‘Catalysts Sri Lanka’ launches programme aimed at promoting diversity, inclusion in corporate sector
The launch of Ignite Inclusion Initiative (III) aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion in the corporate sector in Sri Lanka and organised by ‘Catalysts Sri Lanka’ took place this week.
With the intention of the making the corporate sector to rethink, revisit, evolve and reinforce established processes addressing diversity and inclusion within their organisations, Professor Prabha Manuratne of the Department of English at the University of Kelaniya, Professor Hemamalie Gunatilaka of the faculty of Management Studies and Commerce at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and Dean of the Faculty Dr. Dushan Jayawickrama headed the launch. The event took place at the Monarch Imperial on January 30.
“We invite you all to share what we have with you and to see how we can come into your organisation and introduce this intervention in diversity and inclusion to make use of your human resource in a better manner.” Prof. Gunatilaka said. “If we are to develop an inclusive culture, it has to come through the mindset change of your human resource,” she added.
Labelling the task of changing mindsets as “one of the most difficult tasks under the sun,” Prof. Gunatilaka said, “nothing is impossible.” “We have given a start at the state universities, and we know that we can do it with you all at the corporate sector as well.” she says.
Elaborating further, Dr. Jayawickrama said: “Our effort here is to invite you all to think about how you can manage your human resource so that the technologydriven part of the organisation can be better dealt with. We have been able to train 17 national academics and administrative staff. They are now introducing this discussion at undergraduate and postgraduate level and staff development programmes.”
Topics discussed at the launch included subtle forms of diversity such as gender and sexuality, neurodiversity, multiple intelligences, body image, social networks, family connections, remote working and access to the digital world.
Our effort here is to invite you all to think about how you can manage your human resource so that the technology- driven part of the organisation can be better dealt with. We have been able to train 17 national academics and administrative staff. They are now introducing this discussion at undergraduate and postgraduate level and staff development programmes.”
"We need to recognise that each human being comes in different forms of intelligence, and we want to invite you to have a conversation about how these different intelligences and capacities can be harnessed for the betterment of your organisations and also of broader society in general," said Prof. Manuratne.
“Inclusion is slightly different from diversity. Diversity is where you recognise the differences between people and inclusion is creating organisations where the organisations accommodate those differences” she said.
While a cost is involved in the tailormade training program, III offers policy level thinking or policy preparation, measures the effectiveness of current programmes, researches current practices, changes the mindsets of the people about the diversity initiatives that have already been taken by the respective organization and educates the organisation as outsiders.
Executives of many leading organisations in Sri Lanka’s corporate sphere, industry leaders, heads of state institutions, and members of the clergy were present at the event.