Lisa is an invaluable asset to the Embrace community at Cadent, serving as its faith lead with exceptional dedication. She organises cultural calendar events, ensuring equitable celebration of all faiths and cultures. Her contributions earned her the Cadent ED&I Community Member Contribution of the Year Award, underscoring her impactful leadership and collaborative spirit. Lisa’s unwavering commitment to promoting inclusion is evident in her through multiple cultural and faith events. She embodies Cadent’s inclusive ethos, always volunteering with a “can-do” attitude. Lisa’s passion and dedication are crucial to the inclusive culture being striven for at Cadent. 

Introduction and Background

I have been with Cadent for 19 years and was initially approached to volunteer as the Faith Lead for our EDI Community, Embrace. This opportunity sparked my passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion, allowing me to channel my desire to help others. As my confidence grew, I began to challenge certain behaviours and work towards improving our workplace culture. My drive to create an inclusive workplace and contribute to meaningful change, no matter how small, is deeply rooted in my passion for helping people.

On a personal note, I have a teenager currently being assessed for several neurodiverse conditions. My hope is that she will enter a workplace with more inclusive support and opportunities than previous generations, which further fuels my commitment to advancing EDI in my career.

Challenges and Milestones

When I first started in the EDI space, one of the biggest challenges was building a reputation and forming relationships with colleagues at all levels of the company. This was crucial for gaining support and making an impact, and I’ve genuinely enjoyed the process of connecting with people across Cadent.

Since then, I’ve been involved in several initiatives that I’m incredibly proud of, including leading a successful Black History Month celebration in 2023, and I continue to do so for 2024. My journey in Embrace as Faith Lead has significantly boosted my confidence and led to my recent appointment as Co-Chair of Thrive, our community which focuses on all disabilities. These accomplishments have been milestones in my career and have fuelled my ongoing commitment to driving change.

Key Initiatives and Impact

Due to the success of the Black History Month event I led last year and a change in the co-chairs of our EDI communities, we have seen a huge influx of people joining the communities. I believe this is largely due to cultural and faith events which Embrace are leading on, providing people who are harder to reach, such as in our field force, opportunities to become more engaged. The results of this change include visibility of the communities across our field force networks using weekly communications to get our message across. Successful events I have been part of include fasting for Ramadan, organising the colour run, and an event for Holi. Until recently, our field force has not been involved to the extent which they are now, and I can draw that down and use this engagement in my new co-chair role of Thrive!

Personal Growth and Learning

I saw the importance of being given the opportunity to begin mentoring a colleague to become Cadent’s Faith co-ordinator, which is growth for me and my colleague. I have been privileged to support someone in their development and pass on the knowledge I have gained so far and continue to grow in.

Also, as I have progressed in my career and development, I have been able to expand my network, resulting in stronger relationships with many colleagues across the business.

One important lesson I have learned is that every culture and faith has many differences. Navigating certain conflicts delicately and thinking about when to have conversations with people without offending anyone is really important to me. Due to my integrity, I have managed this balance whilst maintaining the relationships I have created.

Future Vision and Goals

My future goals in the EDI space include continuing my active involvement in Cadent’s Embrace Community. This year, I established the Hindu and Christian subgroups, creating opportunities for colleagues to bring their events, traditions, and cultures into the workplace. I plan to keep supporting and organising events such as Easter, Ash Wednesday, Christmas, Holi, Diwali, and Navratri, fostering an environment where all cultural identities are celebrated and respected. I am now in the process of supporting our newly established subgroup BOLD (Black Organisational Leadership Development) to heighten our inclusivity within Cadent. I have also very recently created the Christian working group; this ongoing opportunity to discuss my faith in the workplace is a testament to the inclusive culture at Cadent, which I have been part of creating.

My aspiration is to further expand these efforts, ensuring that every colleague feels valued and included, and to continue driving meaningful change within Cadent.

Advice for Aspiring DEI Advocates

Don’t be afraid to have challenging conversations with people across the business and speak up for what you know is right. Make yourself known by getting involved in the communities, volunteer your time to promote the latest events you are involved with, and talk to people about the changes you want to see. Be the change you want to see, or nothing will change.

Learn More: https://www.ethnicityawards.com/top-10-champions-allies-2024/