Stop the Empty Talk: Real Action is Needed for Inclusion

The opening ceremony of the 2024 Paralympics included a profound statement that will resonate with most people who are different from the majority in some way. We live in a society that claims to be inclusive but continues to put up barriers even while saying this.

I cannot tell you how pleased I was to see this message being presented globally. Words are just not enough. Of course, words can help, and words to describe people should be respectful and in line with their wishes, but words alone do not bring change. No amount of words can help a wheelchair user climb a flight of stairs. No claims about awards won for inclusivity will make an office quieter for someone sensitive to noise. No carefully drafted policy statement will stop an interview panel from continually offering the job to others like them, regardless of the ability of the other candidates.

Words can signal intentions, and getting the words right is essential, but they are nothing without action. Increasingly, I see leaders in all areas of life seeming to think that if they say something it will just magically happen. If only that were true!

Inclusion means changing things and removing barriers that are holding people back. If you don’t know what these are, there is a very easy solution – ask those affected what they need. Most will happily tell you the main problems they face daily and how they could be addressed. Even more frustrating is that the solutions are often straightforward and inexpensive. The only thing preventing them from being put into place is the will of those with the authority to make them happen.

Talk really is cheap. We have heard so many pretty words from so many people, but it is still a very pleasant surprise when they are backed by actions that make a difference. It is trendy at the moment to embrace diversity and inclusion. Still, as usual, the main priority of many is to appear to be doing so while doing the minimum they can get away with.

So, if you are serious about inclusion, please listen to the message from Paris. Stop talking and start acting. Talking about inclusion at the same time as building more walls is not going to work anymore. We see you, and we want change.