caribbean Canadian woman. I was born in Toronto to a Nigerian father and a Trinidadian mother. As a child, I saw my parents and other adults in my life advocating for a more just world. Growing up in the anti-apartheid era, I was introduced to activism through rallies and boycotts to end racial segregation in South Africa and free Nelson Mandela. This taught me early on to recognize myself as an important part of the movement and an agent for change.
Those experiences cultivated my interest in equity. I studied civil rights era movements and observed how much resistance those movements faced and what forms that resistance took. In my studies, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s work stood out to me. His courage, conviction, and humanity are an example I aim to follow. But it was his powerful oration and how he used it to convict others that struck me the most.
I believe that most people are unaware of how our systems operate to marginalize equity-seeking groups, and as a strategist, sociologist, and educator by trade and passion, I recognize that as an opportunity to teach and empower others to play an effective role in leading change. MLK exemplified for me that those teachable moments are most impactful when I can speak truth to power, reach into people’s hearts, and stir them to action.
I am grateful to have been honored with awards that recognize my commitment to equity. But it’s not the accolades that motivate me to press on in this often-challenging work. I am motivated by the positive impact that the KOJO Institute has been able to have on the organizations we have supported. It is a privilege to know that I am continuing the work of activists like MLK who took up this fight before me. Their resistance and resilience constantly inspire me to keep pressing forward.
Describe the model the KOJO Institute uses to help organizations address equity, diversity, and inclusion.
With every organization, we begin by asking, “What problem are we trying to solve?” It’s a simple question on the surface, but it’s integral to creating more equitable outcomes. By identifying the problems at the outset of our work, we ensure that we and our clients have a shared understanding of the issues in their organization. It also allows us to establish clear targets so our clients can see when and where there is progress and success. Our next step is to develop a clear and common understanding of the goal of equity work. For us, the goal is always to achieve more equitable outcomes—to address and eliminate the inequities that are happening. Then we determine and implement the strategies and familiar frameworks like anti-racism, diversity, and inclusion, along with organizational change methodologies to move our clients toward the more equitable outcomes they desire.
One of the most important tools we use is data. We define equity as the elimination of disproportionality and disparity, and qualitative and quantitative data allow us to see where the inequities are and measure whether our efforts are creating more equitable outcomes. We guide our clients to ethically collect data and apply an anti-racist and anti-oppressive lens to their use of that information. We teach them to use the 3 Ds of Data Framework – disaggregate, dialogue, and disrupt. That means disaggregating or breaking down the data by relevant identity groups – i.e., race, gender, sexuality, age, (dis)ability, religion, etc.; dialoguing with the various identity groups about what the data reveals; and using that information to disrupt disparities and disproportionalities within the organization.
At KOJO Institute, we assess each of our clients to identify the specific inequities at play in their organization and offer the services, strategies, and tools that will address those issues directly. Our goal is to ensure that our clients’ DEI strategies aren’t just a check in a box but an effective pathway to more equitable outcomes.
DEI has gotten a lot of attention recently. How much of that attention has resulted in meaningful change?
Unfortunately, despite the growing popularity of DEI, change has been slow and limited. There are a few key reasons for the lack of progress. For one, there is rarely clarity on why equity work is being done.
Though well-meaning, too many organizations take up DEI in response to the social issues playing out in the world around them. But they rarely examine what social issues are actually happening within their organizations. So, their efforts are not targeted at the inequities their staff and clients are facing.
The second issue is that there is rarely any tracking, monitoring, and reporting. Equity work, like any endeavor, is most effective when there are clear metrics for success and there are mechanisms in place to ensure those metrics are being met. Many organizations are not collecting data, so there is no tracking. Equity plans are implemented, but no one is monitoring the impact of those plans or reporting on their success (or lack thereof).
Without tracking, monitoring, and reporting, we get our third problem—a lack of accountability. If there is no way to measure if DEI efforts are creating more equitable outcomes, there is no way to hold organizations accountable to their commitments. More than that, many organizations don’t have internal accountability mechanisms, meaning there is no way to ensure staff are behaving equitably and no strategy in place to immediately address inequity when it happens.
Finally, the other factor limiting the success of equity work is a lack of leadership commitment. Organizations change from the top down. Transforming the culture for more equitable outcomes begins with a leadership team that is committed to that change, exemplifies it with their actions, and is willing to invest the time, resources, and tools needed to produce meaningful change.
How would you define success for DEI programs?
Success is in the data. It’s in changed outcomes. As an organization, you’ll know your DEI program is succeeding if you’re seeing better outcomes for equity-seeking staff and clients and fewer disparities between their experiences and those of their peers from dominant/privileged groups. This includes both quantitative data like a proportionate representation of racialized people in leadership, and qualitative data like more reports of positive experiences from members of equity-seeking groups targeted by the DEI program.
What are the basic, ‘entry-level’ things companies can do to begin building their DEI strategy?
