My D&I Journey with:
Vicky Bawa,
Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – Maritime & Land,
BAE Systems
My D&I Journey with:1. What was your journey into diversity and inclusion?
My journey into Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) began over 30+ years ago when I joined the UK Civil Service. I have always been passionate about doing the right thing and challenging the status quo. This wasn’t just a passion but a calling for me! I looked for any opportunity that I could to get involved in the DEI space whether adding this to my role or leading DEI initiatives across a number of Government Departments and Agencies that I worked in. After a couple of years, I was successful in attaining my first Head of DEI role. I continued to progress my DEI career in the Civil Service, before joining BAE Systems in 2019.
2. How would you describe a typical day in your role?
My role is multifaceted and I typically start my day reviewing my inbox. This helps me prioritise things that need my immediate attention. Some days I spend time as a strategic partner and coach to senior leaders, on other days I might be analysing demographic data to identify gaps or disparities and providing steers on how to address these through both business and people policies / processes. I also like to spend a few days a month at business sites across the UK. This helps with building trust based relationships, engaging directly with employees at all levels and gathering insights to identify where to focus efforts to maximise impact.
3. What is the best part of your job?
The best part of the job is receiving feedback that I am influencing and driving a positive change in behaviours and attitudes across the company. There is nothing more satisfying than leaders at all levels advocating changes, taking steps to support and listen to the lived experiences of minority groups and then following through on what they have committed to do. The highlight is when employees share their personal stories of the difference this has made to them, their teams or the environment they work in. The icing on the cake is when the company receives external recognition and knowing I played a part in this.
4. What advice would you give to someone looking to move into D&I?
Moving into D&I can be both rewarding and challenging. These positions usually require a combination of cultural understanding, leadership, strategic planning and business acumen. Human Resources is a great starting point as this often overlaps with DEI efforts in recruitment, retention and employee relations. Other related fields include Organisational Development, Change Management, Community Engagement, Non-Profit work, DEI qualifications, building your network with people already working in D&I, joining or starting an Employee Resource Group, and getting involved in cultural awareness events or campaigns. Above all else, be patient and persistent.
5. What are the main challenges faced by D&I professionals at the moment?
DEI fatigue due to continuous discussions and training is leading to disengagement or indifference towards DEI initiatives. Changes in political climates and legislation in some countries is making it difficult to navigate and strike a balance between promoting inclusion and dealing with calls to ban certain types of diversity training or positive / affirmative action policies. As remote and hybrid models become more common, D&I professionals are facing challenges in ensuring all employees feel included and valued. Measuring and proving impact is probably the most challenging as leaders increasingly want to see the return on investment of DEI efforts quickly however, it can be difficult to quantify things like improved workplace culture, employee retention or sense of belonging.
6. Name three skills that support you to succeed in D&I
– Influencing: This helps me to drive accountability at the right levels for delivery and gain advocates, champions and sponsors along the way.
– Communication: Being able to adapt my communication style is necessary when engaging with diverse groups of people. I find it helps to take people on a relatable journey by being sensitive and empathetic and this can go a long way when facilitating discussions regarding sensitive issues.
– Resilience: It’s not easy to get others to buy-in to DEI initiatives especially when leaders have so many other competing priorities. I don’t take knock backs personally and instead find an alternative way to move forward.
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The Foundations to Being an Effective D&I Leader
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600+ DE&I and HR professionals have now attended our ‘The Foundations to Being an Effective D&I Leader’ CPD Accredited online training series.
- Level 1 is for professionals looking to move into a D&I role, or those who have been in a D&I leader role for less than 12 months.
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Tickets at each online workshop cost £499+VAT per person (£399+VAT for non-profit orgs). Spaces limited to 24 attendees to enable the day to be as interactive as possible. Workshops take place live on Zoom.