Chamber D&I Series
New Markets, New Voices: How Diversity Drives Business Outcomes
“The starting point for strategic inclusivity is treating it in the same way as any other business imperative, such as sales or customer experience.”
– Are You Missing Millions, PwC & the 30% Club
The business case for increasing diversity and inclusion (D&I) has been proven through numerous studies which demonstrate how strategic inclusivity can help companies to adapt their products and services to increase economic participation and reach new audiences. Yet as organisations respond to COVID-19, many are failing to realise these commercial benefits, with 27% of businesses surveyed saying they have put D&I initiatives ‘on hold’.
In the age of the digital workplace, technology can be a powerful enabler of increasing employee inclusion and engagement as well as reaching new customer markets. Yet in the UK there are more than 11 million people facing digital exclusion, which could see the UK economy missing out on £22 million by 2028. Globally, only 4% of businesses are making products or services that are inclusive of disability.
In this session, you’ll hear from our speakers on leading examples of product, technology and marketing strategies that help business to increase their bottom line and improve community outcomes for people with diverse backgrounds and needs.
Our panel will offer practical advice on how your business can use inclusivity to better meet the needs of your employees and customers as well as reach new audiences and increase market share.
With speakers:
Brenda Trenowden CBE, Former Global Chair, 30% Club
Sean Murphy, Digital Accessibility Manager, Telstra
Gagun Gahir, Diversity & Inclusion Lead, International Team, Telstra
Aus-UK Chamber Members- Complimentary
Guests and Non Members- Complimentary
About our speakers:
Brenda Trenowden CBE, CFA, CCMI, Partner, PwC, Former Global Chair, 30% Club,
Brenda Trenowden CBE, is a Partner in PwC UK within the Workforce Strategy and Culture consulting practice and the former Global Chair of the 30% Club. Brenda helps clients to improve business performance with a particular focus on diversity, inclusive culture and purpose. She is a strong advocate for women’s economic empowerment and has been recognised with several awards for her global campaigning for greater gender balance across organisations as a voluntary, business-led imperative.
Brenda is also an advisor to the UK Government’s Hampton-Alexander Review for increasing the representation of women in the executive level of the FTSE 350 and a companion of the Chartered Management Institute. In 2018 Brenda was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to the financial sector and gender equality.
Prior to joining PwC Brenda led the Financial Institutions Group in Europe for ANZ Bank, and was a member of their UK Management Board. Brenda is a non-Executive Director on the England and Wales Cricket Board and also a Trustee for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, and a Trustee for the Women’s Prize trust.
Sean Murphy, Digital Accessibility Manager, Telstra
Sean Murphy is a part of the Telstra Consumer and small Business organisation and is the lead of the Accessibility team. He lives in Sydney Australia, married with two beautiful girls.
Sean is a member of the Global Leadership council for International Association for Accessibility Professionals (IAAP); on the Expert Reference Group for the Australian Human Rights Commission “Future Technology” project focusing on AI ethics, leveraging his Accessibility and disability extensive knowledge; and is Director of the Digital Gap Initiative NGO Advocating for laws, standards and social Strategies for accessibility and inclusion for all in the digital age.
Sean is a role model through his ‘can-do’ attitude which inspires others in their daily life. If a barrier is found, he always seeks and finds a solution. A quote from one of Sean’s many presentations sums his attitude up nicely – “don’t look at me differently, rather look at the similarities between us”.
Gagun Gahir, Regional Manager for Carrier Voice Services EMEA & Americas, and Diversity & Inclusion Lead International Team, Telstra
Gagun Gahir is the Regional Manager for Carrier Voice Services at Telstra, overseeing its EMEA and Americas account management teams.
Gagun is an ambassador for Telstra’s Agile ways of working. She has defined and executed initiatives to drive profitable growth, working outside the four corners of her role on broader projects including our T22 transformation as well as representing EMEA with our CEO leadership team.
Along with her Regional Manager remit, Gagun is the lead for Diversity and Inclusion in our International Sales and Services business.
With thanks to our Gold Partner and Sponsor
