DCA launches practical guide to applying intersectionality in workplace D&I
Diversity Council Australia has released a new evidence-based guide to help organisations better use intersectionality in diversity and inclusion initiatives.
The announcement:
Diversity Council Australia (DCA) has launched a new guide to provide clear, evidence-based advice on how to apply intersectionality in workplace diversity and inclusion (D&I). Intersectionality has become increasingly popular in workplace D&I, but too often as a buzzword rather than a tool for structural change. Developed in response to strong member demand, the Applying Intersectionality at Work guide demystifies this often-misunderstood concept. It offers a practical roadmap for D&I practitioners who are ready to deepen their understanding and take meaningful action to address overlapping and compounded forms of marginalisation in the workplace.
“Intersectionality is not simply about identity or inclusion,” said Dr Virginia Mapedzahama, DCA’s Scholar in Residence and lead author of the guide. “It’s about creating equity and social justice for people who are most marginalised. To genuinely apply intersectionality at work, we must understand how systems of inequity, such as racism, sexism, ableism, and classism, intersect to create compounded marginalisation. These guidelines help practitioners make sense of that complexity and take purposeful action.”
Taking intersectionality from theory to practice
Designed for D&I practitioners, the guide addresses common misconceptions about intersectionality and explains how to use it as a tool in D&I work. To do this, DCA developed five keys for good practice that cover two equally important steps:
- Build critical foundational knowledge about what intersectionality is (and is not), who has more and less power and privilege at work, and how to centre the voices of those most marginalised.
- Take practical steps to ensure no one is left behind in your organisation’s D&I change work.
“People’s identities don’t exist in isolation, and neither should our diversity and inclusion efforts,” said Catherine Hunter, CEO of DCA. “Taking an intersectional approach means acknowledging this and factoring it into the work that we do. This guide gives organisations the tools to do that with confidence and care.”
To find out more, visit the Applying Intersectionality at Work page on DCA’s website.
Source: DCA
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