Caroline Odogwu champions people and progress, leveraging marketing, communications, public affairs, and organisational development to empower individuals, communities, and organisations.
In what ways can EDI improve the experience of individuals and organisations?
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) improves experiences by ensuring that more voices are represented and heard at the table. When people feel included, valued, and understood, they are more confident, engaged, and motivated to contribute their best. For individuals, EDI creates space where their identities and lived experiences are recognised rather than overlooked. It allows people to bring their full selves into environments whether that’s in the workplace or community spaces without fear of judgment or exclusion.
For organisations, EDI strengthens creativity, innovation, and trust. When decision-making processes are informed by diverse perspectives, the outcomes are often richer and more reflective of the communities and people being served. I’ve seen through my own work in community engagement that when you prioritise inclusion and representation of voices especially those who are often marginalised you build stronger relationships and more sustainable impact.
EDI also helps organisations to be more accountable and transparent, ensuring policies and programmes truly meet the needs of everyone, not just a select few. It’s not just about fairness; it’s about effectiveness and sustainability. By embedding EDI, organisations become places where people can thrive, feel connected, and know their voices genuinely matter.
How can leaders successfully embed EDI principles into everyday strategy and decision making?
For leaders, embedding EDI successfully means making it part of the foundation of planning rather than an afterthought. It’s about ensuring that EDI leads and representatives are brought into conversations early - at the very start of shaping new strategies, ventures, or initiatives. This allows inclusion to be woven throughout the process, rather than added in at the end.
Embedding EDI also means aligning it with the organisation’s core values and goals. It shouldn’t sit in isolation or be seen as “someone else’s responsibility.” Leaders should ask: How does this decision impact different groups? Whose voices are missing from the conversation? By regularly reflecting on these questions, leaders can make more equitable and inclusive choices.
In my experience, inclusion becomes real when people see it lived out day to day, through who is invited into meetings, how resources are allocated, and how feedback is acted upon. It’s also important to use data and insight to monitor progress and make informed improvements.
Ultimately, EDI must be part of an organisation’s DNA. When it sits at the foundation of strategy and planning, it influences every decision and creates a culture where everyone feels empowered to contribute to meaningful change.
What advice would you give to emerging leaders who are introducing EDI practices for the first time?
My advice to emerging leaders would be not to feel pressured to replicate what has already been done, and to move away from seeing EDI as a tick-box exercise. EDI should be something you genuinely believe in and are invested in driving forward within your organisation. Start by identifying where the gaps are who’s missing, whose voices aren’t being heard and then look for practical ways to address those gaps.
You don’t have to do everything at once; it’s about steady, thoughtful progress. Take time to listen, learn, and collaborate with others who are passionate about inclusion. Be transparent in your journey communicate developments and challenges openly with your teams and the wider organisation so everyone feels part of the change.
It’s also important to move beyond performative actions, like only celebrating national days such as Black History Month or South Asian Heritage Month. While those moments are important, they should not be the only times EDI is visible. The real work happens in the day-to-day decisions, policies, and opportunities you create for people all year round.
Ultimately, lead with empathy, authenticity, and consistency. EDI is about creating lasting culture change, and that starts with leaders who are committed to making a real difference.
Read more about From Policy to Practice: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion as Core Strategy