CASE STUDY:

In 2021, Altogether Different worked with the leadership team of a major UK food producer to help them explore and build confidence in a range of diversity areas. Part coaching, part fieldwork – our unique approach blends empathy-building with practical consultancy – building the confidence and competence necessary to lead with authenticity around topics that often hard to discuss.

Diversity and Inclusion is such a massive, complex and sensitive topic in the workplace. There is often a feeling from leaders that it’s difficult to know where to start, and the desire ‘not to offend’ is overwhelming. The result, silence from the top. No comments on removing barriers for people of colour, no conversations on the importance of reducing homophobia, silence around the causes of the gender pay gap. This silence is often reflected in low belonging scores throughout the organisation.

Sometimes, if you’re not in a minority community yourself – it’s hard to build the empathy needed to bring about real inclusive change as a leader. As part of a three-step process, we helped the leaders of the UK food business identify gaps in their own awareness – design experiences to build empathy for difference and then encourage leaders to be personally accountable for organisation-wide inclusive change.

“Charlotte has taught us how to bring our learning into everyday practice so that we are armed with the knowledge to create an inclusive approach to everything we do.”