Diversity Secrets

#35 Welcome back to Diversity Secrets Podcast!

This is episode 2 of a 2-part series where we explore the ins and outs of deploying a diversity and inclusion survey in organizations in Europe.

To help us unpack this complex topic, we have the pleasure of welcoming Eileen Barnard, Principal Organisational Culture Manager - DE&I at Babbel, one of the leading language learning platforms globally. Eileen designed and rolled out her co...

#34 Welcome back to Diversity Secrets Podcast!
Today, let’s dive into the complex and often taboo topic of measuring diversity in organizations in Europe.

There’s a running myth in most European countries that collecting sensitive data on ethnic backgrounds, religious beliefs, sexual orientation and other diversity characteristics is simply illegal and therefore impossible. But that’s not true. Yes, Europe’s stringent ...

#33 Welcome back to Diversity Secrets Podcast!

Numerous articles are pointing to what is being called the rise and fall of DEI. After the protests following George Floyd’s murder in 2020, many companies pledged to increase their investment in DEI initiatives, leading to a two-year boom in DEI funding and staffing around the globe. However, DEI initiatives seemingly lost steam in 2023, with many of those very same organizations makin...

#32 Welcome back to Diversity Secrets Podcast!
June is around the corner and companies around the globe are getting ready to celebrate Pride Month.
 
While more and more organizations are being proactive in their LGBTQ+ inclusion, even LGBTQ+ friendly companies usually focus more on the “LGB” than on the “TQ+.”
So at Diversity Secrets we wanted to mark this year’s Pride Month by slightly shifting the focus. We inv...

#31 Welcome back to Diversity Secrets Podcast!

 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) leaders are driven by two things: passion for humanity, equity and inclusivity, and their will to create systemic change. In other words, the perfect mix for potential burn-out! So how can we achieve systemic change for DEI, in line with our passion, without running out of fuel along the way? What stakeholders, allies, and systems can w...

#30 B, from Belonging, is the new letter that we increasingly find attached to the Diversity Equity and Inclusion acronym: DEIB. As an industry, we've reached the tacit agreement that the success of DE&I in a company is measured by the feeling of Belonging of its employees. But what does Belonging really mean to each of us? What does it take to belong, and who is made accountable for the act of 'Belonging'? Pushe...

#29 Today we welcome Nichelle Appleby, Founder of Work Imagined Compensation and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultancy.
Nichelle is putting pay equity and dignity back at the heart of DE&I. With multiple years of experience in compensation and compliance, Nichelle is helping organizations committed to DE&I put their money where their mouth is. In capitalistic societies where value, self-worth and respect are larg...

#28 Welcome back to Diversity Secrets podcast! In this episode, Laure Bereni, Sociology Research Professor at CNRS lays out the key findings from her latest book “Management of Virtue: Corporate Diversity in New York and in Paris” (published in French). This comparative study of Diversity & Inclusion management in New York and in Paris offers a unique perspective into the work of DE&I managers.
Laure's findings dem...

#27 For the first episode of season 4 'So, What Now?', we are thrilled to welcome an experienced DEI advocate and practitioner, Elizabeth Anderson.

Elizabeth says that Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at a Mirror Moment in its history. What does that mean and how did we get to this point? What comes next, once we've taken a good hard look into the mirror? Find out with us on this episode as we tackle DE&a...

#26 Welcome back to Diversity Secrets Podcast!

We’re back with a brand new season called ‘So, what now?’ Why this question? Well, because at Diversity Secrets we feel that DE&I is at an inflection point and we want to make sure that as an industry we take the right turn.

For several months now I’ve been asking myself wether DE&I, and its practitioners (myself included!) are holding themselves accountable...

#025 And that’s a wrap for season 3 of Diversity Secrets Podcast! We’ll be back with a brand new season during the next quarter.
In this episode, we go over what we’ve learned during this season, and give you a sneak preview of what to expect from season 4.

This season, we wanted to build a hands-on, practical blueprint to help YOU set your DE&I work up for success!
Here are the main lessons our guests shared with us on...

#24 For our last episode of the season on how to succeed in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), we are joined by the brilliant Jeffery Smith, VP DE&I at the online education streaming platform Masterclass.

With over 25 years of experience as an HR and DEI leader both in-house and as a consultant, Jeffery shares with us what it means to successfully integrate DEI into your business.
Integrating DEI in your busin...

#23 Anyone that’s done it before knows it: deploying a diversity and inclusion employee survey is no side project. It’s a complex endeavour that should not be taken lightly - and that’s an understatement.

That’s why we’ve invited Sandrine Charpentier, CEO of Mixity.co, the first 360 digital platform to assess, manage and monitor DEI in the workplace. We deep in the nitty-gritty of what makes a good DEI survey: from guaran...

#22 When we think of ‘diversity hiring’, we often think of the result: new diverse talents joining our organization. But if we wind up a bit, how do we get there?

In this episode, Yasar Ahmad, Global VP Talent at HelloFresh meal-kit company, explains what it takes to actually attract, hire and retain diverse talents. He shares insights, anecdotes and best practices from many years of experience in talent acquisition in th...

#21 We’re kicking off the year with a brand new Diversity Secrets Episode!

'Diversity hiring’ and ‘inclusive culture’ take up a lot of space in the DE&I discussion. But beyond recruitment and culture, a lot needs to be in place in a company setting to guarantee that all employees can truly achieve their full potential. So how do you guarantee inclusion and equity are embedded in all stages of an employee’s life c...

#020 What does it take to be a good Diversity, Equity and Inclusion leader?

Today on the Diversity Secrets podcast, we hear from DE&I coach, fellow podcaster, and keynote speaker, Ashanti Bentil-Dhue.
Ashanti tells us that if you want to have real impact as a DE&I professional, passion and lived-experience are not enough. Being a DE&I know-it-all either! So what skills do you need to succeed in this job? ...

#019 There’s a lot of talk and literature out there about how important DEI is for employees, and for companies. But when it comes to finding out what initiatives actually work to build diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces, it suddenly becomes overwhelming, with a lack of benchmarks, an overload of resources and literature and no clear one way to go.

That’s why today we are joined by Julie Coffman, Chief Diversity ...

#018 Embark on a time travel with Leïla Grison, DE&I Director at Publicis Groupe, as she takes us back to her first day on the job and tells us how it all started.
Leïla takes us back in time and shares her family story, the social ascension  of her grandmother and mother, a story of social inequality and a real obstacle course.
Fast forward and it’s Leïla’s first day as DE&I Director at Publicis. She tells us how...

#017 For our first episode of Season 3, “How to Succeed at DE&I”, we are thrilled to welcome Sarah Cordivano, Head of DE&I Strategy and Governance at Zalando, a fashion e-commerce headquartered in Berlin.

Sarah published her first book in August 2022 “DEI: How to Succeed at an Impossible Job”, a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to impactful DE&I work. Whether you are a practiced professional in the space, or new to the ...