Carlos Kareem Windham’s Post

Breaking the Chains: Systemic Racism in Corporate Culture In a world that prides itself on progress and innovation, systemic racism remains a stark outlier, especially within the corridors of corporate culture. It's a shadow that shapes decisions, opportunities, and experiences for many, often without the conscious awareness of those who perpetuate it. Manifestation in the Workplace Systemic racism in the workplace doesn't always come in overt forms. It's in the biases that influence hiring decisions, the lack of representation in leadership, and the unequal access to growth opportunities and mentorship. It's the microaggressions, the "cultural fit" excuses, and the pay disparities that disproportionately affect people of color. Combatting the Shadow There's hope and its time for action! A few ways we can all contribute to dismantling systemic racism in our workplaces: 1) Education & Awareness: Continuous learning about racial biases and their impacts. Let's make unconscious biases conscious and actionable. 2) Policy Reforms: Implementing and enforcing policies that actively promote diversity, equity, and inclusion at every level of the organization. 3) Representation Matters: Actively working towards diverse representation in leadership positions to reflect the true diversity of our communities. 4) Creating Safe Spaces: Encouraging open dialogue about race and discrimination, and creating channels for reporting and addressing grievances without fear of retaliation. 5) Accountability & Transparency: Setting clear goals for diversity and inclusion, and regularly reporting on progress. Embracing Diversity The journey towards an inclusive corporate culture is ongoing, challenging, but ultimately rewarding. It's about building environments where everyone, regardless of their race, can thrive and feel valued. It's about recognizing that our differences make us stronger, more creative, and more innovative. Let's be the change-makers, the advocates for justice, and the champions of an inclusive future. Together, we can transform our workplaces into spaces where equality isn't just a goal, but a reality. #SystemicRacism #CorporateCulture #DiversityAndInclusion #BeTheChange

The recent apology from Frank Hester for his comments about Diane Abbott brings to light the deeper issue of racism within the UK, revealing that prejudice and discrimination remain embedded in various facets of society. This incident underscores the urgent need for continued vigilance and proactive measures to eradicate racism, especially in professional environments. Addressing racism requires a multifaceted approach, involving education, policy reform, and cultural change. Employers play a crucial role in this transformation by creating inclusive workplaces that not only celebrate diversity but also actively combat discrimination. Here are some strategies employers can implement: 1. Comprehensive Anti-Racism Policies: Develop clear, enforceable policies against racism and discrimination. These should outline unacceptable behaviours and establish protocols for reporting and addressing incidents. 2. Diversity and Inclusion Training: Regular training sessions can help raise awareness about racism, unconscious bias, and cultural sensitivity among all employees, fostering a more inclusive environment. 3. Promote Diversity at Every Level: Ensure diverse representation in leadership positions and throughout the organisation. This helps create an environment where diverse perspectives are valued and contribute to decision-making processes. 4. Support Networks and Affinity Groups: Encourage the formation of employee resource groups for underrepresented employees to share experiences and support each other, enhancing a sense of belonging. 5. Open Dialogue: Foster an environment where employees feel safe discussing racism and discrimination. Regularly hold forums or workshops where staff can discuss diversity and inclusion openly. 6. Accountability Measures: Implement clear consequences for discriminatory behaviour. Ensuring accountability promotes a culture of respect and equality. 7. Continuous Assessment: Regularly review and update policies, training programs, and practices to ensure they remain effective and relevant in promoting diversity and combating racism. By implementing these strategies, employers can make significant strides towards creating workplaces that are not only free from racism but are also vibrant, diverse, and inclusive communities. The commitment to combating racism and promoting diversity should be an ongoing process, evolving with our understanding of what it means to be truly inclusive.

Did you know? Studies from 2023 reveal that a staggering two-thirds of employees from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds encounter racism in their careers. Racism in the workplace can come from different sources — from superiors, colleagues, or even customers. It often manifests as denied promotions, unequal pay, exclusion from opportunities for advancement, as well as the use of slurs, stereotypes, or derogatory comments related to physical features, attire, and food. To combat racism at work, it's essential to address both individual behaviours and the systemic structures enabling such behaviour. Explore Goodera's guide to racial equity for workplaces: https://hubs.ly/Q02fBRMq0 #BlackHistoryMonth #DEI #CSR #RacialEquity

Why is racial harm challenging to navigate at work? Racial equity has become a strategic priority for many non-profit, for-profit and public sector organizations. Unfortunately, while these organizations are publishing racial equity statements and striving to hire more Black, Indigenous & People of Color (BIPOC) candidates, many Black & Brown employees at the very same organizations continue to experience: microaggressions, racial harassment, coded insults and discrimination, disparate treatment, disproportionate discipline, limited opportunities for advancement, and other forms of racialized harm. All while navigating “white fragility” and “good intentions” within a white-dominant professional culture that wants to be seen as not-racist, but doesn’t actually understand how to be anti-racist. Simply recruiting and hiring more “diverse” candidates does not necessarily create more equitable workplaces. In the worst cases, it is akin to integrating Black and Brown folks into a burning building where they will inevitably experience racialized harm. Formal policies and real culture shifts are required to create workplaces and organizations that are capable of not only hiring BIPOC candidates, but also protecting, retaining & promoting their Black & Brown staff. Only then can an organization truly benefit from the lived experiences, broadened perspectives and the new possibilities created when Black and Indigenous professionals are not just hired as diversity tokens, but truly given space to lead. Join one of our upcoming community offerings to learn more about common challenges and effective strategies for cultivating organizational cultures that practice accountability and repair in response to racial harm. Navigating Racial Harm: workplace policy & practice Friday, April 12, 2024 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM PDT FREE - Registration Required Click here to register https://lnkd.in/gwCScEnr Join us for a panel discussion and community conversation about common challenges and effective strategies for cultivating organizational cultures that support healing and accountability in response to racial harm in the workplace. Click here to learn more! https://lnkd.in/gnhQqgF4 The 2024 Racial Equity Policy Intensive will guide participants in collaboratively developing an organizational Racial Harm Policy, protocol & implementation plan tailored to their organizational context.

