September 17, 2024
We’ve committed to becoming Aotearoa’s most inclusive recruitment agency, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s also good for society. Plus, there is plenty of research demonstrating the commercial benefits that Diversity, Equity and Inclusion within business brings. Our community is diverse, and our workplaces should reflect that. Pretty simple, right? Yet somehow, we often make it more complicated than it needs to be.
Why? It’s easier to stick to processes that are engrained and familiar, habit changes are hard. While we’re not perfect at Cultivate, and don’t claim to be experts in the DE&I space, we’re willing to learn from our mistakes. We’ve tried, tweaked and refined our processes, striving to create a space where everyone feels welcome and supported.
The goal? For candidates to feel like they can shine and walk away feeling respected and looked after throughout the job seeking process, no matter the outcome.
Along the way, we’ve gravitated more towards customers who share our values and pushing towards their own DE&I goals, whether that’s on gender, neurodiversity, ethnicity, leadership representation or pay equity. There’s some incredible mahi happening across Aotearoa on this front, and it’s not just about one-off initiatives. This is becoming a way of doing business.
So you can imagine my delight, excitement and honour when I was invited to be a judge for the Diversity Works annual awards. Diversity Works is a not-for-profit that relies on funding, sponsors, and members. With over 700 members and counting, they’re a vital resource for DE&I across Aotearoa. It’s been a tough year for them, like it has for many organisations, but they continue to provide an incredible platform that showcases the best DE&I efforts from individuals and businesses. With a wonderful cross section of judges, those new to the journey and others who are seasoned, there’s a whole lot of mana to feeling good about being involved.
As a first-time judge it was an eye opener. I was eager to see how the process unfolded, and it didn’t disappoint. Submissions for all categories were due by April, which is when the hard work kicked in: reading through entries, selecting finalists, and eventually heading out for in-person judging visits. Now, I’d originally thought we’d just be relying on submissions, so discovering we’d be meeting people in person was a bit like being told the dessert was still to come, an unexpected but great surprise and I must say was my favourite part of the journey.
What really stood out to me was how the finalists' stories were bought to life. Meeting the people behind these initiatives, HR practioners, leaders, impacted individuals, and everyone in between showed just how much skin they had in the game. You could see and feel their passion in every conversation, making the decision-making process that much harder (but in a good way).
Working alongside 3 fabulous judges was a highlight, hailing from HR, DE&I or Talent backgrounds, all sharing a passion and desire to see a deserving winner take out the top prize for Diverse Talent. We spent quality time together to have our thoughts, voices and feedback heard, to see how we each assessed the submissions and visits, working closely with Maretha (Diversity Works, CEO) who guided us through the process at each stage.
Despite the challenging market conditions, many organisations have kept DE&I firmly on their agenda, and their initiatives deserve to be celebrated. With the annual Diversity Awards holding court as an annual calendar event not to be missed in August, there are a number of awards up for grabs. The Inclusive Workplace Award is a hotly contested category, so this year they split it out introducing the newly added Respectful Culture Award.
I was also blessed to judge a second award ‘Diversity Champion’. I thought my first award was tough, but these individuals were next level. They’ve made it their mission in life to focus on meaningful DE&I initiatives and they’re simply amazing trail blazers tackling different angles that were innovative, creative and targeted across different angles from pride, harnessing data insights, education, gender and accessibility. They were all incredibly deserving, each bringing a unique approach to the table.
With all decisions wrapped up end of July, we waited patiently to see our winners recognised at the sold-out event at the Grand Milennium in August.
Leadership Award - Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland
Diverse Talent Award - KPMG
Respectful Culture Award - Tui Raumata
Inclusive Workplace Award – Foodstuffs North Island
Ngā Āhuatanga o te Tiriti Tohu – Te Tumu Whakaata Taonga NZ Film Commission (small – medium winner) & Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health Organisation (medium – large winner)
Impact Award - Araraurangi Air New Zealand
Diversity Champion – Tania Domett, Cogo
Supreme Award - Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health Organisation
Firstly, a standout submission has substance, it's well aligned to the questions, clearly demonstrating the initiative, how it was implemented, and the outcomes achieved, including success stories. A strong submission focuses on answering each question directly and clearly. In short, it needs to pack a punch, as the written submission is key in selecting finalists before any in-person visits. Yes, there are word limits and options to include additional information in an addendum, but the core of your submission is what judges will primarily assess.
Tip: Have someone who’s unfamiliar with your initiative review your submission to ensure it clearly addresses the questions. Think of it as a road test, if someone outside your business can understand and be impressed by what you’ve achieved, then you’re on the right track.
If you’re doing great work in any area of DE&I, don’t assume it’s not enough to make an impact. Take the time to explore the case studies of finalists and winners. We’ve had the privilege of reading these submissions, but what’s even more powerful is the opportunity for other organisations to follow in their footsteps, start their own initiatives, or engage with them directly. What I admired most about the finalists was their willingness to share their learnings with others, ensuring that the impact isn’t limited to just a few.
If you’d like to learn more around how you can think differently about building an inclusive talent pipeline, reach out to me, we’ve put plenty into practice and happy to share what we’ve done.
