Chris Gibbons is the Director of Inside Inclusion.
We worked closely with Chris from day one, with his help we built a fantastic relationship with Chelsea Football Club.
Although he has moved on he has a special place in the heart of Chelsea Pride.
Some wise words from Chris.
What do we mean when we talk about diversity, equality and inclusion?
We use and hear these terms all day, every day - but do we really know what they mean?
Diversity means acknowledging the differences in us all; whether it’s our gender, faith, our sexual orientation, politics, hair or skin colour – the list is endless - we're all different. Some of our diversity is visible, some of it we can’t see. And our diversity can change: for example, we can go from being non-disabled to disabled; or the way we talk about our gender identity might change. We can’t assume to know everything about someone just by looking at them. Diversity is more complex than that.
Equality is about giving everyone access to opportunities and creating a level playing field for all. But just because we provide opportunities, and say they’re “open to everyone”, we can’t assume that everyone will necessarily feel that they can get involved or take part. Some people might feel that, because of their identity or assumptions made about their identity, they wouldn’t be welcome or that they might experience discrimination.
Inclusion means moving beyond this. It means not just acknowledging diversity, but valuing and celebrating it. It’s about recognising that diversity is good for us, our communities and for wider society. It helps businesses thrive and helps us understanding more about the world around us. And inclusion is about listening to people’s experiences, understanding the barriers they face and working together to remove those barriers, so that everyone can feel free to take part free from fear of exclusion or discrimination.
