Every month we like to share a recommendation from one of our ambassadors: something that inspires them in their responsible business work. This month we spoke to Annisha Taylor, Diversity and Inclusion Lead at BBC Nations, who’s talking about allyship.
“When it comes to diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI), recognising and acknowledging difference is a fundamental part of an organisation’s approach to adopting appropriate behaviours in a meaningful way. Eradicating the common isms (racism, sexism, ableism etc) will only ever be achieved if everyone plays their part. Allocating this task solely to those who experience it the most should never be the answer.
Allyship is key to ensuring the endorsement of the equitable practices some companies are beginning to implement to combat the varying levels of inequalities that often exist. DEI can be an emotive topic and one which is often shied away from, for fear of doing or saying the wrong thing. For some, being an active ally is a daunting prospect and many are unsure where to begin. Joanna Abeyie’s article ‘Fighting discrimination: how to be an ally and what it means‘ provides clear interpretations of the way in which microaggressions can show up in the workplace, how to practice allyship (minus the ‘hero’ element!) and the link to self-education, which goes hand in hand with authentic allyship.
Joanna’s regular Raconteur column is a great tool leaders can use to embed effective People and Culture practices.”
Annisha Taylor is the Lead for BBC Nations Creative and Workforce Diversity & Inclusion. Annisha has over five years’ experience helping large British institutions create strategies to help promote inclusivity, champion diversity and address inequalities. She’s a trustee for Sutton African and Caribbean Cultural Organisation a charity whose main aim is to support individuals integrate into their local communities, a school governor and a Race Equality Matters panellist, a UK wide initiative creating change to achieve Race Equality in workplaces.
