In the modern business landscape, diversity and gender equality cannot be ignored, but must be integrated into every organisation. Appetite Consultancy shares its experiences and processes for building a stronger, more diverse business.

In May 1968, the capital of France was subject to some of the most widespread and fervent protests since the French Revolution of 1789. Disenfranchised students, many of them from Parisian universities and accompanied by workers, marched across central Paris in protest against Charles de Gaulle’s conservative, isolationist governmental policies. Forming a blockade in the city centre, its surrounding streets became a 10-day stand-off between the riot police and the socialist protestors.

Although a full-scale revolt never actually came to pass, the revolutionary undertones of the events of 1968 certainly left their mark on Nicolas Mamier, managing partner of consulting firm Appetite. Born in the corresponding year, Mamier makes reference to the impact this event had on him, the culture of optimism it brought, and his desire to, he says, “Change the world for the better, at least a little bit.”

How better to start to change the world, than by working towards equality? This is exactly what

Appetite has been doing. As part of its seven-part series on the need for building Betterpurpose organisations, Appetite’s third event highlighted the purpose behind achieving diversity in business and the benefits this brings.

It is 2016 and all people in Britain theoretically enjoy the same opportunities at every stage of life. It may seem superfluous, therefore, to dedicate an entire event to the ‘Purpose behind gender equality.’ Yet statistics show that only 26% of FTSE 100 boards have female representation and the figure for women in on the executive board is even lower than that.

The gender pay gap is still rife, with women likely to paid 80p for every £1 earned by their male counterparts and politically, only 29% of British MPs are women, in a country where they represent 50% of the population.

Of course, the UK business environment has changed since the bowler hats, pin stripes and rolled newspapers that characterised the masculine character of London’s 1950s financial district. But there is still a long way to go. Mamier says, “The world is changing fast and to succeed, companies need the best and brightest to keep them ahead.” Employees are increasingly concerned with and becoming more discerning about who they will work for. “With the Pledge for Parity of International Women’s Day 2016 still resonating across the business world,” says Mamier, “Employees are choosing to work only with companies who share their ambitions and values.”

Companies need to illustrate their values and commitments through the work they do and the manner in which they impact all stakeholders, something head of product management, Vodafone Global Enterprise, Sally Fuller, knows only too well. “The [Vodafone] Foundation,” Fuller says, “Does a huge amount of work in rural communities in emerging markets, and a lot of that work is targeted at helping women lift their village out of poverty. This is not just philanthropy as it is close to our business.

We recognised that with better education and by equipping women with tools of business, such as mobile phones, we not only help individuals but we also help those communities.”

Fostering global stability is a key driver for the Vodafone business model, as it continues to challenge corporate norms. The current global refugee crisis, for example, has presented a challenge as people are cut off from family and resources. To help address this, Vodafone has developed the M-Pesa, a kind of mobile wallet, which it has provided to 200,000 customers worldwide. M-Pesa not only allows those in hard-to-reach areas to remain connected, but it acts as a powerful tool for economic empowerment as well.

Technology-driven change such as the M-Pesa is a powerful tool, helping people, especially women, by creating an invaluable link to an outside world for communications and trade. Entrepreneurial businesses are being established through mobile networks and internet connections and thereby enable new a more diverse economy with increased participation in local community development. Business growth and profit are clear organisational goals, but the way in which it has been done and the impact it has, align perfectly to the company’s purpose.

Each person’s personal journey impacts their approach, and this It is something Fuller cites as a main reason behind her own success. She says, “I was brought up in an all-female household, I grew up on a farm in Devon. My mother was widowed when she was 30, and she decided to keep the farm going. Now an all-female household running a farm in Devon in the ’70s is not really a recipe for success, it’s not really a recipe for wealth – but it never occurred to us that we would fail.”

It was this kind of disregard for societal norms that drew Fuller to Vodafone. “By listening to the voices that are different, by listening to the voices that challenge the norm,” Fuller says, “We believe we will be more competitive.”

