HR Most Influential Award 2021

Acceptance Speech
HR Most Influential Thinking Award 2021
HR Magazine

What I would like to say is this.

For anybody who hasn’t seen what I do, hopefully it will make sense after today.

For anybody who has, then you know the vibe I’m talking about.

And one of the things I’m asked a lot is, ‘What gives me the energy to keep being so tenacious?’ 

So unflinchingly honest with what needs to change to ensure Black colleagues have equitable and equal opportunity.

It’s because I believe in Black liberation.

And what this means is that the humanity of people who look like me transcends business cases for organisations to decide whether or not they want to do something. 

Even though we might be a minority in the statistical sense we still have a voice, and we still deserve to work in organisations that value our humanity without us having to parade our trauma every day to get people to listen.

And I think HR has an amazing opportunity with the way in which the world is changing, whether that’s due to stakeholder capitalism, whether its because of mitigating the impact on the environment, or thinking about how we engage with communities differently. How we hold ourselves to account within a corporate governance capacity.

But it also means we need to do a lot of work within ourselves.

All I want to leave you with is the same question I had to ask myself before I started on this journey.

Shereen. What are you most afraid of?

So I would say to you. 

If you are frustrated with the lack of pace with change within your company, or the companies, you support, what are you most afraid of in using your voice to effect change?

Thank you so much.