MiB’s fifth DE&I seminar, this time hosted in collaboration with KPMG, offered a unique opportunity for multicultural MiB mothers and HR experts to engage in discussions around inclusive leadership on May 8th, 2024.
The seminar was opened with an inspiring talk by Yumi Oishi, a DE&I expert at Rovio. Yumi shared her story as an international professional who relocated to Finland with her spouse, and built a career in diversity work within the new environment.
Yumi challenged the audience to acknowledge their own privileges and recognize the challenges that skilled immigrants have to face when navigating both professional and personal aspects of life in a new country. She emphasized the importance of actively seeking input from underrepresented groups to understand what they need in order to succeed.
Miikka Huhta, author and consultant at Miltton, delved deeper into the topic at the organizational level. Miikka presented his recent book's framework for promoting diversity and inclusion within organizations through a three-stage approach.
The key message of the book, co-authored with Visa Myllyntaus, is that change happens by choice, and by integrating these choices into everyday operations, rather than relying solely on isolated workshops.
Jenny Nordgren, HRD department manager at Lidl, provided a concrete example of this model in action. Jenny shared Lidl's journey through the three stages, emphasizing the management's commitment to DE&I and their understanding of its positive impact on both business success and their diverse customer base. These factors establish an excellent foundation for developing DE&I within the organization.
"We have integrated DE&I work into the organization by, for example, providing regular training for our HR professionals. At Lidl, DE&I is developed as part of our team activities, ensuring everyone contributes to this goal."
How to achieve management commitment to DE&I efforts?
The panel discussion featured Corporate Responsibility Expert Greta Andersson (FIBS), Managing Director and a proponent of diversity through direct recruitment Päivi Paanila (Avant Advisors), and Diversity Management Trainer and Consultant Jonna Louvrier (Includia Leadership). The panelists concluded that changes are happening, although still slowly. The discussion was facilitated and enriched by Tua Pelli of KPMG's People & Change unit.
“There is confusion among managers who continue to view DE&I as irrelevant to their work. This results in a lack of commitment to making concrete changes.”
However, the panelists also noted a shift in attitudes among some managers, with curiosity and ambition replacing the previous decade's relative silence on the topic. They encouraged participants to follow organizations and companies leading the way in systematic and long-term diversity initiatives.
The panel emphasized that it’s not possible for an individual HR expert to change an entire organization. To achieve true change, DE&I efforts must involve managers and all levels of the organization. Resource allocation should also reflect a commitment to diversity from across the organization, including communication and marketing budgets, and even product development.
"A key aspect of this work is updating our thinking and communication to genuinely reflect diversity and equality. This means introducing a whole new vocabulary within our communications and corporate culture."
The seminar concluded with a workshop where participants and speakers collaborated. The insights gleaned from these discussions were compiled into a resource document for anyone interested in DE&I work, particularly those in frontline positions or HR roles.
Additional resources:
Learn more about the DE&I tools compiled by MiB and utilize them in your own organization's DE&I work.
Read more about the diversity charter, an EU-wide initiative that serves as a concrete way to communicate DE&I commitment: https://fibsry.fi/uutishuone/tyokalut/fibss-diversity-services-help-companies-increase-their-competitiveness-and-profitability/
This event was co-organized by MiB På Svenska, MiB International, and KPMG with the support of the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland.
What else did we learn? As the father of two daughters, Miikka Huhta made a special appeal to men to actively participate in DE&I discussions. He emphasized the importance of including male voices in these conversations typically led by women. Miikka believes this could support the advancement of skilled women into leadership positions. Diversity and inclusion in the workplace ensure that the most competent people are selected for tasks, regardless of gender or cultural background.
Join the conversation on LinkedIn, where many posts and comments were sparked by the seminar!
