Celebrating National Inclusion Week: Our Top Recommendations for Inclusion-Focused Events
National Inclusion Week, celebrated annually in the UK, is a time to acknowledge and celebrate the importance of inclusion in the workplace and beyond. It offers organisations a dedicated week to reflect on their practices, engage in meaningful conversations with inclusive motivational speakers, and implement strategies geared towards inclusivity. This event is a powerful reminder of the need to embrace diversity in all its forms, including race, gender, sexuality, disability, and more.
The Importance of Inclusion in the UK: Statistics to Consider
You might be wondering why a whole week dedicated to ‘Inclusion’ is still necessary in the twenty first century. Well, here are some key statistics that highlight the current state of inclusion in the UK:
- Gender Pay Gap: According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the gender pay gap among full-time employees was 7.4% in 2022, showing a persistent disparity between men and women in the workplace.
- Racial Diversity: The McGregor-Smith Review (2017) found that only 6% of top management positions in the UK are held by ethnic minorities, despite them making up 14% of the population.
- Disability Employment Gap: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) reported that the disability employment gap was 28.6 percentage points in 2021, indicating significant barriers to employment for disabled individuals.
- LGBTQ+ Inclusion: Stonewall’s LGBT in Britain – Work Report (2018) revealed that nearly one in five LGBTQ+ employees had been the target of negative comments or conduct from colleagues in the past year.
Leveraging National Inclusion Week with Diverse Speakers
At The Speakers Agency, we believe that the key to true inclusion lies in listening to and learning from diverse perspectives. Our roster features inclusive speakers from a variety of backgrounds who can provide unique insights and experiences.
Here are some of the exceptional inclusive speakers available for talks throughout National Inclusion Week:
Adam Pearson
Adam Pearson is an actor, presenter, and disability rights campaigner known for his work in raising awareness about facial disfigurement and challenging stigma. He offers powerful talks on disability inclusion and media representation.
Ade Adepitan
Ade Adepitan is a Paralympian, TV presenter, and disability advocate. Able to talk about intersectionality as a Black and disabled man, Ade’s inspiring journey and insights into overcoming adversity make his talks motivational and impactful for audiences of all backgrounds.
Baroness Ruth Hunt
Baroness Ruth Hunt is a prominent LGBT rights activist and former CEO of Stonewall. Her extensive work in championing LGBT inclusion and equality provides valuable lessons for creating inclusive workplaces.
Catherine Garrod
Catherine Garrod is a diversity and inclusion expert who helps organisations build inclusive cultures. She is the former Head of Inclusion for Sky, and her practical advice and strategies for fostering inclusion can help businesses implement effective D&I initiatives.
Charlie Martin
Charlie Martin is a professional racing driver and transgender advocate. Her story of navigating the motorsport world as a transgender woman provides a unique perspective on gender diversity and resilience.
Claire Lomas
Claire Lomas is a motivational speaker, campaigner, and former event rider who was paralysed from the chest down in a riding accident. She shares her incredible journey of overcoming challenges and advocating for spinal injury research.
Dr. Keon West
Dr. Keon West is a social psychologist and expert on prejudice and discrimination. His research-based talks provide deep insights into the psychological aspects of inclusion and how to combat bias.
Gill Thomas
Gill Thomas, a former contestant on The Great British Sewing Bee, speaks about coming to accept her disability and her experiences in corporate roles as a disabled woman. With only one arm, Gill provides powerful insights into resilience and inclusion.
Lady Phyll Opoku-Gyimah
Lady Phyll Opoku-Gyimah is the co-founder and executive director of UK Black Pride. She is a passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, particularly for people of colour, and her talks inspire action towards greater equality.
Unique Engagement Ideas for National Inclusion Week
To make your National Inclusion Week celebration stand out, consider incorporating unique activities that go beyond traditional talks and workshops. Here are some innovative ideas:
- Inclusive Hackathon: Organise a hackathon focused on developing solutions to inclusion challenges within your industry. Invite diverse teams to collaborate and present their ideas.
- Storytelling Sessions: Host storytelling sessions where employees can share their personal experiences related to inclusion and diversity. This fosters empathy and understanding within the team.
- Virtual Reality Experience: Utilise virtual reality technology to create immersive experiences that simulate different perspectives, such as navigating the workplace with a disability or experiencing unconscious bias. One of our inclusive speakers, Souleyman Bah, offers audiences the chance to experience his form of blindness by using various tools. He is renowned for making people understand the additional barriers that come with being disabled, and making employers and colleagues rethink their privileges.
- Interactive Workshops: Conduct interactive workshops led by our speakers, where participants can engage in role-playing exercises and group discussions to better understand inclusion issues. Contact us and speak to one of our agents for more information on which speakers run workshops and breakout sessions additionally to their talks.
Booking a Speaker
For more information or to book an inclusive speaker for National Inclusion Week, contact us at +44(0)1332 810481 or email enquiries@thespeakersagency.com. Let’s work together to create a more inclusive future.
