DiverCity Podcast: Talking Diversity and Inclusion in the Financial Services Industry

In this episode, host Julia Streets is joined by David Goldenkranz, Educator, DEI Facilitator, Coach and Consultant and Simeon Greaves, Wealth Manager at Coutts. Together they talk about leadership and where the power lies. In parallel, they discuss intersectionality through the lens of race and sexual orientation; self-identification and ways to create safe spaces within the workplace. They address the role of men and the future of work, the direction we are heading without male allies, a greater gender balance and a more inclusive workforce.

In this episode, host Julia Streets is joined by Toby Mildon, Diversity & Inclusion Architect and founder of Mildon, a consultancy and advisory business, and Johnny Timpson OBE, principal of Johnny Timpson Consulting and Non-Executive Chair of specialist military insurance brokerage Absolute Military. Together they discuss ways to improve access to financial products, resources and services and discuss the financial health of many people living with disabilities. They address how inclusivity on boards, changes in culture and inclusive language can bring about wide-reaching transformation. Lastly, they focus on the value of embracing intersectionality to enhance the diversity discussion and ultimately drive greater inclusion.

We kick start Series 15 with a special Youth takeover episode. Host Julia Streets is joined by Chloe, Sirad, Megan and Harrison all of whom work as Young Consultants with the organisation Participation People. They share their perceptions of financial services and what we need to do as an industry to attract and portray financial services in an attractive light. They also highlight the value and importance of representation and inclusion as we market our products and services and the group talks about career opportunities and the barriers young people from different backgrounds believe they may face. It's a really insightful discussion and they offer lots of ideas to inspire the industry, one of which is a clear call for financial education. Finally, the young people turn the tables and ask Julia some questions!

In this episode, host Julia Streets is joined by Dr Rajiv Prabhakar, Senior Lecturer in Personal Finance at the Open University and Sian Williams, previously Director of Policy and Innovation at Toynbee Hall, now the new CEO of Switchback. Together they look at the financial inclusion going mainstream, and the persistent problems those on low incomes face, particularly, access to wealth. They discuss the importance of financial education and why for some, cash is the safest budgeting tool. Together they navigate the path to inclusion which incorporates a customer duty from the financial services industry, to create financially inclusive products, resources and services.

In this episode, host Julia Streets is joined by Danny Harmer, Chief People Officer for Aviva Plc. As an ally, Danny shares her views about the privilege of allies, how allyship can drive meaningful change and the ways in which advocates and active bystanders can support and amplify the diversity and inclusion agenda. Together they explore the generational range within the financial services industry, the impact and effects of office attendance and hybrid working models, and leaves us with a compelling analogy from Star Trek to boot!

In this episode, host Julia Streets is joined by Bukola Adisa, Founder/CEO of Career Masterclass and Joseph Williams, Founder and CEO of Clu. Together they look at some of the barriers to entry into the workforce for ethnic minorities, refugees, and people with disabilities, and how social mobility could sustain the pipeline of the current skills gap. They discuss perception bias and the impact of microaggressions within the workplace, and the positive and negative effects of call-out culture, and offer practical tips using a 4D framework to address this. They summarise with thoughtful and measured suggestions for change and community empowerment, to create a workplace culture that will enhance the appeal of working within financial services.

In honour of World Menopause Month, host Julia Streets is joined by Sam Simister, co-founder of GenM and Rachel Lankester, founder of Magnificent Midlife.

Together they focus on redressing the balance and creating a more positive discussion about the menopause, while also focusing their attention on some key areas of concern, for example gendered ageism and the negative narrative in general. They offer lots of best practice inspiration and practical insights to improve corporate behaviour in order to change the narrative around menopause. This positive conversation seeks to reframe this stage of life as being less of a taboo concern and more of a transition where women can ultimately flourish.

In this second conversation, which forms part of a two-part special episode celebrating and understanding neurodiversity, host Julia Streets is joined by Dan Harris, CEO of Neurodiversity in Business. Dan shares how it is important to welcome, maintain and retain neurodivergent talent. They discuss the realities of self-disclosure through the recruitment process and the role of Human Resources and employee networks. Dan explains how practical changes can be made within the workplace and how awareness is not the end goal, instead it’s about creating a culture of acceptance.

In this first conversation, which forms part of a two-part special episode, host Julia Streets is joined by Lou Anderson, Senior Sales Development Representative at Connectr to discuss neurodiversity. Lou shares her personal journey, of living and working with Autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), talking about the language of neurodiversity, and the effects of late diagnoses in women. The discussion dispels many of the myths and misconceptions around neurodiverse people and expounds on the compelling reasons for hiring neurodiverse talent; these superheroes can have a hugely positive impact on workforce teams by bringing unique skill sets and offering fresh ways of thinking.

To kick off Series 14, we are joined by two titans of tech, Russ Shaw, Founding Partner of London Tech Week and London Tech Ambassador for the Mayor of London and an advisory member for Founders4Schools, and Dr Sue Black, technology evangelist, digital skills expert and Professor of Computer at Durham University.

In this two-part interview, we discuss the importance of allyship, getting comfortable with the uncomfortable and the fantastic story of the campaign to save Bletchley Park! We also learn about where each guest is specifically focusing their time to drive greater diversity, equity and inclusion in the technology industry, and explore how to fill the current skills gaps being faced by the industry.