A secret ingredient for a healthy, happy festive season ??

Hey inclusion enthusiast,

As the year draws to a close I wish you happiness and a healthy sprinkling of the special ingredient you'll find in the Event section below. Take care of yourself, see you in January 2025 - and before then, feel free to drop me a line to let me know what the festive period holds in store for you!

Happy holidays,

Tamara?

ONE THING TO THINK ABOUT

Upskilling leaders in 2025

At the recent DEI Changemakers conference Taz Latif gave her take on Europe's key DEI challenges in 2025. One was how to navigate intersectionality and address stakeholders' diverse needs in our increasingly divided society without triggering all-out conflict.?

Here are her suggestions:

1?? Invest in conflict resolution training for leaders. Why? Because if we want to make progress we cannot simply avoid touching divisive topics. The trick to managing this successfully is to empower leaders to have open conversations with their teams, engage with diverse needs, and effectively address any interpersonal conflict that arises on account of different viewpoints. Discomfort is generally not fun, but it is vital to our ability to learn and grow. More information on this here.

2?? Use employee resource groups (ERGs) to connect staff, provide a safer space for conversations on difficult topics, and build bottom-up solutions that can bridge divides.?

On a side note, it was great to see Europe-specific data brought up at a global conference. This is a gap I see all too often, and something that my clients frequently raise as a problem. That's why I've been working hard this year on a project to collate Europe-focused research on gender and intersectionality. I look forward to sharing more early next year ????

ONE ARTICLE?TO INSPIRE ACTION

Paralympians are not superheroes

Think you've seen this before? That's right, you have!

Recently I wrote a short piece for the newsletter, and the Legal Diversity & Inclusion Alliance (LDIA) commissioned a longer version for the 2024 edition of their magazine.?Read the full article about Paralympians here on page 38.

On a side note, it's been a privilege to collaborate with Kathleen M. (Kat) Van Nuffel and contribute to LDIA's publication for the second year in a row. Thank you for your trust! If you want to revisit last year's article 'Trust as the cornerstone of DEI' you can find it on page 11.

ONE EVENT TO DEEPEN UNDERSTANDING

Take time for yourself

What a year it's been, eh? As it comes to a close, my hope is that you can take some time to do something that brings you joy and rest.?

Maybe that means spending an evening with close friends. Maybe it's taking a walk while listening to a playlist of your favourite songs. Maybe it's finding a cosy spot to sit and look out the window for 10 minutes, watching the rain fall.

Take time for yourself. Savour your peace. Recharge your batteries. If 2025 is anything like 2024 you're going to need it ??

KAZURI NEWS

What we've been up to

• Last week I attended a conference on how we can ensure the EU's AI Act is implemented in ways that uphold human rights and anti-discrimination principles. When I mentioned the event in this newsletter a few months ago there was quite some interest - so here's my summary with key takeaways.?

• It's been a busy Board period. At The Brussels Binder der we just voted in new Board members who brings clear vision and commitment to our aims. I'm looking forward to starting my second year on this Board - and also to joining the Board of a vibrant NGO in the Finance sector in January ????

That's all for this month - I'll be back soon with more practical insights and tips about inclusion. Until then, feel free to reach out here on LinkedIn or via email to [email protected]. And sign up here if you'd like to get this newsletter directly in your inbox!