Unconscious bias

10 Steps Businesses Can Take To Improve Diversity And Inclusion In The Workforce

A list of practical tips - from adjusting how you screen candidates, trying practical software programs that help combat bias, using clear and unambiguous inclusion statements in employee manuals and contracts, to updating your complaints system.

ReFrame Stamp Report on the Top Films of 2022

Annually, ReFrame (the gender equity coalition founded by the Sundance Institute and WIF), publishes a list in collaboration with IMDbPro that reveals which of the year’s top films earn the ReFrame Stamp: a mark of distinction for projects that demonstrate a commitment to gender-balanced hiring. This report found that Gender-Balanced Hiring in Film Plateaued in 2022.

5 ways intersectionality affects diversity and inclusion at work

An article looking at the importance of considering intersectionality in diversity and inclusion efforts, and the negative impacts of not doing so.

A Most Magnificent Mosaic

What happened when the Commonwealth Bank's board endorsed a target for 'The cultural diversity of our senior leadership to match the cultural diversity of the Australian population by 2020.' A case study of the strategies, policies, implementation and lessons learned.

Adjusting the Colour Balance

Report on how to increase BAME partipation and representation in Film and TV, both in front of, and behind the camera with particular focus on directors. The four recommendations include policy advice on data collection, setting targets, recruitment and contracts.

Array Crew

ARRAY CREW is an equal opportunity platform built by Ava DuVernay, with a mission to support professionals in the film and television industry from underrepresented populations.

It includes, but is not limited to, women of all backgrounds and people of African American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander descent.

Arts & Equity Toolkit

Case studies and resources for building equitable organisations, strengthening boards and advisory groups and creating partnerships and collaborations, including a sample partnership agreement. Also includes advice on evaluations and the pros and cons of different methods of obtaining feedback.

Awake to Woke to Work: Building a Race Equity Culture

A comprehensive yet simple guide that contextualises the race outcomes and leadership gaps in the US social sector, and offers approaches for building a 'Race Equity Culture' in your organisation. Identifies equity cycles, investments, levers, vocabularies and and tools.

Check Our Biases to Wreck Our Biases

Second in a New York Times series on implicit bias, looking at how implicit bias works in selection situations and how some people are auditing their own implicit biases.

Community-Engaged Practice with Jade Lillie and Lia Pa'apa'a

Discussion of the book 'The Relationship is the Practice' edited by Jade Lillie and Lia Pa'apa'a which explores community engagement, collaboration, intersectionality, cultural safety, racial literacy, access and inclusion. Also links to the book.

Cracking the Codes: Power Analysis

An analysis of systemic inequality, putting bias in the context of wider history, identities, structures and institutions.

'The current conversation is not only shallow, but actually harmful. We continue to primarily focus on individuals, when institutional and structural inequities are the bigger problem.'

Creative Majority: ‘What Works’ to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion in the creative sector.

A report with case studies from Def Jam, Raising Films and NBC Universal. It recommends adopting a policy framework of the 'five As': Ambition, Allyship, Accessibility, Adaptability, and Accountability, as a continuum for ongoing appraisal and change.

The report can be used as a handbook for cultural and creative workers frustrated at the pace of change, and has potential application for other sectors, including higher education.

Culture and Communities - Overcoming cultural barriers

In this short video, Hilary S. Carty sets out important factors in cultural institutions that audiences consider, before they decide: "Am I included in the invitation to attend?"

Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity

A framework (also known as the 'Bennett scale') to describe how people experience and engage with cultural difference and become more competent intercultural communicators over time. Based on constructivist theory, the model offers six positions as a person's perception of cultural difference becomes more complex, moving from ethnocentrism to ethnorelativism.

The six stages are 'denial', 'defence', 'minimisation', 'acceptance', 'adaptation' and 'integration'.

Diversity and Inclusion Learning from Diversity Council Australia

The Diversity Council Australia offers a suite of diversity and inclusion learning solutions including face to face and e-learning options.

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Imagery Toolkits for 'authentic visual depictions'

These Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Imagery Toolkits are designed "to help marketers and communicators infuse authenticity into their visual storytelling across all communication channels and platforms."

The toolkit gives demographic information for different countries, strategies for converting intents into action, and a roadmap for incorporating 'authentic and multi-faceted depictions of people in global content' and 'identifies biases and stereotypes through specific lenses of identity'.

Does the Museum Model Work?

Can art museums break away from their original purpose as a 'civilising' influence to be redefined as spaces that actually serve the communities in which they reside? The article includes quotes from former Queens Museum President and Executive Director Laura Raicovich and Chaédria LaBouvier, the first black curator and black woman to organize an exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum, who spoke out about being sidelined in the promotion of the Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibit she curated.

