A Long Way To A Diverse and Equitable Board

Diversity is the first step towards equity. And non-profit boards still have a long way to go in achieving diversity.

There is no simple way to create diverse and inclusive boards. Those in leadership positions need to actively identify barriers at multiple levels and build strategies to address these barriers. However, we cannot identify barriers till we examine our own internal biases and belief systems that have been influenced by colonial practices and culture. We must look within ourselves and learn how we perpetuate stereotypes in our policies and practices.

Speaking at Capacity Canada’s three-day Board Gover nance BootCamp, Olumide (Mide) Akerewusi, founder and CEO, AGENTSC Inc., said overt and covert biases and poor board recruitment systems and processes are at the heart of board failures when it comes to diversity. “A commitment to only appointing friends and people in the same network has pretty much left Canadian boards in a situation where there are almost exclusively white. When Black and Indigenous peoples are invited to boards, it seems to be with the intention for us to make up for diversity rather than voice our opinions. Black and Indigenous peoples seek choice, voice and control. Not many Canadian boards are willing to facilitate truly authentic Black and Indigenous leadership,” he said.

During his session – My Name is Olumide Abayomi – Olumide shared how his name, which is different from popular Canadian names, has made him and other Black people susceptible to discrimination. “Black people are less likely to be called for an interview because of their African-American-sounding name than a white person. If two people have identical resumes, the person with a white-sounding name would be given preference,” he shared, adding that this practice has forced minority applicants to submit ‘whitened’ resumes.

For Olumide, the journey towards a diverse board starts with having conversations about our internalized biases.

Research shows that diverse and inclusive boards have a more significant impact on the communities they serve. However, it also indicates that most boards engage in tokenism, where people from different backgrounds are brought on as board members to fill their ‘quota’ of diversity.

“A lot of boards engage in tokenism. They bring on a board member from a background different from the cultural majority, expect that single person to represent the complex experiences of an entire community, and expect that person to conform to a culture already in place rather than contribute to it. In short, the conditions are not created for diversity to thrive,” says Natalie A. Walrond, Content Area Director, Resilient and Healthy Schools and Communities, San Francisco, adding that new members from diverse backgrounds don’t feel heard or valued in their role.

Natalie hosted the session – To Achieve Board Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Start with Mindsets and Beliefs. Her session focused on decolonization for board effectiveness.

Diversity represents who belongs and ensures efficiency in governance on multiple levels. Research has proven, time and again, that diversity drives innovation. This in itself should be enough for non-profit boards to intensify efforts to embrace the power of different experiences each person brings to the table.

“When non-profit boards do not have a culture of diversity and inclusion, they are approaching social justice issues with only a partial lens. They can only see the issues from the perspective of their own experience. To be more effective in addressing social issues, we need to stand with the marginalized populations we most often serve rather than standing above and giving a helping hand,” says Susan Radwan, Creator and Author, Modern Board. She further adds that a healthy board recognizes that each person brings intersectionality of many perspectives that go far beyond visible diversity. Understanding intersectionality recognizes that marginalized people suffer discrimination from multiple perspectives such as religion, race, colour, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, and healthcare inequities.

Capacity Canada wrapped up its annual Board Governance BootCamp on December 4. The theme of this year’s BootCamp was Transforming Governance: Preparing Your Board for Diversity. Led by an incredible roster of Indigenous, Black, and Muslim speakers, the BootCamp was attended by over 200 participants from across Canada.

The Board Governance BootCamp was intended to tackle diversity and equity issues that have the most significant impact on good governance. The virtual event covered anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Black racism, and Islamophobia. Sessions focused on creating an equitable board by countering barriers to diversity and inclusion. Panel discussions also included perspectives from Black and Muslim corporate leaders on organizational leadership.

Mumilaaq Qaqqaq, former Member of Parliament from Nunavut, set the stage for deep, transformational learnings with her keynote session on the opening night of the event on December 2. A spectacular lineup of 20 speakers covered vast topics on diversity, inclusion, and equity. Some of our speakers included Olumide (Mide) Akerewusi, Founder and CEO of AGENTSC Inc.; Andria Barrett, a prominent Black business leader and a SheEO Activator; and Memona Hossain, one of the Board of Directors of the Muslim Association of Canada, among others.

Capacity Canada’s work with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is supported by Manulife, Suncor Energy Foundation, and Lyle S. Hallman Foundation. We are also a proud member of the 50-30 Challenge, a Government of Canada initiative to improve access for women, racialized persons including Black Canadians, people who identify as LGBTQ2, persons living with disabilities, as well as First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples to positions of influence and leadership on corporate boards and in senior management.

To learn more about our BootCamp, please visit our webpage.