Hogan Lovells

Bendita Cynthia Malakia

Q1. As the global head of diversity and inclusion, what are some of your roles and responsibilities?

Global DEI leaders have a significant responsibility in leading change and vetting an organizations. At Hogan Lovells, we did this through embedding accountability, focusing on processes, delivering on recruiting and retention, building an inclusive culture, and partnering with clients.As a tactical matter, we navigate challenging demographic and cultural dynamics, plan remedial measures to cope with problems, and strategically structure the workplace to comply with various laws and liabilities. Therefore, examining a business's policies, programs, and processes to understand its trajectory on the under-represented people becomes crucial.

Furthermore, we focus on celebration and education to inspire strategic allyship, not only between represented and underrepresented groups but within underrepresented groups as well given the importance of intersectionality. I alsoco-lead the DEIengagement with our clients and coach other chief diversity officers in helping them establish and execute their DEI strategies.

Ultimately, DEI excellence is measured differently in every jurisdiction so DEI executives must be independent and integrated, consultants and catalysts, and supreme innovators.

Q2What are some of the right trends and strategies to ensure diversity and inclusion?

DEI functions need to be treated on par with other functions like marketing, IT and finance. Usually, organizations start their DEI journeys with celebration events, but organizations that want to move beyond having employee resource groups will have a constant and consistent focus on establishing and examining policies and processes, including and outside of those whose subject is explicitly DEI.

“DEI executives must be independent and integrated, consultants and catalysts, and supreme innovators.”

A popular trend is the implementation of variations of psychometric tests in lieu or in addition to standard recruiting processes. The psychometric test allows the organization to mitigate implicit bias in the recruiting process to give individuals an equal opportunity to succeed and to evaluate the trends and skills that tend to be most successful in an inclusive and equitable workplace environment.

An additionaltrend in DEI is leveraging them as strategic consultants forthe business to drive revenue. Some firms have adopted this strategy of advising their clients and other CEOs on their DEI strategiesas a billable practice. To have credibility and avoid performative actions, it should be structured in such a way that it providesunder-represented people more opportunities (e.g., to engage and demonstrate their skills to executives at the company), thus providing a holistic ecosystem where DEI is truly embedded in everything the organization does.

There are many others, but theseare three strategies an organization can use to make DEI real.

Q3 What advice would you like to share with budding entrepreneurs on the factors that they should have as part of their careers?

Over the years, many organisations have workedto develop a meritocratic and fair environmentbut most have not yet achieved that ideal. Most individuals find it difficultto understand underrepresented colleagues’perspectives. Leaders must embrace the virtues of empathy, humility and vulnerability to ensure that they are designing workplaces with equity and inclusivity at the fore. Not only does it promote cultural competency, but it also brings in a growth mindset which is later carried on to influence the other employees in the workplace. DEI is acompetency that every individual must embrace in their organisation. Every potential recruit shouldbe questioned regarding their unconscious biases and beliefs that sometimes drive unfortunate outcomes and the opinions and incorporation of DEI strategy They also should be clear about how they will embed DEI as a part of their work. This would ensure that DEI isn’t the province of a DEI function or HR function or well-meaning leaders alone but that it is happening in the everyday work in the organizations to lead to better outcomes and a more equitable work environment.