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Seeing Beyond the Numbers

Irina Crocker – ED&I professional trainer

JBS Training & Consulting is very proud to introduce to you our new trainer, Irina Crocker who will pioneer our first programme of a new cohort of training subjects in the areas of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. (E.D&I)

Despite being visually impaired, Irina has developed a highly successful career as a Broker and Health Account Manager with Medihelp International. Irina has joined JBS Training to develop applied workshops that will raise awareness among banks and financial institutions of the benefits that can be achieved for the organization, by engaging directly with a diverse client base and workforce.

Irina recently completed the introductory course on Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace, a prestigious learning program offered by ESSEC Business School Leadership and Diversity Chair. Additionally, she takes immense pride in being a member of the Paralympic Romanian Archery Team, currently pursuing participation in the World Championships.

An award-winning public speaker and a prominent ambassador for the blind community, Irina is committed to challenging people’s perceptions by creating awareness about how disabilities can be transformed into veritable assets. She possesses exceptional sales and fundraising skills, thriving in individual tasks as well as collaborative endeavours, as proven by her work experience.

Independence is a core value for Irina, facilitated by the unwavering support of her guide dog – Clifford. She firmly believes in the positive impact of equality, diversity, and inclusion, her traceable records of training delivery stand proof of how these values enhanced innovation, productivity, performance, and overall workforce well-being.

Why are E.D&I issues important for the Financial Sector?

Having a diverse workforce in banking and finance yields numerous advantages, while greater emphasis on internal inclusivity, transforms recruitment practices. Banking firms are increasingly establishing policies to cultivate a diverse workforce, recognizing that diversity benefits go beyond morality and legality. Varied backgrounds within a team result in a broader range of perspectives and ideas, enhancing innovation. Employees who relate to diverse clients can effectively sell services and identify new needs, driving product development for a broader customer base.

Current Status

According to PwC’s Global E.D&I Data from July 2022, based on a survey encompassing over 6,000 responses across 52+ countries and 26+ industries, there’s a noteworthy emphasis on the necessity of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) policies within the financial services sector. While many financial organizations have publicly proclaimed their commitment to E.D&I, the challenge lies in translating these strategies into practical implementation and gauging their impact on the employee experience.

The survey revealed that even though 78% of these organizations acknowledge E.D&I as a stated value or priority, a significant 34% of respondents feel that their own diversity acts as a barrier to their advancement within the organization. Moreover, the maturity of E.D&I programs appears limited, with only 6% of the surveyed financial entities achieving the highest level of maturity across the four dimensions of PwC’s E.D&I maturity model: understanding current realities, building a strategic vision, involving leadership, and implementing sustainable change.

The goals of E.D&I programs in the financial services sector vary, with 48% focusing on talent attraction and retention, 17% aiming to achieve business outcomes, and 15% enhancing external reputation. Interestingly, only 21% of surveyed organizations have implemented a dedicated E.D&I leader position at the peer level of the C-Suite. This structure, however, appears to correlate with better outcomes in organizations where diversity is not seen as a hindrance to progression.

Accountability for E.D&I outcomes is highlighted as a driver of success. However, only 32% of surveyed financial organizations assign specific E.D&I goals to their leaders, and merely a quarter measure progress toward these goals. Additionally, training efforts tend to concentrate on non-discrimination, regulatory compliance, embracing differences, and addressing unconscious bias, with only 32% expanding training to incorporate inclusive behaviours in leadership.

Affinity groups or resource networks are prevalent in the sector, with 82% of organizations having them. Yet, these groups are mainly utilized for executing programs rather than informing decision-making or shaping business priorities. Lastly, while employee demographics such as gender are frequently tracked, fewer organizations measure compensation, performance, or promotion discrepancies linked to these attributes, highlighting the need for more comprehensive data-driven approaches to create lasting change.

Key Takeaways:

  • Research by McKinsey reveals that gender-diverse companies are 15% more likely to outperform, while ethnically diverse companies are 35% more likely to outperform, emphasizing the revenue-boosting potential of diverse workforces.
  • Banks must align their workforce diversity with their customer base diversity to comprehend and fulfill customer needs effectively, various statistics showing that 90% of consumer spending is in the hands of women, while lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities also hold a large buying power.
  • Strong diversity policies in major banks like HSBC, Barclays, Bank of America, and Santander can yield bottom-line benefits by attracting talent, fostering innovation, and opening doors to profitable new markets.

Seeing Beyond the Numbers – Inclusive and Diverse Finance Training

Target Audience: Senior Bank Management

Audience Level: Advanced

Duration: 1 day – six hours of training

Delivery: In class

Irina has already developed a number of highly successful training workshops with banks which have allowed senior members of the respective organisations to understand how targeting clients with physical impairment, not only improves the Bank’s brand but allows a financial institution to develop a new client niche that has been until recently, overlooked. Through a series of highly applied workshops banking executives can develop their awareness of the benefits that can be achieved by engaging with a loyal and diverse client base and workforce. Below is a generic example of the workshops that Irina delivers. JBS Training can of course tailor each individual course, to their clients’ specific training needs.

Course Overview & Objective: To foster a culture of diversity and inclusion within the banking sector, leading to healthy, vibrant organizations that thrive in the long term and perform in the short term. By implementing this one-day training, the banking sector can cultivate a more inclusive environment, enabling organizations to benefit from the diverse perspectives and talents of their employees while ensuring long-term success and building trust with diverse communities.

What Makes This Course Different: interactive and engaging teaching methods used to maximize participant engagement, real-life examples, and recommendations for further learning and development in diversity and inclusion.  

DAY 1 – AM

Session 1Blindfolded Experiential Learning Exercise (2 hour + half hour coffee break)

A blindfolded experiential learning exercise facilitated by a blind person., allowing participants to experience firsthand the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and promote empathy, understanding, and the need for inclusivity.

Session 2 Introduction and Benefits of Diversity & Inclusion(1 and a half hours)

  • Share personal experience and challenges encountered when interacting with different banks.
  • Demonstrate the huge‘costs’ of disregarding E.D&I practices – provide an example.
  • Highlight the benefits of E.D&I practices in the Financial Sector:
  • a wider array of viewpoints, experiences, and opinions;
  • attracting a more diverse talent pool;
  • fostering a deeper understanding of diverse customer segments, leading to better products and services tailored to their needs and preferences;
  • stimulating business innovation;
  • higher-quality decisions demonstrated through cognitive diversity;
  • overall business performance & enhanced overall reputation.

Lunch break

DAY 1 – PM

Session 3Unconscious Bias Awareness & Constructive Debating Exercise (1 and a half hours)

Prior to the training, participants will be asked to take the Harvard Implicit Association testto understand their implicit biases – recognizing unconscious biases is about observing what makes us uncomfortable. Form debating teams and assign opposing themes related to diversity and inclusion. Teams will engage in a constructive debate, challenging their own biases and assumptions, and presenting arguments supporting their assigned theme. This exercise will encourage critical thinking, self-reflection, and open dialogue about biases and stereotypes.

Session 4: Conclusions (1 hour)

  • Conclude the training day by summarizing key learnings and insights.
  • Provide an opportunity for participants to express their opinions, share their personal experiences, and ask questions.
  • Encourage participants to reflect on how they can actively contribute to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture within their respective organizations.

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JBA Training offers:

  • tailored, technical and soft skills training services to banks and finance companies
  • face to face or online training programmes
  • wide geographical spread for delivering courses across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Far East

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