8
Diversity
IT’S
TO ASK
UNCOMFORTABLE
Diversity in the
events industry
has been skirting
around the agenda
for a while, but now
the right time for
positive, inclusive
action. Martin
Fullard explores
ackling the
issue of
diversity is one
a lot of people
find
uncomfortable.
To some, it feels
like walking a
tightrope
between not
wanting to cause offence
and inadvertently doing
so by saying the wrong
thing.
Race does exist, so
there is no need to shy
away from talking about
it. Having an honest,
frank conversation about
the lack of racial diversity
in the events industry
isn’t an attempt to make
anyone angry, and it is
certainly no threat to
anyone else’s jobs. Yes,
QUESTIONS
there are those who do
get defensive when the
subject arises, and that is
understandable. It is not
a conversation that
needs fuelling with
shouting or
‘whataboutery’, and let us
be clear, it is not a case
that the events industry is
‘too white’, as such, but
rather it lacks
representation from black
and Asian communities.
How can that be
addressed?
No one is under threat,
and what we need is a
new, more inclusive narrative,
and that can only
happen with conscious
action, as was put to me
by Ashanti Bentil-Dhue,
an events entrepreneur
and co founder of
Diversity Ally and the
global network called
Black in Events.
The aim of Black in
Events is undeniably
clear: to improve racial
diversity in the industry.
With conversations
happening behind closed
doors about the
challenges BAME groups
face, Bentil-Dhue and
co-founder Keneisha
Williams met via twitter
and strived to bring this
conversation to the
forefront of the industry.
After all, we are “the most
poised industry to do this
in the UK,” she says
Bentil-Dhue. “Our industry
spans every sector which
gives us a real position to
lead the way with
conscious inclusion for
black and Asian event
professionals,” she adds.
This conscious
inclusion starts with your
recruitment process,
something any business
can instantly change to
make a real difference.
Bentil-Dhue highlights
that it is important to
diversify where you are
advertising your roles, as
this will ultimately attract
more diverse talent. “Go
beyond your local area
and community and
instead work with black
and Asian organisations
or niche communities to
reach and access BAME
event professionals,” she
says. Next, consider what
your marketing actually
looks like. Does it
resemble the BAME
community too?
Bentil-Dhue stresses how
future employees notice
whether companies are
diverse and inclusive
when looking at their
websites, social media
and marketing material.
If diverse talent suspects
a potential work
environment will not be
welcoming, they are less
likely to apply.
During this digital age,
enhancing talent
acquisition has never
been easier, so use it to
your advantage.
Bentil-Dhue says: “Using
a mainstream
recruitment agency or job
board doesn’t always
attract diverse, young
talent”. Instead, she
reminds us that networks
and small groups are
mostly based on social
media platforms, like
Instagram or Facebook. It
is therefore essential to
tap into and engage with
the hashtags, keywords
and trending activity,
particularly as ‘Millennial’
and ‘Generation Z’
employees rely on word of
mouth recommendations
within these platforms.
“Go out there, look and
Below: Ashanti Bentil-Dhue,
co-founder of Diversity Ally
and the global network called
Black in Events
www.conference-news.co.uk