Gari Yala: Centring the experiences of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Australians at work

This piece of research provides a firsthand understanding of the diversity of Indigenous workers’ experiences in the workplace. Named 'Gari Yala' – which means ‘speak the truth’ in Wiradjuri language – it also provides 'ten truths' organisations must understand to improve workplace inclusion for Indigenous staff.

Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Youth

An introductory educational resource covering leading practices in how to support transgender and nonbinary people. Includes a helpful guide to what to do if you've made a mistake:
1. Listen - Stay in your discomfort and be willing to listen
2. Be Accountable - Remember, intention is not impact. The best apology is one that doesn’t make excuses or invalidate the other person’s feelings.
3. Commit to Do Better - Treat it as a learning experience.

How did rock music get so white?

Professor of media studies at the University of Virginia and Slate music critic Jack Hamilton interviewed on how rock and roll changed from an inter-racial expression to the soundtrack of whiteness.

‘Pat Boone covering Little Richard is probably the most egregious example of this. “But he was able to get his music played on radio stations that wouldn't play the black originators of that music and he was someone who almost objectively made much worse versions of that than the originals.”’

How to Bring Your Cultural Identity to Work

Minority employees who share their race, ethnicity or nationality in meaningful ways with colleagues at work can lead to greater inclusivity and respect, according to research from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. The study found that rich cultural-identity expression that moves beyond superficial discussions to reveal parts of the inner self connected to one’s cultural identity fosters closeness and increases the majority group’s learning.

How To Co-Create: Practical Lessons From The Field

Co-creation can be misused, and the various risks that come with co-creation are explored in this guide. Alongside this are tips for using ethical methods that can help to reap the benefits of shared power and authorship. This guide warns against generic solutions, stating that local, societal factors must always be taken into account.

How to Handle Cultural Misunderstandings at Work

An article introducing strategies to manage cultural shock in the workplace and tips on altering office procedures. It also discusses methods such as active listening; and moving from a fixed mindset to an open and curious one.

Inclusive Recruitment Checklist

A refugee inclusivity checklist. This Checklist is designed to help recruiters and employers address the barriers that refugees face when restarting their careers in the UK. It includes information and tips on advertising, interviewing and onboarding.

Inclusive Recruitment - Definition

Inclusive recruitment is the process of connecting with, interviewing, and hiring a diverse set of individuals through valuing different backgrounds and opinions. Full content is restricted to DCA members.

Language of Domination: Oppressive Meeting Dynamics

A list that outlines different ways that oppressive dynamics can play out in meetings and in organisations, with a focus on white/ male domination. Shared by a Quebec-based not-for-profit leading numerous projects on anti-oppression in community organisations.

Mitigating Bias in Performance Management

This Deloitte article presents methods for challenging unconscious bias - and therefore systemic discrimination - in employee performance management. Case studies included.

Navigating culture in the workplace with Professor Nareen Young

"Organisations don't do things because it's the nice thing to do...change happens when we put pressure on": In this episode of the Voices of Australia podcast, Professor Nareen Young discusses how Australian workplaces can become more diverse and inclusive. Nareen is Professor for Indigenous Policy and Indigenous Workforce Diversity at the Jumbunna Institute at the University of Technology Sydney.

Peanut Butter, Jelly and Racism

The first in a series of short films from the New York Times looking into implicit bias (aka unconscious bias). It looks at the difference between racism and implicit bias and how associations are unconsciously made when we are are exposed to racial stereotypes through media, education and art.

Portes Ouvertes: Developing an Anti-Oppression Policy - Some things to keep in mind

A short guide and checklist for developing an anti-oppression policy in your community organisation. Developed by a Quebec-based anti-oppression leader, it covers assessing organisational strengths, identifying areas for improvement and where to focus trainings.

Practicing Equity: Activating Oppositional Consciousness from the Margin

A short article outlining how oppositional consciousness can be thought of as a technology that marginalised leaders can develop and practice in order to create strategies to navigate and reconfigure power while resisting its dysfunctions.

Prejudice Reduction: What Works? A Review and Assessment of Research and Practice

A review of 985 studies on prejudice-reduction strategies, such as 'diversity training', 'antibias' or 'cultural competence' interventions, which found that there is no evidence about whether or not they work.

'We conclude that the causal effects of many widespread prejudice-reduction interventions, such as workplace diversity training and media campaigns, remain unknown.'

Racial Equity Tools Glossary

The Racial Equity Tools Glossary defines a wide range of terms used in work to achieve racial equity and racial justice at every level, including board and senior management in systems, organisations and communities.

Representation in video games starts offscreen

This article reports from the Games Connect Asia Pacific (GCAP) Conference 2021 which had the theme of 'Raising the Bar'. It summarises discussions from figures in the games industry including Javiera Cordero, Matiu Awarāwhiti, Phoebe Watson and more, touching on points of representation of trans people and First Nations people.

