"I thought we were a diverse organisation… until we looked at the data."
These are the words of a senior executive at an international organisation. She had always believed her company to be open and inclusive, but the reality was far more complex. Diversity alone is not enough. Without inclusive structures, differences become invisible. This is where the transformation begins…
3/7/20251 min read
“I thought we were a diverse organisation… until we looked at the data.” That was the honest and direct statement that marked the beginning of a deep transformation.
It came from a senior executive at an international organisation operating in more than twenty countries. For years, they had worked to build multicultural teams, signed equity charters, and organised commemorative events around diversity. From the outside, the organisation appeared exemplary. From the inside, something was missing.
The turning point came when they decided to carry out an internal audit in collaboration with OneWave. The goal was to thoroughly assess whether their inclusion practices were truly making a positive impact. The findings were revealing. Racialised employees were underrepresented in decision-making spaces. The number of women in middle management roles was relatively high, but dropped significantly at the top levels. Employees with disabilities reported invisible barriers that limited their effective participation. And internal surveys showed that many staff felt they had to “fit in” rather than feel valued for who they were.
It was then that an uncomfortable truth became clear: diversity alone does not guarantee inclusion. Having diverse profiles on paper does not mean that every voice is heard or that every career can flourish.
With OneWave’s support, the organisation began a structural transformation. Recruitment and promotion processes were reviewed. Inclusive mentoring programmes were introduced. Safe spaces were created to share experiences and suggest improvements. Executive teams received training on unconscious bias, and a system of indicators was established to monitor the real progress of each action.
Months later, the same executive offered a new reflection:
“Now I know that being a diverse organisation is a starting point, not the destination. Inclusion is something we build every day, through bold decisions and a willingness to question what we once took for granted.”
This story reminds us that diversity is not enough unless it is backed by systems that sustain it and help it grow.
At OneWave, we support organisations that are ready to look beyond appearances and build truly inclusive cultures from within.