Laura Haynes, Chairman of Appetite and Co-chair of UN Women National Committee UK speaks of the need to change mindsets and corporate culture to create greater diversity and achieve the benefits that go with that. “The purpose behind greater diversity of thought is to foster an environment whereby gender, physical ability, cultural background or otherwise are not complicit in the ability of an individual to succeed, and it helps lead to greater success of the very business itself,” says Haynes.

She adds, “Leaders are beginning to recognise that their employees are increasingly concerned with brand purpose, but so are your stakeholders – customers, investors, regulators, etc. It is incredibly important [for a brand] to define who, what and why they are, what their purpose is –to help recognise their place and influence in the world. And with that influence, comes enormous opportunity and responsibility.”

Of the work Vodafone does to empower women, particularly those fleeing conflict or in marginalised communities, Haynes has nothing but admiration. “It’s incredibly inspiring, both in terms of what you’re doing,” she says. “But also because it is not merely a marketing or limited CSR initiative – this is part of your business.

You see it as real in the business, you see how it changes the business – and that it is fundamental to business success.”

Shaheen Akram, former global leader and head of diversity and inclusion at AstraZeneca, a British- Swedish pharmaceuticals company notes the progress the organisation made during the recession in terms of building diversity into its business model.

Diversity and inclusion is fundamental to a business and therefore not solved through token gestures. There is a real need for greater diversity and a more equitable gender balance in the meritocratic business system. Haynes says, “Each company, if they are serious about diversity, needs to go beyond awareness and move to greater understanding and participation at all levels.”

She adds, “Today we need a more inclusive approach. This is not a new debate, but it needs new thought and a new approach. It’s not about fixing the women or about fixing the men. It is about culture – personal, organisational and societal. It’s about change. It’s about being and doing better. And, It’s about time.”

Why diversity?

There is so much talk about diversity these days, on the agenda of every major leadership team in business, government and academia. But, despite the commissions, the air time and even the conclusive research – real change eludes many organisations. Why? Well perhaps it is processes, culture and daily behaviour that are out of step and need addressing.

The proof of the value of diversity is unassailable. Reports from the likes of McKinsey and Credit Suisse confirm that diversity delivers better results – no matter how you slice the information. Employee audits and exit interviews point to the fact that women are leaving because the organisation doesn’t value their worth or see them as equals to their male counterparts, and change is too slow; not just because they don’t offer flexible hours.

For decades, women have advocated for equal rights but today, we need to take a different approach, because, while we are close (and I do truly believe that things are changing), we need to close the gap between the talk and the walk.

We need a new inclusive approach. We need women and men working as equal partners in the crafting of a shared vision of gender equality. But more than just a vision, we need a new route map with stories of shared experiences that help people learn how to move forward and succeed.

A few years ago, my work at Appetite took me to UN Women, a new organisation founded on the premise that gender equality is a human rights issue. This marked a real shift in understanding as UN member states began to recognise that where there is economic empowerment and greater gender equality there is greater economic stability, children are educated and fed and prepared for a positive contribution and there tends to be greater social stability and less conflict. I am now honoured to be co-chair of UN Women National Committee UK and help to bridge the gap between the work of the UN, the private sector and the general public.

No longer a woman’s problem then, diversity and inclusion is recognised as society’s problem, as an economic issue, a social issue and a political imperative. And for the corporate sector, diversity means the very sustainability of companies as it allows for enhanced talent pipelines, greater understanding and commitment with and about all stakeholders, creativity and innovation and reduction of risk.

But barriers remain. We still have a way to go on policy, educational opportunity, conscious and unconscious bias, pay parity and equal opportunity in the workplace.
But each day, we get closer. Through my work at Appetite and UN Women NC UK, I continue to meet change-makers who, by their actions and their influence, are making a difference as they address their company policies, corporate culture, purpose and ambition.

Is your company ready?
Laura Haynes, chairman, Appetite Consultancy

Appetite is running a series of round tables on the Purpose of Gender Equality, Diversity & Inclusion. At the first of these on 11 May, Laura Haynes  presented her new white paper, ‘Greater Velocity towards Parity – How do we do it?’ The round tables are by invitation only. If you would like to be on the guestlist for one of the round tables, please email Daisy Stickland or click here.