As part of establishing our Networks here at SE, the name of our common goal has updated from Diversity & Inclusion to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. The addition of one word might not seem like much, but this little change can help us make an even bigger difference.
The shared goal powering all Networks is to create greater fairness, to allow every one of us to fulfil our potential. Equality feels fair, because it promises access to the same opportunities. But Equity goes further; it recognises that each of us has different circumstances and a different starting point, and allocates what’s individually needed for each of us to reach an equal outcome.
Equality is everyone having shoes. Equity is each of us having shoes that fit.
We want to put Equity into the heart of what our Networks do in 2023, not because we can do everything, but because we want to acknowledge that each of us has different potential and has travelled a different path.