Snacks and Punishment

Part of a New York Times series looking at implicit bias (aka unconscious bias) which presents research evidence that we can successfully correct for our unconscious biases, if we know about them.

Statement: The Black Writers' Guild

A powerful letter from UK Black authors to the publishing industry requesting action to tackle the deep-rooted racial inequalities in the major corporate publishing companies. They put forward on eight key steps for the industry to adopt.

Taking action for cultural safety

Extract from the book 'The Relationship is the Project' on Cultural Safety and an overview of its four core principles:

1. Critical Self-Reflection
2. Engaged Communication
3. Minimised Power Imbalances
4. Decolonised Practice

'Cultural safety helps us develop different ways of thinking and talking about discrimination and then act to effect change.'

Talking about Race

Resources and links for anti-racism, self-reflection on racial identity and systems of oppression

The Bias of ‘Professionalism’ Standards

Challenging the biases inherent within ideas of 'professionalism'. This article questions whether traditional standards and values are in fact objective and unbiased. Specific types of bias (for example the use of language and grammar) are listed and explored.

The danger of unconscious bias in HR decisions and how to overcome it

An insightful overview of the types of unconscious bias, and how they impact hiring decisions.

The diversity panel to end all diversity panels: It's Not A Race

Podcast: A live panel discussion with Beverley Wang, Paola Balla, Santilla Chingaipe and Benjamin Law on the double-edged sword of standing in for 'diversity' and where they would like to see the conversation progress.

The Dominance of the White Male Critic

Review of the reviewers, and the dangers of a national art debate that remains 'largely segregated'. It begins with a look at the 2019 Whitney Biennial in the US.

'Several white reviewers faintly praised the show but argued that it wasn’t “radical” enough. In response, Simone Leigh, an artist featured in the Biennial, suggested that reviewers could not detect radicalism in her work because they were unfamiliar with the art, artists and themes she draws from, a criticism others echoed.'

The Great White Social Justice Novel

Review of reviews of US work American Dirt and Australian novelist Anna Krien's Act of Grace.

'The white standpoint of the writer, her appropriation of the stories and voices of non-white characters, have mostly gone unacknowledged in this literary reception.'

The Guardian view on colour-conscious casting: mixing it up can be a good thing

An article looking at David Oyewolo's casting in the BBC adaptation of the novel Les Miserables. This approach goes beyond “colour-blind” casting, with directors "making a deliberate choice to ditch the naturalism that underlies most casting decisions."

Too many diversity initiatives are neglecting junior Black employees. We can fix that

Four suggestions for success where other diversity programs have failed.

Towards a racially just workplace

Overcoming 'the illusion of inclusion'. This article sets out three key guidelines for a better approach to diversity - learning lessons from diversity efforts that have failed in the USA. It's a long and broad overview that covers work issues at all levels.

Towards Equity: A Research Overview Of Diversity In Australia’s Arts And Cultural Sector

This Australia Council report presents information for eight focus groups or demographics in the Australian community: First Nations people; cultural and linguistic diversity; people with disability; gender; LGBTIQ+ people; Australians living in regional and remote locations; children and young people; and older people.

This useful resource brings together published and unpublished data and research on representation in the arts and cultural sector in Australia.

White Fragility

The 2011 article in which Robin DiAngelo introduces her theory which became her best-selling book.

'White Fragility is a state in which even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable, triggering a range of defensive moves. These moves include the outward display of emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and behaviors such as argumentation, silence, and leaving the stress-inducing situation. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium.'

Whose life is it anyway? Novelists have their say on cultural appropriation

Hari Kunzru, Kamila Shamsie, Aminatta Forna and others on writing outside their experience.

Ask 'Did I find it easier to write about this because I filtered it through a white gaze and thus made it palatable for a largely white publishing industry? And most of all, and this bears repeating, don’t get defensive. Because you may be making a larger conversation about marginalised communities, and their ability to tell their own stories in their own voices, all about yourself.' ~ Nikesh Shukla

Why All Parents Should Talk With Their Kids About Social Identity

A survey conducted by the University of Chicago and the team behind ‘Sesame Street’ found that most parents don’t talk with their kids about aspects of social identity, such as race, class, gender and religion. This NPR episode looks at why parents can be scared to answer kids’ questions like ‘why is that person darker than me?’ or ‘why is that person wearing that hat?’.

Why So Many Organizations Stay White

Assuming that discrimination is a rare or exceptional event may hinder attempts to decrease racial inequality.

This article discusses what can be done to break patterns of organisational segregation and unequal distribution of resources.

Writing With Color

Writing and resources about racial, ethnic and religious diversity, including Q&A-style writing advice, guides and book recommendations.

Mods from diverse backgrounds answer questions sent in by writers about writing issues related to cultural diversity, with a searchable database of answers. Site does not accept 'Questions that seek our permission or approval to write about a topic,' but rather offers advice on research.