Working to increase diversity in senior leadership

Gavin Jones is director of wholesale channel at BT Wholesale. He believes there is a great deal of positive movement within the channel to better support a diverse workforce. However, he too thinks there are still challenges present.

“One challenge, which isn’t exclusive to the channel, is businesses’ ability to support diversity all the way up to the most senior of its leadership. Studies have shown that there is still a disparity in the number of diverse groups present in more senior roles. We must ensure that support systems and schemes on diversity don’t just aid those coming into the industry but are available to those working in the channel, no matter their seniority.”

At BT Wholesale, a key aspect of supporting diversity is dispelling the myth that people must go through university as the only route into employment in the technology space.

“Offering apprenticeships ensures a larger variety of people have the opportunity to work within the channel. We are proud that thousands of apprentices from a variety of backgrounds have benefitted from our scheme. Almost 80% of apprentices that qualified more than five years ago still with the business”.

“BT also has 10 different diversity networking groups throughout the business, giving people support and community structures to engage with other people that may be facing the same challenges. These include gender equality, ethnicity, LGBT+, ability, faith and carers’ networks.”

“These networks are crucial to ensuring that all issues our workforce may face or worry about can be brought to light and engaged with, to make a concrete difference to our culture and the way we operate.”

Another initiative is the BT Ethnicity Rapid Action Plan. “We have introduced a new program of mandatory race awareness training for everyone in BT. Board members of our Executive Committee have committed to either having an ethnic minority reverse mentor or serving as a non-executive director for a community organization supporting ethnic minorities.”

The firm has also created a new fast stream for high-potential people from ethnic minority backgrounds. All will be personally mentored by one of the senior leadership team and have diverse shortlists for every senior management role.