Reconciliation always requires a sacrifice. This holds true for racial reconciliation which, at this point, is an economic imperative. In the United States, Black and Hispanic people will be the majority of adults (working age-income earning age) by 2045. That means Black and Hispanic Households MUST be among the most economically mobile people in our country...able to realize fairly fluid economic momentum so that the overall economy of the United States functions properly. Economic stability and domestic civility BOTH require that the demographic majority be free to fully engage with that country's economy. That has never been the case for black and hispanic people in the US and MUST be the case between now and 2045. Relaxing the grip of racism and racial inequity is not just moral imperative...not a catchy social justice tag-line, and most certainly can't be activated, in a meaningful way, by simply declaring its the "right thing to do". Not only do we teach these principles in our work at Harper Slade Advisors, WBENC Certified but do so with a grace-centered and data rooted approach that helps employers understand: 💡 HOW to think about the urgency of creating environments where multicultural talent can thrive, 💡 How to give context to the work and assure its persistence and commitment via employee engagement and workforce pipeline strategies and; 💡 How to develop and mature the mindset to promote and encourage multiculturalism at work, without the guilt and the gotcha that often seems to accompany this work. No doubt the work requires sacrifice, but our country's (and your company's) well-being depends on us getting this right.

Reconciliation always requires a sacrifice. This holds true for racial reconciliation which, at this point, is an economic imperative. In the United States, Black and Hispanic people will be the majority of adults (working age-income earning age) by 2045. That means Black and Hispanic Households MUST be among the most economically mobile people in our country...able to realize fairly fluid economic momentum so that the overall economy of the United States functions properly. Economic stability and domestic civility BOTH require that the demographic majority be free to fully engage with that country's economy. That has never been the case for black and hispanic people in the US and MUST be the case between now and 2045. Relaxing the grip of racism and racial inequity is not just moral imperative...not a catchy social justice tag-line, and most certainly can't be activated, in a meaningful way, by simply declaring its the "right thing to do". Not only do we teach these principles in our work at Harper Slade Advisors, WBENC Certified but do so with a grace-centered and data rooted approach that helps employers understand: 💡 HOW to think about the urgency of creating environments where multicultural talent can thrive, 💡 How to give context to the work and assure its persistence and commitment via employee engagement and workforce pipeline strategies and; 💡 How to develop and mature the mindset to promote and encourage multiculturalism at work, without the guilt and the gotcha that often seems to accompany this work. No doubt the work requires sacrifice, but our country's (and your company's) well-being depends on us getting this right.

#Diversity, #equity and #inclusion have gained heightened importance following racial and societal tensions in recent years. In a special issue of Public Personnel Management (PPM) and Sage , Professors Newman, Ali, Powell, and South examine how selected local governmental jurisdictions are responding to the call for greater equity and inclusion in their organizations. Link to the article: https://lnkd.in/eWjekMhp #diversityequityinclusion #inequities #governmentaljurisdictions #jurisdiction #greatereqity #greaterinclusion #organizationalequity #organizationalequity #tranformativeapproach #humanresourcepolicies #humanresourceprocesses #structuraldisadvanatges #inclusionculture

The theme of this year's #LearningDisabilityWeek is Do You See Me? People who have Down's syndrome should be treated equally and have the same opportunities as everyone else, should be supported to make their own choices, and be involved at all levels in any decisions that affect their lives. The Listen Include Respect guidelines provide organisations with a toolkit towards inclusive participation. Read about our Inclusion Advisors Catherine and Joe and the work they do here: https://loom.ly/wwop7SQ

Jackie Beer Senior Vice President, Global Equity, Diversity and Inclusion joined world leading academics, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) leaders, and behavioural scientists MoreThanNow at Harvard Kennedy School’s Advancing the Science of DEI roundtable event. The aim of the roundtable was to discuss how we advance the science of DEI and improve the evidence on equity in the workplace. Here’s Jackie’s takeaways. Learn more about our approach to DEI in our workplace | https://ow.ly/pNsX50RA4bV #Worley #Equity #DEI

Corporate social responsibility is measured in terms of businesses improving conditions for their employees, shareholders, communities, and environment. But moral responsibility goes further, reflecting the need for corporations to address fundamental ethical issues such as inclusion, dignity, and equality. Klaus Schwab #socialresponsibility #yourpowerskills #training #coaching #inclusion #employeeengagement