At a time when diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is facing both momentum and resistance across industries, Sheree Atcheson–a leading advocate for inclusive leadership–recently delivered a powerful IMI Mini-Masterclass focusing on what real inclusion looks like, why privilege is nuanced and how organisations can move from awareness to action.

Drawing on her lived experience and expertise, Sheree challenged leaders to rethink how they embed inclusion into everyday decision-making, ensuring that businesses don’t just talk about DEI but actively integrate it into their strategies, leadership and culture.

Sheree Atcheson. Source: shereeatcheson.com

The Hidden Impact of Bias and Exclusion

Sheree began by emphasising the nuanced nature of exclusion in modern workplaces and the often-invisible nature of bias. Bias, both implicit and explicit, can significantly impact decision-making processes, often in ways not immediately apparent. “Bias isn’t always overt,” Sheree explained, “but it shows up in subtle ways—like exclusion in meetings or unequal access to career advancement.”  To create truly inclusive environments, leaders must actively seek out and address these biases, which can manifest in all areas, from hiring to decision-making. Leaders must recognise these biases and actively work to mitigate them.

Privilege and Intersectionality: Understanding the Bigger Picture

Sheree delved into the concept of privilege and intersectionality. Privilege is often framed as an all-or-nothing concept, but Sheree made it clear: privilege is contextual. Reflecting on her experiences of being born in Sri Lanka, adopted into an Irish working-class family, and growing up as the only Person of Colour in a rural Northern Irish town, Sheree spoke candidly about how privilege manifests in different ways across various aspects of life—be it race, gender, socioeconomic status or even neurodiversity.

“Privilege doesn’t always look the same for everyone,” she reflected, emphasising that understanding intersectionality—how different aspects of identity overlap—is critical for creating truly inclusive cultures. She encouraged leaders to engage with these topics deeply, recognising how privilege can shape experiences within the workplace and beyond.

Other ways that privilege can manifest in the workplace include:

• Accent bias – how the way we speak influences perceptions of competence.
• Financial security – the freedom to take career risks others cannot afford.
• Networking opportunities – access to influential professional circles.
• Visa and work permit barriers – hidden obstacles for international talent.

Actionable Insight: Leaders must actively engage with and educate themselves on issues of privilege and intersectionality, integrating these lessons into team-building and policy-making processes. Recognise the invisible privileges at play within teams and leadership structures. Success isn’t just about effort—it’s also about access.

Equality vs. Equity: Going Beyond Surface-Level Solutions

Sheree challenged the common notion of “equality” and raised the concept of “equity,” which she believes is crucial to achieving real inclusion. “Equality says treat everyone the same; equity says recognise the different needs people have,” she noted, including the specific challenges or structural issues they face.

Too often, organisations focus on treating everyone the same without recognising that people start from different places. Organisations should move beyond surface-level equality initiatives and focus on creating an equitable environment where all employees have the tools, opportunities and support they need to succeed, noted Sheree.  Leaders must focus on providing individuals with the resources and opportunities that are appropriate for their unique circumstances—whether that’s access to mentorship, equitable salary policies or tailored professional development.

Actionable Insight: Leaders should assess their processes for fairness, ensuring that everyone has the tools to succeed, regardless of their starting point. Ensure policies actively reduce systemic inequalities, not just acknowledge them.

Gender Imbalance in Tech: A Call for Change

Drawing attention to the gender disparity in tech, Sheree highlighted the staggering statistics surrounding the high attrition rate of women in tech roles. She attributed this to several factors, including a lack of inclusive leadership and support systems within organisations “The tech sector is notorious for its lack of support for women,” she said. Addressing this imbalance isn’t just about recruitment—it’s about taking intentional actions to create environments where women feel valued, supported and empowered to rise to leadership positions. Access to leadership development opportunities, mentorship and seeing visible role models in senior positions are key to creating this environment where people want to stay and grow.

Sheree challenged organisations across all industries to ask:

• Do our policies protect and empower employees in marginalised groups?
• Are we tracking who is leaving—and why?
• Are our promotion structures truly inclusive, or do biases shape career progression?

Actionable Insight: Build supportive ecosystems within tech teams to retain women and diverse talent by offering mentorship programs, transparent career paths and inclusive policies. DEI is not just about recruitment—it’s about retention. Companies must actively measure and address why underrepresented employees leave.

Building Safe Spaces for LGBTQ+ Employees

Sheree also brought attention to the struggles faced by LGBTQ+ employees, particularly the emotional labour of hiding one’s identity out of fear of discrimination. “We need to create spaces where people don’t have to constantly worry about being their true selves,” she said, calling for organisations to build environments where all employees—regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity—feel safe, supported and celebrated. This includes creating policies and practices that promote inclusivity, such as gender-neutral language and visible LGBTQ+ representation in leadership.

