Challenging as it is, the Fourth Industrial Age eases the path to DEIB for all, with intersectionl integration being key to impact.
The dynamic transformation the Fourth Industrial Age heralds is characterised by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and an increased community call in socio-political and environmental justice.
Together, this spurs businesses, organisations and societies to fast evolve into co-creating long term impact for 2024 and beyond.
This journey of evolution presents greater opportunities and challenges for diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB).
This 2024 trend report explores the Top Seven key influencers of the DEI landscape – and it would be remiss not to begin with a deep dive into the context of Trend Number I.
Trend I: The intersection of DEIB and AI ethics
The rapid pace of digital transformation presents an opportunity, through the benefits of technological innovation, to co-create an equitable distribution for diverse communities and society.
For Africa in particular, a key lever for economic empowerment and development is to foster inclusive growth that aligns with broader sustainable development goals, which effectively contribute to poverty reduction and advance social progress.
With our continent’s highly talented and youthful, diverse demographic, Africa holds immense global potential.
To advance financial and digital inclusion, organisations such as Mastercard Foundation, MTN, Ecobank, Vodaphone, Old Mutual, Microsoft, Google, WeThinkCode and others, for example, are crucial drivers in addressing these barriers, by harnessing DEIB principles within AI ethics frameworks.
DEI-led integration into the design and deployment of digital financial solutions, co-creation of micro enterprises for entrepreneurs and fintech innovations will ensure that Africa can lever up to fair and equitable access for all segments of society – in particular, women and youth.
Fostering a culture of ethical AI usage aligns with the broader goals of social responsibility, transparency, and accountability, contributing to inclusive growth and sustainable development across the continent.
AI equally plays a pivotal role in contributing to how we intentionally transition the workforce. We have an ethical responsibility to mitigate potential biases embedded within these technologies and frameworks, and to ensure that marginalised communities are not disproportionately impacted by job and career displacement, or algorithmic discrimination.
The Fourth Industrial Age additionally provides progressive pathways that foster diversity and inclusion through remote, hybrid and flexible work lifestyles, cloud-based collaborative networks, and inclusive design for accessibility and user diversity.
Collectively, and by embracing human engagement and creativity, AI is a transformative contributor to the Fourth Industrial Age, in co-creating the equitable and inclusive communities and society we envision.
This is a pivotal moment to embrace AI as your saviour versus saboteur.
Trend II: Advancing belonging to participation
In 2024, intersectionality and political and social movements will galvanise DEIB programmes and initiatives.
Global and local employee resource groups (ERGs) will evolve towards uniting singular race, gender, sex and historic culture and more, leading to ERGs that will adapt to and embrace an intersectional approach, which is employee-network-led in behaviour.
“Intersectionality for context,” a term coined by civil rights advocate, Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw, emphasises the interconnected nature of social categorisations from race, social class, gender, sexuality, ability and more. Communities, governments, NGOs and organisations are increasingly recognising the integrated value of intersecting identities in their DEI initiatives.
This trend stems from high training investments, which pace slower post awareness and education. Forbes cites unconscious bias trainings alone have amounted to an investment of $8 billion, with no metric results on change material realities of employees.
To advance belonging we need to drive participation – at every level of business; to go beyond existing training programmes, and channel efforts into effecting and actualising measurable, inclusive- and equitable-led policies, accelerate recruitment and retention strategies, and publicly hold leadership accountable for upholding DEIB as a consistent practice.
As William Arthur Ward exhorts: Do More than Belong: Participate; Do more than Care: Help; Do more than Believe: Practice; Do more than Dream: Work.
Trend III: If you want to go far, go together
This leads to Trend III in 2024, which is inspired by the popular African wisdom: “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” DEI leaders and functionaries often bear the heavy burden of fast transitioning environmental and organisational systemic challenges that have, over decades, entrenched inequities and biases within existing culture, leadership and workforce behaviours.
This singular task is often placed on under-resourced functions in not only dismantling the company’s systemic barriers, but also in shifting culture to create, embed, maintain and advance DEI-led impact.
In the current, evolving landscape diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging intersect in orchestration, together with human resources (HR), corporate social responsibility (CSR); environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and sustainability functions.
