The Stephen James Partnership’s Post

Some of you may remember that when the "fair admissions" decision came down, I spoke about the impact on companies even though it was directed at universities. See below. This is a stepping stone. I've been prepping clients for marriage equality also to be challenged. Given the makeup of the Court, #communicators, make sure you're meeting with HR and Legal to prepare. Don't finalize your budget for 2025 without taking these kinds of possibilities into account (regardless of the election outcome). Take lessons from the overturn of Roe and look at your position, what you're going to do to protect marriage equality if it goes back to the states, what can you proactively say and do, as a start. There's plenty of other things companies can do (who is your company's PAC and C-suite donating to?) including looking at a new level of DEI Lens on your FY25 communications strategy. What is yours to do externally and what is yours to do to support and protect all of your employees internally? How do we talk about, how do we position ourselves to prepare and be proactive? This is the work we have to do and it's why we developed The DEPTH Model in our book, The Conscious Communicator. Make sure these conversations are happening. Prevention and preparation is a lower cost than reaction and fire drills and employee engagement crises. #Communications #InternalCommunications #EmployeeCommunications

Diversity is not a bad word. And, we should have the courage to say so when people bad mouth DEI regardless of their position or net worth. Factors such as race, culture, and corporate domination have created a constant force of competition in the job market, rather than fostering cooperation and support in the workplace. This has made it difficult for honest and hardworking individuals, particularly women and people of color, to secure and maintain high level positions, leading them to start their own businesses. Although I excelled as a partner at some of the nation’s top ranking law firms against all odds, the leadership of those firms believed that people who looked like me shouldn’t be at the very top of the organization. Those positions were reserved for white men and a few token women who were their gatekeepers. After a few decades of practicing law - Ponder Diversity Group LLC (PDG) was born. Our mission as attorneys and consultants is to advance workplace and supplier diversity regardless of the naysayers. Diversity is crucial in giving everyone an equal opportunity to compete for employment on a leveled playing field. It's not about unqualified people seeking a handout or avoiding hard work for financial compensation. It's about giving everyone, regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, religion, an equal opportunity to be employed. It's shocking that even though 90% of jobs can be taught, there is a significant disparity between the percentage of diverse persons in the workforce and their percentage in high paying positions or on corporate boards. It’s even more shocking that most folks aren’t outraged about it like we are at PDG. We need to continue advocating for marginalized, underserved, and disproportionately impacted communities to receive equal rights in the workplace and in the procurement process. Everyone deserves an opportunity to succeed. Let's give them a chance to do so.♥️ #dei #diversityequityinclusion #workplacediversity #supplierdiversity #equalopportunity #equalrights #successforall #givepeopleafreakingchance

🚀 When does DEI in recruitment become discriminatory? In the journey towards inclusive recruitment, it's crucial to strike the right balance. Positive action can help address underrepresentation and promote diversity. However, when does this effort cross the line into discrimination? Michael Redston, employment law associate solicitor at Aaron and Partners, underscores the necessity of fairness in DEI practices. Employers should ensure job ads encourage everyone to apply while highlighting underrepresented groups, but NEVER to the exclusion of others. Excluding an individual with a protected characteristic can constitute discrimination under the Equality Act 2010. The nuance was further illustrated by a recent incident involving Robert Peston's job advert for ITV News, intended for underrepresented groups. The backlash serves as a reminder that inclusivity shouldn't restrict but broaden access. Instead, as Russell Norton of Scarlettabbott suggests, a systematic approach is key. Expanding recruitment sites and ensuring inclusive, accessible language can mitigate bias without risking "reverse discrimination." In essence, DEI should foster a genuinely diverse workforce, reflective of society, without inadvertently alienating any group. This balance not only aligns with legal standards but also enriches organisations with varied perspectives and innovations. #DiversityInHiring #InclusiveRecruitment #EqualityAct2010

Driving change Equality of opportunity needs to start much earlier – at primary school. Jessica Powers’ lessons learnt driving diversity and inclusion in barrister recruitment and retention. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/eh4gYwgV #recruitment #barristers #diversity

The Chicago Bears' "Bear Legal Diversity Fellowship" was intended to create opportunities for women and people of color. However, a white male is now suing the organization for "deliberate discrimination and sexist hiring practices." This lawsuit highlights the significant underrepresentation of women and people of color in the legal profession. According to the National Association for Law Placement (NALP), only 2% of Black females are in majority partner roles at US-based law firms, while white males make up almost 70% of the population. While it's important to hire the "best person for the job," we must also acknowledge the biases that have plagued many professions across the country, including legal, healthcare, aviation, technology, and more. These industries, which lack diversity in senior leadership, are amongst the highest paid, highest profile, and highest reward organizations in the country. True innovation comes through representation and diversity. However, recent attacks on DEI programs have posed them as discriminatory towards white males. It's time to ask ourselves if unconscious and discriminatory practices are keeping others from obtaining executive roles. Is it always the case that the best person gets the job? Or are historically discriminatory practices continuing to plague the highest profile industries? We need to call attention to this and have special programs that enable historically marginalized communities to have access to the same opportunities. It's not about hiring someone based on their gender or race; it's about creating a level playing field where everyone has an equal chance to succeed. What am I missing? #diversityandinclusion #DEI #equalopportunities #representationmatters

@Lowrylegal in City AM this morning commenting on how far woman in the legal profession has come, especially on the partnership ladder. #iwd2024 #lowrylegal #thoughtleadership https://lnkd.in/eb8f_RqD

"We want to come to work and bring our whole selves to work." As a Dyslexic Legal Counsel, Roshni Thakrar draws on her experience as a neurodivergent employee to share how companies can become more neuroinclusive with inclusion tools and more! Watch the full video: https://bit.ly/4281AEJ  #Neurodiversity #InclusiveTools #Dyslexia

When it comes to nudity, many states have specific legislation prohibiting nudity and indecent exposure in public. However, in more permissive states such as Oregon or Montana, there are no specific laws prohibiting these things, and non-sexual public nudity is totally fine!

"We want to come to work and bring our whole selves to work." As a Dyslexic Legal Counsel, Roshni Thakrar draws on her experience as a neurodivergent employee to share how companies can become more neuroinclusive with inclusion tools and more! Watch the full video: https://bit.ly/4281AEJ  #Neurodiversity #InclusiveTools #Dyslexia

"We want to come to work and bring our whole selves to work." As a Dyslexic Legal Counsel, Roshni Thakrar draws on her experience as a neurodivergent employee to share how companies can become more neuroinclusive with inclusion tools and more! Watch the full video: https://bit.ly/4281AEJ  #Neurodiversity #InclusiveTools #Dyslexia