Diversity, equality & inclusion

Institute research shows those who identify as ‘other’ ethnicity more likely to report a negative impact on their career Over half of members and over 60% of students interested in accessing additional Diversity & Inclusion supports  7 December 2022 – Chartered Accountants Ireland has today launched an Ethnicity Network Group to develop a more inclusive profession by helping organisations to foster a culture of equity, inclusion and belonging for employees from minority ethnic groups. The Institute represents over 31,500 members working in business, in practice and the public sector on the island of Ireland and in over 100 countries.  The Ethnicity Network Group will include a programme of events; the provision of training and resources for organisations; and the development of a mentoring programme to support members and students from Traveller, Black, Asian and other Minority Ethnic groups. In establishing this initiative, the profession wants to encourage and facilitate the discussion of issues relevant to people in these minority groups and give them the voice and platform to identify solutions.  This comes as a survey of over 1,300 members and students of Chartered Accountants Ireland conducted by Coyne Research showed that over 40% (2 in 5) of members who claim to have witnessed/heard discrimination against others report it was based on ethnicity. 2 in 3 students reported the same. Accordingly, among both members and students, ethnicity was cited as the primary area that the Institute could place greater priority on, and over half of members and 60% of students surveyed would be interested in attending associated training or supports if offered by the Institute.  Commenting, President of Chartered Accountants Ireland Pat O’Neill said  “I warmly welcome the establishment of this Network Group, and my thanks to my colleagues in EY for supporting the Institute in launching this important initiative. Our organisation must be representative of those we educate, regulate, represent, and engage with, and indeed our membership should be reflective of the society we operate in and the public interest we act in support of.  “Supporting greater inclusion and belonging among minority ethnic groups in our profession makes sense on so many levels. First and foremost, it is the right things to do as a membership and student body and as an employer. In addition, however, by committing to the creation of a more diverse, inclusive, and supportive body it ensures that we are positioned to attract a wealth of talent into the profession, talent that places a premium on choosing an environment which values diversity and inclusion.” Commenting, Deborah Somorin, Chair of the Chartered Accountants Ireland Ethnicity Network Group said “I am delighted to see this network officially form today and on behalf of the committee I’d like to issue a warm invitation to people right across the Chartered Accountants Ireland network to join us in bringing our ambitions to life. We know that diverse perspectives, combined with an inclusive culture and equitable opportunities stimulate innovation, improve decision making and strengthen resilience.  “With this network we will aim to expand the conversation around diversity, to further strengthen the cultural intelligence within our profession and beyond, and to continually challenge biases in the highest and best way. I’m immensely proud of where we are today and look forward to seeing what we can create together.” ENDS 

June is the month of rainbows, but how can organisations extend the progressive support for the LGBTQIA+ community? June is Pride month. It is a time for celebration and an opportunity to decorate everything with rainbows and glitter, but also for commemoration and reflection. Pride is now an integral part of our culture, giving space and voice to those who have not had access to either in the past – and, in some places, still do not. In recent years, many corporations have wanted to visibly demonstrate their support for the LGBTQIA+1 community. For the month of June, rainbows will deck corporate logos, slogans and social media feeds. Webinars and events will showcase members from the LGBTQIA+ community, discussing important issues around celebration and acceptance. These actions are positive and progressive, but what can organisations do to prolong this momentum? Support local communities and charities Is there an LGBTQIA+ community or charity your organisation can support as part of its environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals? This could be a donation, a fundraiser or a volunteer day. Hold events at LGBTQIA+-owned establishments For your next corporate event or staff party, why not actively seek out local LGBTQIA+ businesses that can host it? For example, rainbowmile.ie has a great list on its website of LGBTQIA+ businesses and venues in Dublin. Use LGBTQIA+ suppliers Seek out LGBTQIA+ suppliers and businesses where you can. For example, if you are thinking of updating the office after the pandemic, why not contact an LGBTQIA+ designer or artist? You could also send corporate gifts to staff from an LGBTQIA+ company – check out Chupi's recommendations. Make sure you have a robust diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) policy Making your employees feel like they belong no matter who they are not only feeds into your organisation's ESG goals, but also increases the happiness and productivity of your staff. (For more information on this, listen to our podcast on the meaning of inclusion in the workplace.) DE&I committees If your organisation is large enough, consider adding a DE&I committee to advocate on behalf of LGBTQIA+ staff, customers or members. Even if your organisation is small, you can still designate a DE&I officer to oversee your DE&I activities. Educational workshops All of these acronyms can be overwhelming. Organise workshops or seminars to help educate your staff so they understand all the terms and why supporting LGBTQIA+ people is so important. Go beyond Pride to stay ahead Showing support for LGBTQIA+ throughout June and beyond is not only good for your company's ESG goals, but it is also beneficial for society. Furthermore, as Generation Z enters the workforce and jobs market, they will be paying close attention to the social activities of organisations – and judging them for it. Why risk being left behind in the cold when you can do good not only for your organisation, but for your staff and your local community? If you're looking for more information about what your organisation can do beyond Pride, the Institute's BALANCE hub has a comprehensive resources page. Sacha Brinkley is Publishing Executive at Chartered Accountants Ireland. 1. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transexual, Queer, Intersex, Asexual and Others. ↩

