Have you set an ED&I strategy, but found no positive change?
Aggregate Industries’ ambition was to create an EDI strategy for everyday life, both within the organisation and within the construction and infrastructure industry.
They wanted to create an inclusive culture across their locations, where all colleagues can come to work as their authentic selves. But when they started reviewing data in 2020, the company realised that all their efforts didn’t actually change any of the key metrics set in the strategy – it made no positive impact, in other words.
The ED&I plans didn’t work – what next?
They critically reviewed the situation, set their ED&I priorities, and what they actually wanted to achieve. They paused the existing strategy and took time to actively gather information and work with others to better understand their current position. To create an evidence base for action by:
- Inviting external organisations in to participate in a best practise event
- Benchmarking against others, inside and outside industry
- Measuring data against the industry Maturity model
- Using metrics and case studies from other organisations to inform the strategy
- Created a LEADING indicators dashboard by each division and team focused on key priorities
Data is critical – how to re-start your ED&I journey
Using the latest data, they completely redesigned the ED&I strategy and now use and share data internally to engage their workforce and leadership teams, as well as informing next steps. Now the strategy is based on an EDI 5-point plan focussed on all elements of EDI:
- Affinity Groups (otherwise known as employee networks)
- 360 External Assessments with the National Centre of Diversity
- Zero Tolerance culture to ensure all the workplace cultures are inclusive for all
- Measure by business areas, which allows them to deep dive on local teams
- Female Talent focus to ensure career pathways and development opportunities are available
Good data leads to positive, informed changes
Aggregate Industries now repeatedly use data and ask themselves ‘what does our data tell us?’. As a result of the changes introduced, the business now benefits form an increased in the diversity of prospective and hired candidates, and created a culture that promotes even better data to be disclosed by colleagues.
Significant responses to internal surveys and Affinity Network membership indicate that the strategy is working and colleagues recognise that the journey is authentic and their voices will be heard.
Inclusion at Aggregate Industries means valuing and celebrating differences and encouraging a workplace culture where employees feel valued and integrated within their team and the wider company. This involves having processes and behaviours in place to adapt to people’s differences and make them count, creating a work environment where everyone has the opportunity to contribute to the success of the business and develop their skills.
Advancing your ED&I journey – key takeaways
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is about people and not process – keep this in mind when putting together your strategy.
- Talk to your team and colleagues, make sure everyone has a voice and actively takes part
- Make sure your strategy is delivered by team members, and not by the business.
- Learn from others, recognise that it is your colleagues who are the subject matter experts in what needs to be addressed in your organisation
- Gain sponsorship from Senior Leaders in the business
- Learn from your mistakes – be bold and be different, it’s ok to try something and it doesn’t work.