Governance

Governance is the process of providing strategic leadership to an organisation. It entails setting direction, making policy and strategic decisions, overseeing and monitoring organisational performance and ensuring overall accountability. Strong governance is essential with regard to diversity and inclusion and starts at the top.

First and foremost, it’s important to express the organisation’s commitment to diversity and inclusion at all levels via a mission statement — and secondly by having a diversity and inclusion strategy. These elements will be fundamental to a solid, diverse and inclusive governance strategy.

You must then apply this strategy and mission statement across the organisation, into all areas of work: recruitment and employment, ensuring that the organisation has a diverse and inclusive board, and making policies that support diversity and inclusion — e.g. flexible working policies and anti-bullying policies.

Applying these principles, it’s important to remember that language is powerful and will need to be carefully used and chosen — and that communication is key.