Leading Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

A growing number of companies are tackling the subjects of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) head on. Some executive committees even include a Chief Diversity Officer, such as Sodexo’s, where Rohini Anand, the author, handles this responsibility. A role that has forged her conviction: when it comes to diversity, voluntarism and good intentions are essential, but are also double-edged. Targeting a category of employees, even to help it, also means taking the risk of stigmatizing it still further—or of frustrating other groups.

The key is therefore to find several different balances: between the headquarters’ impulsion and respect of local cultural norms; between global coherence and allowing teams in the field to experiment; between “positive discrimination” measures and universal initiatives, apt to reinforce the inclusion of minorities although indirectly. With humility and pragmatism, Rohini Anand surveys the mined terrain those responsible for diversity must expect. She then suggests strategies for building support and making mentalities and behaviors evolve. The book is also worthwhile for the quality of its examples and testimonials, which help to understand the concrete dilemmas faced by those responsible for inclusion projects.

An excellent introduction for executives who have been assigned this responsibility and for anyone interested in the subject.