In the week of International Women’s Day, we consider the important role that male allies can play in breaking the bias that women still face in the workplace. Male allies start by first acknowledging bias, are aware of the effect of their words, share work equitably, and are vocal in their support of gender equity. This week, International Women’s Day was themed #BreaktheBias, asking how we can break the bias that women face every day and achieve genuine gender equity in all spheres of life, including the workplace. And it is important to be vigilant and support gender equity because it may have taken a step backwards in the pandemic. Last year, Irish business representatives, Ibec, published a survey report highlighting the impact Covid had on women working for member organisations: “20% of organisations had noticed a change in the position of women in their organisations over the past 12 months, citing changes such as increased pressure and stress, childcare responsibilities, and requests from women for worktime flexibility to accommodate childcare and/or eldercare. … almost half of respondents (48%) said that more women than men had requested for changes to their working patterns to facilitate caring responsibilities. The survey also shows that 31% of respondents said that more of their female employees than their male counterparts had requested unpaid leave to facilitate caring responsibilities over the past 12 months.” 1 As we are now putting the pandemic behind us, we want to recover some of the ground lost to this inequity. One way to do this is to encourage allyship – male allyship particularly – in the workplace, to make sure that everyone is on the same page and willing to support one another. What is allyship? From the perspective of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), an ally is someone who is in a position of power, privilege, part of the majority, but who takes actions to support those who are not in the same position. In this case, male allyship is the evident, vocal support of women in the workplace. Further, it is not just restricted to male senior management: any man in the workplace can be an ally, showing leadership in this way, from a new starter all the way to the top of the organisation. How to be a male ally Here are some starting points for being a male ally: Acknowledge your bias  Bias may be deliberate, but most often it is unconscious, part of one’s cultural conditioning. The first step in breaking bias is to become aware of it, to acknowledge it – then it is much easier to address it. Go out of your way to challenge your bias, check your privilege, and assess how you view and interact with women. Language  Words are important and can carry a lot of baggage. Think about how you and other men address and refer to the women you work with. (Is it appropriate to refer to an adult, professional woman as a ‘girl’?) If you’re a hiring manager, is the language you use in a job posting gendered? For example, are you using traditional, masculine-coded language to advertise a leader’s position? Make use of tools like the Gender Decoder to check your language. Share the workload and the stage  Research has shown that women are more likely to volunteer for low-status tasks that need to be done but that do not benefit their promotability. 2 If you are a manager, distribute such tasks more equitably rather than ask for volunteers. Give all colleagues the space to be heard in meetings or in presentations, making sure some colleagues are not dominating the conversation. Sponsor and mentor  Experienced male leaders can play an important role in supporting women in their careers through active sponsorship and mentoring. Speak up, be a visible and vocal ally  Actively show women you support them by: Calling out sexist behaviour, like inappropriate jokes or remarks. Get into the habit of doing so, even when women are not around. Call out other men when they are talking over women in meetings. Publicly advocate for gender equity through social media, at town halls, team meetings. By being an active supporter and promoter of gender equity, male allies can make a huge difference to workplace culture and inclusivity. If women feel they are being supported, they will thrive, leading to more productivity, staff attraction and retention, and all-round better business. Such an inclusive workplace will benefit everyone. Sacha Brinkley and Michael Diviney Advocacy & Voice 1. Ibec, New Ibec research reveals impact of Covid on women in business, 19 April 2021. Available at https://www.ibec.ie/connect-and-learn/media/2021/04/18/new-ibec-research-reveals-impact-of-covid-on-women-in-business ↩ 2. “Why Women Volunteer for Tasks That Don’t Lead to Promotions” by Linda Babcock, Maria P. Recalde, and Lise Vesterlund, Harvard Business Review, 16 July 2018. Available at https://hbr.org/2018/07/why-women-volunteer-for-tasks-that-dont-lead-to-promotions ↩