Learn how to navigate change for DEI in enterprise ecosystems with Marcia Goddard, Founder of the Contentment for Business; Kobi Ampoma, Head of Talent Acquisition NL at Heineken; Sophie-Anne Onland Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Nationale Postcode Loterij; and Enni Pidan, Talent Acquisition Director at McCain.
Understanding Change Management
Change management involves a structured approach to guiding organisational transitions or transformations. It encompasses implementing strategies to initiate and sustain change, and guiding the process to ensure effective control and adaptation. In the context of DE&I, it focuses on implementing strategies to achieve and maintain diversity, equity, and inclusion goals effectively.
Our brains don’t particularly like change, because it takes effort. It takes energy to do anything differently. And our brains like to be efficient in the way that we use our energy.
Marcia Goddard – Neuroscientist and Founder of the Contentment for Business
Therefore, effective DE&I change management focuses on providing systematic support and fostering a culture where diverse perspectives are valued and integrated seamlessly into organisational practices and norms.
The complexities of managing change for DE&I
Successful change management in regard to DE&I starts with a strategic focus. Aligning DE&I with overall business priorities can be a challenge in enterprise ecosystems, where many different forces are at play, such as business profitability, innovation, and market changes.
Resistance to Change
One of the significant complexities in managing change is resistance from stakeholders at all levels. This resistance can come from their inherent preference for stability and staying with the things and processes they know. Another reason for resistance could be that people feel threatened by change if they are not confident in their abilities to adapt to the changes. They want to prevent themselves from failure by resisting the change. This inherent resistance can slow down the implementation of DE&I initiatives.
Competing Priorities and Organisational Alignment
Balancing DE&I commitments with other organisational priorities is a recurring challenge.
The biggest challenge would be commitment. It will be staying committed while also juggling a variation of priorities.
Enni Pidan – Talent Acquisition Director at McCain
This sentiment reflects the struggle of integrating DE&I goals within the broader business strategy, ensuring that these initiatives do not get sidelined in favour of more immediate business concerns, such as financial challenges, supply chain issues etc.
Strategies for driving successful change in DE&I
In order for change management for DE&I to be successful, strategic and structural alignment is crucial. During the panel discussion, three key factors emerged as the cornerstones of this foundation:
Leadership Accountability
DE&I initiatives cannot thrive without genuine leadership buy-in. Leaders must be held accountable for progress. This means setting clear goals, allocating resources, and actively dismantling barriers to inclusion.
Enni Pidan also stressed the importance of accountability stating:
“We as recruitment, would share a balanced slate. As for the leadership team and hiring managers, their responsibility is to consider a balanced candidate slate, and if they don’t, there are steps to hold them accountable.”
This ensures DE&I efforts are not just symbolic but operationally ingrained.
Organisational Commitment and Finding Allies
DE&I shouldn’t be a siloed effort. The entire organisation, from top to bottom, needs to be committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment. This involves integrating DE&I principles into core business strategies, policies, and practices. Sophie-Anne Onland highlighted the effectiveness of forming a DE&I ambassador group:
“We had people from different departments join, and we made a plan and pitched it to more senior levels. It wasn’t just the DE&I officer; everyone got involved.”
This collaborative approach ensures broad-based support and engagement across the organisation. Kobi Ampoma also stressed the importance of finding allies:
Finding change management allies that want to make a change with you might help with convincing the others as well.
Kobi Ampoma – Head of Talent Acquisition NL at Heineken
By building a network of committed individuals, organisations can create a robust support system for DE&I initiatives.
Aligning with Organisational Strategy and Business Priorities
For true sustained change, DE&I needs to be seen as not just the right thing to do, but also strategically beneficial. Framing DE&I initiatives in the context of how they contribute to business goals, such as innovation, talent acquisition, and customer satisfaction, fosters stronger organisational commitment.
Always tie it to the organisational strategy and the eventual revenue, because that’s when you’re able to sustain the change.
Enni Pidan – Talent Acquisition Director at McCain
This alignment ensures that DE&I initiatives are viewed as essential components of the organisation’s success.
Conclusion
By focusing on these core elements, organisations can create a solid foundation for implementing lasting DE&I change:
- Leadership accountability
- Organisational commitment and finding allies
- Aligning with organisational strategy and business priorities.
This strong base allows DE&I initiatives to move beyond performative gestures and become a driving force for positive cultural transformation.