Actionable Insight: Implement policies such as gender-neutral language, LGBTQ+ training, and visibly inclusive leadership to promote a culture of openness.

Inclusive Leadership: A Shared Responsibility

A major takeaway from the session was Sheree’s perspective on the responsibility of inclusive leadership, which extends beyond just top-level executives. “Leadership has to stand up, speak up, and commit to action,” she said, “but inclusion doesn’t stop there. Every person has a role to play.”

Leaders must set the tone, but it is just as important for managers and employees to embed empathy and inclusivity in their everyday work. Every member of the organisation has a part to play. While leadership must actively champion diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) by setting clear goals, committing to actions and holding themselves accountable, the collective effort of everyone is crucial in creating sustainable and inclusive cultures. This includes how individuals can challenge bias—especially when it’s unintentional or when leaders fail to take action.

Sheree shared strategies for:

• Calling out bias constructively – framing concerns in a way that invites conversation rather than defensiveness.
• Using collective voices – when managers ignore exclusionary practices, numbers matter. Team members can back each other up to push for change.
• Leveraging data – tracking trends in promotions, pay, and retention to make an objective case for inclusion.

Actionable Insight: Create organisational structures that allow all employees to contribute to DEI efforts, not just those in leadership roles. Everyone has a role to play in fostering inclusion. Challenging bias must be a shared responsibility.

The Future of DEI: Navigating Global Unrest and Political Shifts

With global political climates becoming more polarised, Sheree acknowledged the challenges that DEI efforts may face in the next decade. Particularly in the U.S., where the rhetoric around DEI has fluctuated significantly, a shifting political climate has already started to impact corporate DEI policies.

Despite these challenges Sheree remained optimistic, noting that while language may evolve, the fundamental work of inclusion and equity will remain constant. She highlighted the resilience of companies that are steadfast in their DEI commitments, even in the face of growing pushback from certain corners.

“We may see a peak and trough effect,” Sheree predicted, “but the work itself isn’t changing—it’s about making processes fairer for everyone.”

Actionable Insight: Stay committed to DEI goals, even in times of political pushback, by framing DEI as a business imperative–and not a trend.

The Business Case for DEI

One of the most compelling arguments Sheree made was the undeniable link between DEI and business success. “When we have diverse perspectives in the room, we make better decisions,” she explained, referencing research that demonstrates how diverse teams outperform their homogenous counterparts. DEI is not just about compliance; it’s a strategic business asset for growth and innovation. For example, products and services must be designed with all users in mind, including those with disabilities or from diverse backgrounds. In a skills-driven economy, organisations that don’t embrace diversity limit their talent pools– organisations need to attract and retain diverse talent to stay competitive.

Sheree also discussed the increasing legal requirements for companies to report on DEI efforts, particularly in Europe. For many organisations, DEI is not just a “nice-to-have” but a legal and moral obligation–regulation like the UK Equality Act, EU Accessibility Act and other anti-discrimination laws mandate fair policies and reporting requirements. Ignoring DEI can lead to legal liability, reputational damage, and regulatory fines. Sheree stressed that companies need to be proactive in aligning their practices with evolving legislation, ensuring that they foster an inclusive environment for all employees.

Actionable Insight: Leaders should measure DEI’s impact not just in terms of societal benefit but also business outcomes—such as innovation, employee retention and customer satisfaction.

Moving from Awareness to Action

Sheree’s Mini-Masterclass emphasised that understanding DEI issues is just the first step—leaders must move from awareness to tangible actions. “It’s about challenging biases, creating transparent systems for growth, and making sure that everyone has a seat at the table,” she concluded.

Sheree’s Mini-Masterclass was a call to action: DEI must be more than a corporate buzzword.

• Leaders must set the vision—but also back it up with action.
• Managers must translate inclusion into everyday decisions—from hiring to promotions.
• Employees must cultivate empathy and challenge bias—even when it’s uncomfortable.

While the US has seen a shift away from DEI in some sectors, the evidence remains clear—diverse and inclusive teams consistently outperform their counterparts, driving innovation, engagement and long-term success. At IMI, we believe DEI should never be a tick-box exercise but an embedded cultural practice that shapes how organisations operate at every level. True inclusion isn’t about mere compliance; it’s about building high-performing teams, fostering innovation and ensuring that every individual has the opportunity to thrive.

IMI’s Inclusive Leadership short programme is designed to equip leaders with the tools and strategies to embed inclusivity into their leadership approach, ensuring that DEI is not just a policy, but a core part of organisational culture.

While the rhetoric around DEI may evolve, the core work remains the same—building workplaces that work for everyone, with the role of inclusive leadership becoming more critical for high-performance, innovation and long-term success as the world continues to evolve.