After a year of protests that spotlighted the contentious racial divide in America, it is encouraging that the Black Lives Matter movement has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. It demonstrates that perhaps some forward progress is being made on racial equality and social justice, albeit painfully slow. Nonetheless, there is still much work to be done to end systemic racism in our nation and in our world.

In the tech sector, this work is ongoing, and in many cases, the road to meaningful and lasting results is long. Many tech companies have taken up the mantle of promoting social justice and corporate allyship in response to the social unrest and massive protests, and that is a positive step forward. However, the leaders of these companies are often challenged to expand their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts beyond “talking the talk.” It is one thing to say all the right things; it is another to “walk the talk” in a way that drives meaningful action and cultivates an internal culture that reflects the messages these companies are conveying to the outside.

The Dangers of Performative Allyship

This is often referred to as “performative allyship” — an organization outwardly condemns racism, yet continues to perpetuate its practices internally. In other words, the company appears to be passionate about ending social injustice and racism on the outside, but on the inside, very little is being done to foster a genuinely inclusive and equitable workplace.

However, performative allyship can have dangerous consequences. For one, it can create a false social perception, which may engender mistrust in the brand and disrespect among clients. In addition, underrepresented or marginalized employees may feel resentful or disrespected if they see the company making statements that make them “look good” for their customers, but not following through on providing internal support. These feelings can cause dissension among employees, and even lead to higher rates of turnover.

DEI is a delicate dance. Business leaders are constantly forced to walk a tight line — showing care, honor and respect for a movement among marginalized groups of employees, while also trying to avoid alienating their business partners for fear their efforts will be politicized. This is especially true in the tech sector, where there is a greater focus on productivity than instilling a sense of belonging.

Dialing in DEI 

To be clear, there’s no blame here. We are all still finding our way in this “new normal.” In DEI, there is no “perfect” response or action to address systemic racism. However, there are actions we can take to do better.

Of course, one is joining and signing the Anti-Racism in Tech Pact, which aims to dismantle systems of inequality in tech by 2025. Since WTIA launched the Pact in November, more than 70 companies have signed it, signaling their commitment to transform industry recruiting and hiring practices, eradicate racial bias in the workplace, and make sure organizational structures mirror the demographics of the locations in which they operate — including the board of directors, management and all employees. 

Another way to take action is by taking a proactive approach to DEI, regardless of where your company is in its life cycle. You can determine what your company’s culture and voice relative to social justice will be from this point forward, regardless of what it has been in the past. As you start to build, or rebuild, your corporate allyship programs, consider how you are going to live the intention of DEI within your organization and weave those ideals into every facet of it: Your brand, your culture, your hiring and promotion practices, your compensation, benefits and employee recognition programs. 

Ideally, your DEI vision should be well-articulated and inherent in everything you do within your organization. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, including your employees, external partners or the public. And if and when the time comes and some external event does happen, you and your employees will already be living and breathing your values. So if you feel compelled to have a voice about social or racial inequity, it comes across as authentic because it is already part of the fabric of your organization and everything it stands for.

The key to successfully implementing DEI within your organization is to reimagine what DEI innovation looks like — unorthodox methods to enable the advancement of equitable practices. Get clear on who you are and what your company and employees represent, and what your voice is around social injustice inside the walls of your organization and in the greater community beyond them. Stop overthinking who you might offend, and be transparent about the work that needs to be done. The journey is not easy, nor is it a straight path. But it is worth the challenge, and the result — a tech industry without racism —  is absolutely worth fighting for. 

When the time comes, WTIA will be there to offer support. We can help you build your DEI values, vision and culture from the ground up, so you can create a program you, your employees, your partners, and your community can be proud of.

For more information about our DEI program and how we can help you dismantle racism in your organization and community, contact Yolanda Chase, Chief Diversity Officer, at ychase@washingtontechnology.org.