There are three important first steps organizations can take in their DEI strategy. The first is to declare it a priority—both internally to their staff and externally to their clients and the public. This could look like policies and proclamations that outline the organization’s position on equity and how they will act on that commitment. It could also look like integrating the DEI plan into their organization’s overall strategy; this ensures that equity is not an afterthought but an essential part of operations.
The second step is to be curious about what’s happening within their organization. It’s important to ask, “Who is being overrepresented? Who is being underserved? Who is experiencing consistently bad outcomes?” and create pathways to find the answers to those questions. Some methods organizations can explore to learn about the experiences of their staff (and clients) are surveys, focus groups, and key informant interviews. Safe and easy access to those pathways for staff and clients is of critical importance.
The third and most essential step is to get help with the outcome data they find. It can be difficult for leaders to learn that there is inequity happening in their organization and even more difficult to know how to address it. In those moments, it’s helpful to call on people who have the expertise and experience to guide them toward an effective strategy and give them the tools to create more equitable outcomes.
For those companies who are further along in their DEI journey, what are some of the more advanced steps they can take to make their initiatives more robust and meaningful?
One step that organizations who want to deepen their DEI efforts can take is to report their issues and progress publicly. By being open about the issues their initiatives are addressing and the progress they are making, they demonstrate to staff and clients that they are genuinely committed to creating more equitable outcomes while inviting them (and the larger public) to help the organization remain accountable to the goals of their DEI strategies.
Publicly reporting on DEI initiatives – both the challenges and the successes – is also an opportunity for an organization to take an industry-leading position. I understand this suggestion might cause some executives to hesitate; especially if they are at the stage where there are more issues than solutions. But equity work isn’t about perfection or competition. Sharing outcomes and progress isn’t about proving superiority. It is about modelling the dedication, vulnerability, and willingness to learn that are the hallmarks of truly equitable organizations. An organization that is forthright about its DEI journey may inspire others to make equity a more important part of their culture and goals.
Is DEI a policy initiative or a people initiative?
The simple answer is that it’s both. For equity work to be successful, there needs to be change at multiple levels within the organization. Policies need to be put in place that address disparities and disproportionate outcomes. Equity-informed policies ensure the organization’s position on oppressive and discriminatory behavior is detailed (and the consequences are clearly outlined). This allows everyone, from frontline staff to the C-suite, to have a clear, shared understanding of the organization’s DEI commitment, the role they are expected to play in it, and how they are protected if they experience inequity.
But as management consultant Peter Drucker once said, culture eats policy for breakfast, and people influence culture, so DEI must also be a people initiative. Equity policies only work if they are enforced and adhered to. Successful DEI initiatives and equitable organizational cultures are powered by people who behave equitably. Creating that culture requires providing the training, mechanisms, and support to make equity a part of everyone’s workplace practice. However, leadership has to be prepared to manage people who are resistant to equity work and organizational culture change through coaching, consequences, or, when necessary, termination.
DEI also functions at the structural level. Organizational policies are supported by the structures that are in place. This includes commonly accepted practices that may be rooted in inequity and official (and unofficial) hierarchies and power dynamics that privilege certain groups and disadvantage others. A really tangible example of a structural barrier to equity is the placement of the DEI lead. The best practice for organizations is to ensure that there is a DEI department that sits outside of human resources, reports directly to the CEO and C-suite, and is accessible to all staff. Like culture, inequitable organizational structures that are not corrected can derail DEI work, so they should be carefully examined and addressed.
Can DEI efforts improve the bottom line?
Yes, DEI efforts ultimately improve the bottom line. How much and in what ways will vary by sector and industry. But generally speaking, equitable organizations are more profitable and successful. Studies from McKinsey show that diverse companies are 35% more likely to have higher profits. A lot of that comes down to the impact that DEI has on the people within the organization.
Equitable recruitment practices mean that talented people from marginalized groups aren’t left in the resume pile or in entry-level positions. That also allows more diverse perspectives and experiences to be leveraged at the decision-making tables, leading to more innovation and improved connections to clients from marginalized communities.
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Equitable workplaces also have happier and more engaged employees (who know they will be valued and protected regardless of their identities), which has been repeatedly linked to profitability. While there is plenty of data to back this up, I have also seen the impact of equity-informed workplaces personally. When I was the DEI lead at a large, people-serving organization, we were able to recruit and retain excellent candidates because of the equity work I was doing. DEI isn’t just a moral choice, it’s also a smart business move.
Is educating employees part of the DEI process? In what specific ways can employers educate employees?
Organizational culture is essential to the success of a DEI initiative, and people drive culture. Organizations should absolutely be educating employees as part of their DEI work. Staff and leaders alike need to be able to understand what equity is (and what it isn’t).
One of the mental shifts we see people struggle with the most when it comes to equity is that racism and oppression aren’t just interpersonal issues; they’re systemic and embedded in all of our societal systems, and organizations are not exempt. So, training staff to understand how systemic oppression works, how it plays out in their organization, and how they can practice equity in the context of their job is crucial. This is why we offer our clients staff training and executive coaching in addition to strategic services. The culture shifts and the policies are successful when the people in the organization know how to work equitably.