Moving From Lip Service to Lasting Change.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEI&B) Done Right: A Case Study
DEIB isn’t about grand gestures—it’s about small, meaningful steps. Here’s how one organisation got it right.
The Challenge
My client, a mid-sized, conservative and risk-averse organisation, wanted to create a culture where people could be themselves, feel safe, and truly belong. But despite a couple of earlier attempts, they hit a few roadblocks in embedding Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) in a way that felt genuine and impactful.
The challenge wasn’t just about shifting mindsets, practices, and leadership behaviours in a rapidly evolving DEIB space—it was also about doing it with a small HR team that had just gone through a major restructuring and downsizing.
The Approach
To tackle this, I partnered with the Chief People Officer, who championed the program as the sponsor and business owner. Together, we developed a long-term DEI&B change strategy that involved everyone in the organisation.
Here’s what we did:
1. Focus Groups & Survey
We kicked off with DEI&B discovery sessions and a short company-wide survey. These were more than just data-gathering exercises—they were designed to be educational opportunities for people to learn what DEI&B is really about. To start a conversation. To get people thinking. It also gave them a voice to co-create the organisation’s definitions and priorities for the year ahead.
2. Defining DEIB for the organisation
Through the workshops and survey, I helped employees and leaders define what Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging meant to them. Using thorough research, I offered potential definitions for each term, giving people the chance to vote or suggest their own. This collaborative process resulted in definitions that reflected where the organisation was in its DEIB journey. And to ensure enough people had skin in the game.
3. Setting DEI&B Priorities
The workshops also helped shape short- and long-term DEIB goals. I presented several options based on best practices (thanks to resources like the Diversity Council of Australia) and invited everyone to weigh in. This made the program genuinely reflective of the organisation’s needs and values.
4. Leadership Buy-In & Commitment
Using insights from the workshops and survey, I prepared a pack for the Executive Team and Board. While not all recommendations were adopted, we had meaningful discussions that ensured the program was grounded in reality and ready to move forward. Getting their sign-off meant they also had skin in the game. This is critical!
5. Establishing the DEI&B Committee/ Employee Resource Group (ERG)
We formed a self-organising DEIB Committee by opening up self-nominations (with manager approval). The goal was to create a diverse, representative group (sometimes called an ERG - Employee Resource Group) to drive initiatives. They were given the resources, structure, and support to hit the ground running in their first year.
6. DEI&B Roadmap & Working Groups
The Committee worked from a clear roadmap broken into quarterly activities. At the kickoff, we set up subgroups to focus on specific topics for each quarter, allowing members to self-nominate for what they cared about most. This made the workload manageable and meaningful.
7. Ongoing HR Sponsorship
HR played a critical role in supporting the Committee. They provided guidance, kept the group on track, and offered guardrails to ensure progress without overwhelming the team.
The Outcome
Although it’s still early days, the organisation has built a solid foundation for fostering a culture of belonging. Here are some examples of their quick wins already achieved:
Dedicated DEIB SharePoint Page: A centralised hub for all DEIB resources and updates.
Committee Terms of Reference: Clear guidelines for how the Committee operates.
Acknowledgment of Traditional Owners: A guide for what to say and when to say it, meeting protocols and new email signatures for everyone!
Quarterly Events: Educational sessions and activities like International Women’s Day, discussions on gender pay gaps, and Reconciliation Week.
This stepped approach is helping the organisation move from compliance-driven initiatives to proactive cultural transformation. Meeting them where they were at—without overwhelming them—has been key in creating space for learning, growth, and lasting change.
Key DEI&B Insights for Leaders
Belonging Starts with Leadership: Leaders set the tone for change. They must model inclusive behaviours and create safe spaces for everyone.
Psychological Safety is Key: Belonging also means allowing differing opinions to coexist and encouraging people to have a voice.
Take the Long View: Cultural change doesn’t happen overnight. Celebrate milestones and stay flexible.
Be Open to Adapt to Change: The DEI&B landscape is always evolving. Keep your strategy relevant to societal and business shifts.
What about you and your organisation - how are you going with culture change or your approach to DEI&B? Maybe you’re doing these already or needed a gentle reminder to be kind to yourself and your team. Cultural change takes time and patience. As well as sticking with it when things get tough Just remember why you started on the journey in the first place to keep you on track.
Stay Curious - Mel :)
P.S. Check out these great recent DEI&B Resources.
