What Does #EmbraceEquity Mean to Oxbotica?

This year’s International Women’s Day urges us all to #EmbraceEquity.

But what does that mean in a company that has long made Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging a priority? 

Does Oxbotica need to do even more?  

The short answer is yes, because we recognise that establishing true equity is a journey that never ends. 

First, though, consider the word ‘equity’ itself. 

Equity is often used interchangeably with ‘equality’, but in practice the two words mean different things.

“Equality is giving everyone the same pair of shoes. Equity is giving everyone a pair of shoes that fits." (author unknown)

Equity, then, is the key that unlocks true inclusion. Oxbotica values and celebrates difference in myriad ways, but for us equity goes further and deeper.

Equity doesn’t just equip people; it empowers them. Because it recognises that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, an effective equity strategy works to eliminate any disadvantage that might result from difference. This way, everyone is afforded the best chance of succeeding. 

IWD’s website says “because people start from different places, true inclusion and belonging require equitable action”.  For Oxbots, equitable action means that some people need more — or at least different — resources, support or opportunities than others to reach the same goal. And because people’s circumstances are constantly changing, including throughout their career and their time with us, there is always more to be considered, more to be done and the work continues.

We want to meet and exceed the needs of every Oxbot, so ‘the work’ means a host of initiatives and policies that together ensure equity is always at the heart of our culture. It means inviting feedback and continually reviewing those initiatives and policies so we understand the impact they have on Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging. And when something falls short, it means we change it so that it works better for those who need it.   

Why focus on equity? 

It’s simple. Because we’re all human, we’re all different. Each of us has different experiences, backgrounds and beliefs, so we all have different needs and ways of working and thinking. Equity means taking these squarely into account when deciding how best to support people to reach the same goals as their peers. Otherwise we’re failing — and failing our people and our customers.  

We truly believe that by having a diverse thought stream, rooted in an elaborate fabric of cultures, languages and academic institutions, we will achieve Universal Autonomy™ quicker and in a safer and more robust way. And whilst we can never truly know each other, it can be a great joy to go on the journey in order to try.  

For us, that journey begins with our inclusive hiring practices. There are many tools out there, but we find the BeApplied gender neutral tooling very effective. We also require all hiring managers to attend a number of workshops focused on talent attraction. Importantly, too, as a group our hiring managers display the diversity of people we seek to attract; candidates see themselves, reflected. 

The journey then continues through onboarding, probation, performance review and more. Voice Groups, Lunch & Learns and other initiatives help us all learn about and understand each other better, irrespective of gender — or none. For those with caring responsibilities, we offer huge flexibility, with hybrid working and truly adaptive working hours. And this year, we’re enhancing our existing family policies to make them even more inclusive. 

Why? 

Because equity means providing a working environment that welcomes everyone. 

Accountability brings responsibility 

When done right, equity encourages accountability. And it does this by unmasking and undoing bias. Quite literally, it takes the blinkers off.  We see the full picture. 

And everyone has unconscious biases; they might be furtive malingerers, but they’re there. Some of them — racism, misogyny, sexism — have a long and very public history and are deeply rooted and deeply corrosive. Others — like class, caste or regional bias — can be more insidious, more difficult to call out. Either way, if we want true equity, each of us needs to be proactively vigilant about checking for bias in both ourselves and others. That includes the 41% of Oxbots who are non-British nationals, the 80% who identify as male and the 20% (and rising) who identify as female. 

So we provide all Oxbots with the tools and means needed to identify and tackle bias. We find that once people begin to understand how bias informs their behaviour, they can take greater responsibility for their actions. They also get to expect those around them to do the same. And when we’re growing as fast as Oxbotica is, that’s important. 

Oxbots hold each other to account not to keep score, but because we understand, deep down, that as a single unit, the team is far more than the sum of its parts. And we are a team. We are people first, each with our own contribution to make. When there is greater equity, we’re freer to be ourselves, freer to express our ideas and far better equipped to innovate and succeed because we’ve been given the best chance to do so.  

What does equity look like at Oxbotica for those who identify as female?  

It’s no secret that the tech industry is male dominated. In fact, the whole STEM field has long been a sea of people who identify as male. Generations of bias — conscious and unconscious — have shaped our educational system and its institutions, the workplace, our culture, the media.

Equal opportunities on their own are simply not enough to change the landscape. To establish and sustain equity, Oxbots are always working to make our own corner of the tech world a level playing field, particularly for those who identify as female, if for no other reason than they’re 50% of our population. There’s a lot of catching up to do. 

Our work on this has already made a difference. In the 18 months to November 2022, Oxbotica almost doubled the number of employees who identify as female. Every one of them has the option to join our Women Of Oxbotica community, which is a platform and Voice Group option where they can share stories and experiences in a safe and supportive space. 

To further develop this community, we run an online learner lead career accelerator programme for women in tech, delivered by women in tech. This program is aimed at women looking to take their career to the next level. As the saying goes, “to be it, you need to see it”, so the power of having visibly successful women in the field you love — women who want to lift other women up — is not to be underestimated. Inspiration can be a rich source of motivation, so we provide it.   

Finally, to the question we posed at the outset. Does Oxbotica need to do more around equity?  

Yes — yes we do. Because people are infinite in their variety, it means there is always something to be done.  

And forget the business case for equity, which rightly argues that it’s better for the bottom line. Far more powerful is the human case for equity:  Because it makes life, and work, richer and more interesting.

Shelley Vaisey - Global Director Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging