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Inclusive practice
There are a number of terms we use that you need to be familiar with.
For more definitions of EDI-related terms, please see our glossary − The ABC of EDI
Access / accessibility
Facilities and services are usable by as many people as possible. It includes the extent to which a facility is readily approachable and usable by individuals with physical disabilities, such as self-opening doors, elevators for upper levels, or raised lettering on signs.
Making a website or mobile app accessible means making sure it can be used by as many people as possible. This includes those with impaired vision, motor difficulties, cognitive impairments or learning disabilities, deafness or impaired hearing.
[Source: UK Government (2022)]
Accommodate / accommodation
To change the environment, or the way things are customarily done, in order to enable an individual with a disability to have equal opportunity, access, and participation.
[Source: US Department of Labor (2022)]
Ally / allyship
Someone who works to ensure equal rights and opportunities for people from a marginalised community, although they do not identify as a member of this community.
Age discrimination / ageism
Treating someone unfavourably because of their actual or perceived age.
Anti-racism
Anti-racism involves practices (thoughts, actions, policies, etc.) that intentionally seek to counter and eliminate harm caused by racism and create racial equity.
Anti-racist organisation
An organisation that has committed to identifying and changing its role in the systemic accumulation of disadvantages for one group(s) to the advantage of another group(s), based on persisting racist beliefs, with a sustained focus on racism that impacts BIPOC.
Attitudinal barriers
Attitudes and behaviours that can lead to discrimination and stigmatisation and can deny people their potential and dignity.
Barriers
Physical, psychological, and social factors that prevent equality of opportunity, participation, and inclusion (e.g. in the workplace). These barriers can be real or perceived.
Colour blind / colour blindness
The racial ideology that posits the best way to end discrimination is by treating individuals as equally as possible, without regard to race, culture, or ethnicity. The term ‘colour blind’ de‐emphasises, or ignores, race and ethnicity, a large part of one’s identity.
Conscious inclusion
A deliberate and intentional practice of creating an inclusive environment that values diversity, equity, equality and the unique contributions of each person. It involves being aware of, and actively working to change, unconscious biases that can affect decision-making.
Culture
Shared attitudes, values, beliefs, practices, goals, aesthetic standards, linguistic expression, patterns of thinking, behavioural norms, and styles of communication which a group of people have developed to assure its survival in a particular environment and characterise a group.
Disability
A physical, mental, cognitive, or developmental condition that impairs, interferes with, or limits a person’s ability to engage in certain tasks or actions or participate in typical daily activities and interactions.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines disability as having the following three dimensions:
• Impairment in a person’s body structure or function, or mental functioning (e.g. loss of a limb, loss of vision, or memory loss).
• Activity limitation, such as difficulty seeing, hearing, walking, or problem solving.
• Participation restrictions in normal daily activities (e.g. working, engaging in social and recreational activities) and obtaining health care and preventive services.
Discrimination
The unequal treatment of members of various groups based on race, gender, social class, sexual orientation, physical ability, religion, national origin, age, physical/mental abilities, and other categories that may result in differences in provision of goods, services, or opportunities.
Diversity
The dimensions of human physiological, psychological, and social differences that make us who we are and influence the nature of social relations. Diversity is all-inclusive and supportive of the proposition that everyone and every group should be valued. It is about understanding these differences and moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of our differences. Fully engaging and benefiting from human diversity requires equitable conditions and a culture of inclusion.
Empathy
The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
Empowerment
The process of gaining freedom and power to do what you want or to control what happens to you. It is the degree of autonomy and self-determination in people and in communities, enabling them to represent their interests in a responsible and self-determined way, and act on their own authority. It is the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one's life and claiming one's rights.
Emotional intelligence (EI)
The ability to manage both your own emotions and understand the emotions of people around you. There are five key elements to EI: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills.
Equality
Ensuring that every individual has an equal opportunity to make the most of their lives and talents. It is also the belief that no one should have poorer life chances because of the way they were born, where they came from, what they believe, or whether they have a disability.
Equity
The assurance of conditions for optimal access and opportunity for all people, with particular focus on promoting policies, practices, and cultural messages that eliminate differential negative outcomes for people from historically marginalised and disadvantaged groups.
Gender-neutral facilities
Facilities (e.g. toilets) that people of any gender or gender identity may use and have their individual privacy respected. This could be implemented either as a single stall or multi-stall toilets.
Gender-neutral pronouns
Pronouns that do not designate gender that are used to show respect to individuals and groups whose gender identity is non-binary, non-conforming or fluid. Singular ‘they/them’ is considered grammatically correct and is the most commonly used gender-neutral pronoun.
