Last year, I participated in an extremely challenging race where you swim and run over significant distances including the open ocean. During the course, you find huge challenges, with steep inclines, boulder scrambles, and hard trails. These ultra sports were often invented initially by men, and most participants are still male. After reaching the finishing line over seven hours later, both me and my partner (male) were handed the prize for being finishers. The belt was man-sized with a nice buckle and the race logo on it. I am a tiny woman and hardly ever wear trousers, the belt was too big and with a design that does not look good with female clothes 

It was a small thing, but to me it really showed that the race management did not think of how to create a great icon for women to show and be proud of a major achievement. Even though my partner and I got the same present – it was a great and very useful gift for him, whereas it was useless for me and is now hidden at the bottom of a drawer. And I think these little things happen quite often – we really think we are treating people equally because we give them exactly the same conditions or things. However, their starting point, their needs, or their potential, might be very different. To truly give people equal opportunities we need to take this into account by providing the right support. This will ultimately bear fruit for an organization, as diverse competencies and perspectives lead to better problem-solving, well-rounded teams, and ultimately better performances.

It's easy to say that equality is the answer, but, in reality, equity is just as crucial for fostering an environment for the most growth, and ultimately, the strongest teams. We understand today that the world looks at people differently and not everyone's experiences are the same. The opportunities available and the doors opened are not identical. So why would identical solutions work for everyone? It’s not enough to give everyone the same resources and expect them to excel in the same way without awareness of context, how they get there, and what that requires. People need to be met where they are, without stigmatization, and offered the resources necessary to be on an equal playing field.  

Through my personal and professional growth, it was vital that I had leaders and mentors who understood this - understood what my world looks like as a young, black woman - and exposed me to opportunities I would’ve never had access to otherwise. Allowing me to be heard, providing me the opportunity to pull from my background, and creating a space where my experiences were appreciated as valuable contributions assured me of my potential and my importance in any room I walk into. 

For many years, focus has been on equal rights for marginalized groups, but I think it's crucial to remember that achieving equality isn't enough - we must also strive for equity. In fact, I firmly believe that equity is even more important than equality. While equality ensures that everyone is treated the same, equity recognizes that different people may require different support to truly level the playing field. Equity recognizes that not everyone starts from the same place and requires different levels of support to achieve equal outcomes. Companies will also be able to ultimately benefit from being able to unlock potential and get the most out of their employees.  

In a workplace, equity can take a lot of forms and can mean making adjustments for a person with disabilities to perform their job, while a working single parent, may need extra flexible working hours to balance their caregiving responsibilities. Recognizing that women and other marginalized groups may face unique barriers to success and actively working to address them is something every workplace should strive for. When we prioritize equity, we create a more inclusive environment where everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed. When marginalized groups have equal access to opportunities, they can contribute to the workplace and society as a whole in meaningful ways.  

If we want to create a world where everyone can thrive and reach their full potential, then we need to continue pushing for equity in creating a just and fair society.     

 

I think as an industry we have come a long way when it comes to diversity, inclusivity, and equality, but like everything, there is still more to do. For me, this starts with enabling everyone to be part of the conversation, and these conversations should take place all year round.  

We all have different life experiences, which lead to different perspectives and behaviors. Being aware of these differences and opening yourself up to challenging the way you think can foster open and honest conversations. Engaging in these discussions and displaying empathy can help overcome unconscious bias and allow us to take steps to create a more equitable environment.  

I have seen this work well when there are diversity champions across the business, who are actively listening to colleagues and networks to see what needs to be done to achieve equity. This needs to start at all levels of an organization, from junior to senior stakeholders, with everyone taking collective responsibility to make a difference and be receptive. 

As a manager, I encourage open, honest, and safe dialogue from my team and as part of that I use a range of different channels for feedback and discussion. I am not always right and believe that I can learn from everyone. I have also been mentoring with bloom network to not only help others but to remind myself of the challenges you can face early on in your career. I have also encouraged my male colleagues to get involved in Bloom Exchange to further open the dialogue! 

The idea of equality is commonly discussed and increasingly introduced into workplaces; however, the idea of equity is commonly dismissed. Although it may be something we subconsciously do it is important to raise awareness and transform it into a more conscious effort. As an industry we are quite privileged to work in an environment where we come across people from different cultures and backgrounds and as much as providing equal opportunities is important, embracing equity is equally as important if not slightly more, but why?  

I believe that as individuals, we do not all start life from the exact same starting line, and our paths in life cannot be so easily compared. It is imperative that we recognize where someone may require additional support or resources in order to be set up for the same level of success as the next person.  Having equal opportunities may not be significant enough when you do not have the right tools to act upon these opportunities that come your way, therefore we must seek to understand each other so we can adjust our approach and reach an equal outcome. 

To me, it’s important to foster equality alongside equity to ensure people enter the field at the same level. Creating an environment that is beneficial to everyone ensures that everyone can flourish and grow together.  

A personal experience where I have positively benefited from an equitable work environment is when I was presented with the opportunity to take part in leadership training by my manager. This gave me the tools to excel in a leadership position as a woman in ad tech. My hope is that more women enter these key leadership roles throughout the business.