How We Can Help

Our organization underwent dramatic growth after two major acquisitions, growing from 7,000 to 25,000 employees across 60 nations. This rapid expansion added even greater complexity to our mission to cultivate diversity, equity, and inclusion.

As we built out our colleague community networks and listened more closely to our underrepresented groups we realized that we needed to dig deeper and work not just on outcomes such as increasing representation but also to tackle the barriers and enablers to address systemic racism and identify and remove any fundamental inequalities within the company.

We needed to understand more about systemic racism on a global level in order to address the unique complexities in each region, particularly Brazil, Europe, and Africa rather than a focus on a US-centric approach.

Recognizing this challenge, we enlisted HR rewired to help us develop a globally conscious strategy acknowledging that there isn't a 'one-size-fits-all' solution for improving the experiences of Black and Brown employees worldwide.

They led three global listening sessions, bringing to light the distinctive challenges faced by our Black colleagues globally. They also held several feedback sessions with key stakeholders, highlighting the unique Black experience and identifying areas that needed more attention.

They also delivered a keynote address that illuminated the subtleties of systemic racism from a global viewpoint. Their efforts and summary recommendations not only deepened our collective understanding of racism but also ignited a commitment to address and rectify these issues within our organization.

Their work has provided us with the insight and tools we needed to develop a more globally inclusive culture and we look forward to building on this work to achieve our business and people ambitions.

Stuart Maxwell, VP, Talent and Inclusion

https://www.iff.com/

We reached out to HR rewired regarding a piece of work we were doing on our Race, Ethnicity & Cultural (REACH) agenda.

At Vodafone UK, we were specifically interested in understanding the experiences of our Black colleagues and career progression.

We wanted our approach to be authentic and meaningful, and to ensure we were offering a psychologically safe environment for colleagues to be honest. HR rewired was our first choice!

HR rewired ran the listening sessions professionally and effectively. They partnered well with our Black Professionals Network, ensuring there was many opportunities for colleagues to feedback.

The outputs of the sessions were incredibly useful – thorough and well-presented, with a clear understanding of our business, and Shereen and the team were a joy to work with.

The recommendations are still being used today, forming a useful evidence base to advise on next steps across the business – pertaining to career progression and other areas too.

Kaammini Chanrai, Diversity & Inclusion Manager

https://www.vodafone.com/

HGF Limited worked with HR rewired as part of our inclusion journey, in particular anti-racism. They met us where we were on that journey at an early stage and walked us through the steps we needed to take. We spoke to various other businesses before meeting with HR rewired, deciding to work together because of their experience, skill, creativity, and innovative approach.

The one-to-one and safe space conversations with our leadership team and black colleagues were facilitated with sensitivity by the skilled HR rewired team in a way that enabled everyone to be able to be honest about their individual experiences in the workplace.

The summary feedback we had was honest but anonymous (to protect the safe space ethos) along with an appraisal of the next steps. Key areas for the leadership team to consider were highlighted, as were suggestions of immediate actions to take. Shereen personally took the DEI team through the summary before it was presented to the Board so we fully understood what was being presented.

HR rewired continue to support us through regular catch-up sessions to make sure we are on track with our anti-racism journey as a business.

Overall it’s been a pleasure working with HR rewired, everyone we’ve worked with has been experienced, professional and friendly. We look forward to continuing our journey with them in the future.

Claire Johnson, Head of D&I https://www.hgf.com/

“Working with HR rewired has positively impacted our company culture and our aim to achieve equity in the workplace. At Totaljobs Group, we strive to create an environment in which our employees bring their whole selves to work, without compromise; but we know this takes consistent work. Defining the meaning of equity, and understanding how equitable our own workplace truly is, has been a key step in the process for us and Shereen’s guidance and input has been instrumental.

Shereen is remarkably direct and uncompromising, whilst at the same time enabling and encouraging. This means she achieves traction with stakeholders at every level, and helps unlock the often uncomfortable truths that have to be accepted and dealt with as part of any cultural shift. We feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with her”

Jon Wilson, CEO

We have worked with the HR rewired team since July 2022. Shereen has been instrumental in shaping and supporting our journey towards becoming an anti-racist organization underpinning our strategic focus on improving health inequalities, starting with the risks for black men.

Shereen has built a strong and collaborative relationship between myself (CEO) and People Director and has taken the time to understand the organisation and where we are at. Creating conversations that build awareness about anti-racism and racial equity and driving actions as a result of this.

Shereen provides appropriate challenge and guidance, always keeping the focus on anti-racism despite a natural pull to move this into a broader inclusion narrative. Shereen has also provided practical ideas, thoughts, and tools to support our journey.

As a result, we have achieved the following over the last 12 months: -

• Explored our focus on health inequality and anti – racism through rigorous analysis to understand fully our leadership and organisational gaps.

• Shaped a strategic plan to address that gap focusing on our influencing position, the challenges we face and realistic goals over the next 3-5 years.

• Set up a pan charity accountable group to drive action and hold all colleagues to account.

• Started to shape our health inequality and anti racism narrative working towards external public commitments by October 23

• Started to shape a broader colleague engagement programme that builds understanding, confidence and skills to drive our strategy forward.

• Partnered with HR Rewired on the Advancing Racial Equity Conference 2023 – a brilliant opportunity for the charity to further its visibility as a champion for black mens health and for us to hear more from the Black community.

Shereen is always clear which areas of this work are appropriate for her team to support on and where we may find it more appropriate to work with a different partner to ensure we are realising value and impact. Many colleagues find Shereen inspirational, and she is a strong role model and charismatic speaker.

Laura Kerby, CEO

https://prostatecanceruk.org/

“HR rewired has helped our senior managers to develop a better understanding of how racism shows up in the workplace and provided practical ways to create a more equitable and inclusive environment.

Having positioned inclusivity as one of our key values and heard from our staff that they wanted to concentrate on racial equity, we became aware that the steps we were taking to support this were not having the effects we were expecting. We approached HR rewired to audit the actions we had taken and to get a better understanding of what our Global Majority staff and line managers needed.

The effects were remarkable, Shereen Daniels and her colleagues were able to clear away the distractions so that we could focus on what really matters: centring the experience of and needs of the people who are most impacted by racism.

The all-staff dialogue session led by HR rewired following the review created a groundwork of understanding and because our senior managers have shown they will be accountable, we are finding that colleagues are ready to challenge us, highlighting areas for improvement both within their teams and looking out at the work they do. This is a very exciting place to be.”

Sarah Ricks, Administration & Finance Officer

“HR rewired provided a safe environment for an open and honest discussion about race and racism in our industry, and society broadly, in a non-confrontational way, bringing real lived experience that was relatable. The group of leading Executives and Chairs from across the industry were engaged and eager to contribute thoughts and ask questions.

Shereen was, in one participant’s words, ‘just brilliant’. She remained unphased and non-judgemental and it was an excellent opportunity to open the conversation on race and what each person’s responsibility is in addressing the current situation. HR rewired’s continued involvement and support is helping us to shape our actions and accelerate change.”

Annamarie Phelps, Chair

“From inception and our initial conversation to the after program debriefs and follow ups, the team exuded confidence that was matched by their knowledge, experience, expertise and, most importantly, delivery.

I was conscious about the emotional scale of the work and my responsibility to colleagues who would be sharing very personal and painful experiences from their lives with the whole organisation.

However, I was reassured by the support and guidance provided by the HR rewired team consistently through the entirety of the work. The event was a psychologically safe place where colleagues could be vulnerable and openly shared their experiences.

Now we’ve done the listening and hearing, it’s time for action!”

Zenith McIntyre-Allen, Senior Analyst