Implicit bias
Negative associations expressed automatically that people unknowingly hold. Occurs when someone may stereotype or hold preconceived notions about other individuals based on personal or learned experiences.
Inclusion / inclusiveness
The practice or policy of ensuring equal opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalised, such as those having physical or intellectual disabilities or belonging to other minority groups.
Inclusive behaviour
Actions, language, and attitudes that create a welcoming and accepting environment for all individuals, regardless of their race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, physical ability, or any other characteristic.
Inclusive language
Language that acknowledges diversity, conveys respect to all people, is sensitive to differences, and promotes equal opportunities.
[Source: Linguistic Society of America]
Inclusive leadership
Leadership that assures that all community members feel they are treated respectfully and fairly, are valued and sense that they belong, and are confident and inspired.
Inclusive pronouns
Pronouns that do not designate gender that are used to show respect to individuals and groups whose gender identity is non-binary, non-conforming or fluid. Singular ‘they/them’ is considered grammatically correct and is the most commonly used inclusive pronoun.
Institutionalised racism
The implicit or explicit rules, regulations, policies, and practices within an organisation that discriminate against marginalised communities. For example, job applicants with dreadlocks are often seen as ‘unprofessional’ and are less likely to be hired because of their hairstyle.
Intersectionality
The intertwining of social identities such as gender, race, ethnicity, social class, religion, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity, which can result in unique experiences, opportunities, and barriers.
Institutional barriers
Policies, procedures, or situations that systematically disadvantage certain groups of people.
Intervention
An action taken to remove or reduce an observed inequality.
Marginalised / marginalisation
The process by which minority groups / cultures are excluded, ignored, or relegated to the outer edge of a group / society / community. A tactic used to devalue those that vary from the norm of the mainstream, sometimes to the point of denigrating them as deviant and regressive.
Neopronouns
Non-binary pronouns distinct from the commonly used pronouns she, he, and they. For example:
• Che/chim/chis/chimself
• E/Em/Eir/Eirs/Emself
• Per(person)/pers/perself
• Xe/hir/hirs/hirself
Neurodiversity
The concept that there is great diversity in how people’s brains are wired and work, and that neurological differences should be valued in the same way we value any other human variation.
Privilege
A social process that enables one to receive unearned rights, rewards, benefits, access, opportunities, and advantages conferred because of a dominant social group status and without regard to achievement. Privilege is often experienced unconsciously. For example, a physically able individual would be able to manage his or her day without concern for accessibility.
Protected characteristic
A social process that enables one to receive unearned rights, rewards, benefits, access, opportunities, and advantages conferred because of a dominant social group status and without regard to achievement. Privilege is often experienced unconsciously. For example, a physically able individual would be able to manage his or her day without concern for accessibility.
Psychological safety
Feeling safe to take interpersonal risks, to speak up, to disagree openly, to surface concerns without fear of negative repercussions or pressure to sugarcoat bad news.
Racism
The belief in the superiority of one race over another which results in discrimination and prejudice toward people because of their race or ethnicity combined with the power to discriminate against those thought to be inferior through systemic means.
Reasonable adjustment
Changes made to remove or reduce disadvantages for people with disabilities or health conditions.
Reverse mentoring
A mentoring programme where junior employees mentor senior leaders on topics of strategic and cultural relevance.
Safe space
A place or environment in which a person or category of people can feel confident that they will not be exposed to discrimination, criticism, harassment, or any other emotional or physical harm.
Sense of belonging
The subjective feeling of deep connection with social groups, physical places, and individual and collective experiences.
Spatial inclusion
The availability of space and mobility for disadvantaged people.
Stereotype
A cognitive bias that assumes individuals’ traits to apply to a larger social group. It can be positive or negative and is formulaic and oversimplified notion to predict certain aspects of an individual’s skills or behaviours.
Underrepresented groups
Communities or individuals who have limited representation and voice in the workplace and/or in society. This may include race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or low-income status.
Vulnerable groups
A population of people who are more likely to experience harm, discrimination, or disadvantage than others. This can be due to a number of factors, including physical circumstances (e.g. age, disability, or health), social factors (e.g. ethnic origin, gender, or LGBT+ identity), and economic factors (e.g. poverty or lack of housing).
Workplace culture
The regular attitudes and behaviours that feed into the atmosphere and performance of a workplace. A healthy workplace culture occurs when the organisation’s policies and ethos align with employees’ beliefs and behaviours, maintaining good performance and employee wellbeing.
Workplace inclusion / workplace inclusivity
The co-creation and continual nurturing of a culture in which all employees experience respect and belonging, and can contribute, influence, and thrive. Requires deliberate, conscious, and intentional action to ensure integration of many cultural backgrounds, ideas, perspectives, and approaches to the work.
