The FT is committed to championing diversity and equality as both an employer and a publisher. Inclusion in the workplace is so much more than policies, headcount and ticking boxes. It’s vital to the success of all organisations and their people. 

To mark National Inclusion Week in the UK (26 Sept-2 Oct) we’re hosting a series of staff events to celebrate diversity and inclusion in our global workplace. 

The sessions include:

We sat down with Yasir Mirza, our Global Head of D&I to find out more about the FT’s approach to inclusion and why at The FT we place such an emphasis on events such as National Inclusion Week.

Yasir, can you tell us about the FT’s approach to D&I and what that means for its people?

At the FT we have devised a comprehensive D&I strategy which aims to increase representation at all levels of the organisation and create an environment where everyone’s voice is heard and people are able to be their authentic selves. We believe that to be truly inclusive, we must take both a top-down and bottom-up approach. That’s why we work hard to ensure that every employee has the opportunity to help us become more diverse and inclusive at the FT. We recognize that in order to deliver a sustainable and meaningful D&I impact, our whole organisation needs to be clear about their role in delivering the FT's D&I goals.

Why are events such as Inclusion Week so important?

By holding staff events to mark inclusion week, we aim to shine a light on important topics and educate our employees on the ways they can do more to support inclusion in the workplace. This helps foster a shared sense of belonging through coming together to talk about these important topics. It is also a great way for people to mix socially with others from across the FT and forge relationships outside of their immediate teams. 

What does inclusion at the FT look like?

Inclusion at the FT will mean many different things to many different people. As an organisation we are trying to embrace these differences and create a space where everyone feels safe to be themselves and our benefits and culture are reflective of our team's needs. Inclusion is not an end state, it will be a continuous journey and one that is central to the FT’s continued growth and the wellbeing of our people. Diversifying our workforce allows us to better serve our readers, whilst inclusion enables our employees to express themselves freely and smash through traditional glass ceilings.

To find out more about the FT’s culture and D&I strategy, click here.