Diageo's Head of Inclusion and Diversity, Ira Read, spoke to delegates at the GG2 Diversity Conference about reinventing the workplace for greater gender diversity.
The benefits of a gender-diverse workforce are well-known through multiple reports, while distinct gender pay gaps have been reported across companies and commitments have been made. However, long-term change is still needed across all sectors.
Ira discussed workplace gender diversity issues and said it is time to reinvent the workplace for greater gender diversity through fresh, bold and courageous thinking. She looked at how companies can can go beyond the facts and figures to enact real-life, long-lasting initiatives to radically change the ratio and support women at all levels.
At the event, Ira stressed the need for employees to flag up incidents in the workplace when they felt uncomfortable or discriminated against.
“It isn’t easy to call out behaviours that are inappropriate,” she said. “But I would say to others, be brave and call it out, because that is how people learn."
Bringing leaders together to face key issues
The GG2 Diversity Conference was launched to share crucial insights around diversity and inclusion in the workplace and society. The conference brings together leaders, thinkers and diversity practitioners from a range of sectors to share practical advice, case studies and real-world experience to help organisations improve diversity and inclusion.
Each year, the conference tackles important diversity topics, from mental health and LGBTQ+ inclusion in the workplace, to gender and ethnicity pay gaps.
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Disclosure: Where Women Work researches and publishes insightful evidence about how its paid member organizations support women's equality.