HR as the backbone of both employee engagement and culture is a crucial partnership for DEI initiatives. This union provides the co-creation and facilitation of diverse, equitable and inclusive hiring practices, consistent and measured DEIB training and initiatives – with measurable impact and equitable policies that prioritise and improve pay parity and gender equity – to fast-track meaningful progress towards closing the gender pay gap.
We cannot wait for the World Economic Forum’s prediction of 100+ years to close this gap. The trend of DEI, HR, ESG, CSR and sustainability functions merging across industries and geographies, will include integration with community and industry partnerships, for collective impact at scale.
Trend IV: DEIB, the catalyst for generation change
The amalgamation trend of CSR/ESG and sustainability functions and initiatives, closely aligned with DEI-led intent and programmes, will accelerate.
This is spurred by the increase of communities uniting to educate on, promote and hold leadership at every level in society accountable for socio-political and environmental justice, community engagement, and economic equity for global citizens and marginalised communities.
This united partnership with shared intent across functions is the generation change catalyst for collaborative and transformative impact, for both prosperous and thriving people, and planet.
Trend V: Measurable insight led and data-driven diversity
While DEI is valued, current research reveals a disproportion of visibility, investment, ERG employee engagement, hiring, retention and promotion, ally-ship, mentorship, content development and inclusion for multi-cultural employees.
Data analytics is revolutionising DEI efforts by providing valuable insights into workforce demographics, hiring practices, pay equity, and employee experiences. In 2024, organisations will invest more into leveraging data-driven approaches to identify gaps, set measurable goals, and track progress in their DEI initiatives.
This is a great opportunity to integrate AI frameworks with human engagement for data and insights that guide where key barriers exist – spotlighting advancement blockers, and the effects on representation support in gauging qualified impact on DEI-led initiatives and programmes.
DEI metrics further allow organisations to better understand and resolve challenges, hold leaders, employees and stakeholders accountable, and experiment with targeted interventions to reduce inequity.
Trend VI: Globalisation and cultural competence
In an interconnected world, organisations are embracing cultural competence as a cornerstone of their DEI strategies. Cultural competence goes beyond mere tolerance; it involves understanding, respecting, and valuing diverse cultural perspectives.
In 2024, organisations are prioritising cross-cultural training, language diversity initiatives, and global mobility programmes to foster a culturally competent workforce. Embracing diversity at a global scale enables organisations to thrive in diverse markets and navigate cultural nuances effectively.
Trend VII: Reimagining success as a disabled achiever
The title of this trend is from my dear friend, Eddie Ndopu’s recent memoir, Sipping Dom Perignon Through a Straw. This incredible story of Namibian-born Ndopu was written using his ‘One Good Finger’.
As a global advocate for citizens with diverse abilities, Eddie’s journey is one that points to a growing trend: the increased recognition by global governments, organisations and society given to the importance of inclusivity for accessible workplaces, public environments, adaptive technologies to inclusive hiring practices and representation in key functional contributory and leadership roles.
Driven by legal, ethical, social and economic imperatives to ensure equal and inclusive opportunities for all, disability inclusion will gain significant momentum.
Advancements in assistive technologies, and evolving societal attitudes, continue to create meaningful opportunities for participation and contribution, professionally and socially. Disability inclusion is crucial in ensuring everyone has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to their greatest potential.
In conclusion as we journey to our shared collective North Star and navigate the complexities of the 2024 landscape, diversity, equity and inclusion will remain at the forefront for global and local organisations – from those just starting on their journey, to those who are maintaining, and including the early adopter pioneers who are not only advancing and progressing change, but are also co-creating the disruption that will propel humanity to the next frontier.
In 2024 I encourage you to be bold, be courageous and helpful; embrace intersectionality, harness the progressive power of AI, ensure that digital inclusion is a reality, and hold the united partnership baton of collective intent and impact to effect Generation Change as an inclusive future for all in our lifetime.
As diversity, equity and inclusion thought leaders and change agents, it is incumbent upon us to advocate and champion these trends to inspire and cultivate environments where diversity is openly cheered, equity is upheld and honoured, and inclusion is a birthright for every one.
Fathima Beckmann is a global inclusion and communications strategist and thought leader.
