Although we are relatively early in our EDI journey at FRP we are committed to creating an equitable and inclusive working environment and providing a platform for change and improvement across the industry. So last week we hosted a round table with organisations in our network to understand how we can work together to drive positive change.  Discussing the challenges we all face and priorities for the future, as well as sharing the success stories that keep us moving forward, made for an inspiring and energising breakfast. 

We agreed that our time together was well spent and will reconvene to keep the conversation going, diving deeper into some of those shared priorities. In the meantime some takeaways from the session that really stood out were:

1. Although the initial impetus often comes from the ground up, board level support is vital in actually driving change
2. Treating EDI as a performance issue reframes the conversation to focus on optimising the productivity of the workforce
3. No one likes to be told they are prejudiced, despite mental shortcuts being a very natural way to process information, so the term ‘unconscious bias’ can land badly. Reframing this as conversations around culture, or inclusive leadership can be effective
4. Partnering with other firms to deliver training together validates the importance of learning
5. Clients drive behavioural change as they increasingly want to see evidence and stats around the EDI commitment of their suppliers and advisors
6. Reverse mentoring is a fantastic way to create upwards connections and educate senior leaders

More than anything, we were genuinely inspired by the collective commitment of everyone at the table to advance the EDI agenda. Sharing experiences and drawing lessons from one another, we were encouraged to embrace the concept of "stealing with pride" to further develop our ongoing efforts, showcasing the inclusive approach we all aim to adopt. We are hugely grateful to those who attended for their active, open participation and we’re excited for what this group can achieve, so if you’d like to be part of the next conversation please get in touch.