Declan Carolan, ECR Ireland & Sorcha Breen, Diageo
Introduction & objectives for the day …
- Agree the overall objectives of the ECR Ireland I&D Share Group.
- Identify the Hot Topics for I&D.
- Propose a schedule of Round Table meetings & events.
Christine Farrell, Bord Bia
Where to Start and Where to Next in Diversity and Inclusion.
Christine discussed the fundamental steps and future direction for diversity and inclusion in the workplace. She emphasized the importance of equity in global distribution and consumption trends and addressed the global talent shortage.
Bord Bia Vision – To make Diversity and Inclusion a strategic business priority of Irish food, drink and horticulture companies thus advancing the attractiveness, performance and ultimate sustainability of the industry.
Strategic objectives
- To empower the CEOs of Irish food, drink and horticulture companies to make Diversity and Inclusion a strategic priority.
- Create an eco-system of supports for companies deliver Diversity and Inclusion strategies
Why it matters? Christine listed 6 reasons why …
Christine also explained that their vision is driven by the belief that diversity and inclusion are fundamental to sustainable business growth. By embracing diverse perspectives, companies can innovate more effectively and meet the varied needs of their global customers. The vision includes CEO support, inclusive policies, the AgDiF club as a tool for CSRD implementation, and Origin Green, an initiative to close the gender pay gap.
Christine proposed a route to defining a company’s D&I strategy, mentioned available supports and discussed what is next for D&I.
Siobhan McAuley, Mars Ireland
Equity, Inclusion & Diversity in Mars Ireland – 2025 vision
Siobhan McAuley presented Mars Ireland’s approach to equity, inclusion, and diversity, focusing on their 2025 vision. She explained the difference between equality and equity and discussed how consumer perceptions can impact brands, especially those engaging with marginalized communities. Siobhan highlighted Sweden, Finland, and Norway as leading European countries in diversity and inclusion efforts and Ireland joined the group to understand how to improve I&D. She detailed Mars’ initiatives to promote gender, nationality, age, disability, background, and experience diversity.
Equity, Inclusion & Diversity (EI&D) 2025 Mars North Europe ambition, which aims to make significant progress in encouraging an inclusive workplace. The EI&D 2025 vision for Mars North Europe is structured around five key pillars:
- Communication and Listening: Ensuring open and honest communication channels within the organization to understand and address employees’ needs and concerns.
- Collaboration with Stakeholders: Engaging with internal and external stakeholders to build a cohesive approach to diversity and inclusion.
- Building Awareness: Educating employees about the importance of diversity and inclusion through training and awareness programs.
- Fostering a Sense of Belonging: Creating a work environment where all employees feel valued and included, enhancing their sense of belonging.
- Becoming a Thought Leader in Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity: Positioning Mars as a leading voice in the industry on matters of equity, inclusion, and diversity, setting an example for other organizations to follow.
She also shared how Mars has used their Skittles product to promote diversity and inclusion. In an innovative campaign, Mars removed the rainbow colours from Skittles to celebrate Pride Month, symbolizing that only one rainbow matters during this time—the Pride rainbow. This bold move highlighted their commitment to the LGBTQ+ community and generated significant positive feedback, showing how brands can creatively support inclusivity.
Ellen Leonard Bates, Diageo
Championing Neurodiversity in the Workplace
Ellen Leonard Bates, Co-Chair of PRISM at Diageo’s Neurodiversity ERG, shared her personal journey of discovering her autism and ADHD. She emphasised the importance of recognising and supporting neurodiverse individuals, noting that 1 in 5 people in Ireland are neurodiverse. She discussed the challenges of understanding neurodiversity and the necessity of creating an inclusive culture.
Ellen also highlighted the importance of cognitive inclusion, which involves recognising and valuing different ways of thinking and processing information. She shared how Diageo has implemented a 12-month strategic framework to support neurodiversity, including comprehensive support structures and initiatives like paternity leave. Among Diageo’s efforts to raise awareness of neurodiversity are training and educational programs, helping all employees appreciate the value of different cognitive styles.
Ellen’s vision is to make Diageo a leader in neuro-inclusion through workplace practices and culture. Through cognitive inclusion, Diageo aims to create a work environment where neurodiverse employees can thrive and contribute their unique perspectives, driving innovation and success.
Gabriela Taipe, Diageo
Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Diageo
Gabriela talked about diversity at Diageo, emphasising why it’s important to not just attract, but also retain and support diverse talent. Her presentation covered the rising mixed-race population in Ireland and the need to combat discrimination at work.
She introduced Diageo’s REACH (Race, Ethnicity, and Cultural Heritage) framework, which emphasises the importance of ethnicity and promotes inclusivity. She highlighted Diageo’s commitment to cultural authenticity in product development, explaining how the company collaborates with employees to create new beverages from different countries, ensuring cultural accuracy and respect.
REACH Vision: To celebrate race, ethnicity, and cultural heritage, building an inclusive environment where everyone can excel every day, everywhere.
REACH Mission: To create a network for ethnically diverse employees and allies that supports growth through personal empowerment and professional development, enhancing business performance.
Breakout Groups
The workshop concluded with breakout groups, where participants discussed practical strategies for implementing inclusion and diversity within their organizations.
Feedback from the groups included
- Human resources can better support diversity initiatives
- Companies can collaborate to share experiences and create a supportive hub for diversity and inclusion.
- The ECR Ireland I&D Share group should;
- Promote awareness & education
- Encourage & inspire
- Promote resources, roadmaps & frameworks
- Sharing knowledge is critical for progress
- Host I&D meetings & forums
- Identify info & data trends.
- I&D Hot Topics include;
- Bias
- Generational awareness
- Gender diversity
- Neurodiversity
- Women’s health – menopause & fertility
An open invite was issued to attendees to join the ECR I&D Subgroup.
This group will meet and schedule next events accordingly.
See the deck presentation below:
