S3:Ep:1 Embedding DEI in Evolving Times - Part 1

About this episode

The episode discusses the impact of polarized societal discourse on workplace DEI initiatives.

UK societal discourse around who is deemed deserving and who is not is becoming increasingly polarised. The flags, the migrant hotel protests, and the marches are all symbols of this growing discontent. But how does the workplace contend with these issues when they inevitably seep through its doors? This is the focus of the first live edition of the Compassionate Cultures podcast, featuring the Head of DEI&B at Birmingham City Council, the CEO of The Smallpeice Trust, and the Head of Student EDI at the University of Birmingham, Loreal Stokes. To make it easier to engage with, the episode has been split into two parts. As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on Spotify. Don’t forget to subscribe. Now streaming on all major platforms and at www.strawberrywords.co.uk.

People in this episode

Host: Rebbecca Hemmings

Guest: Loreal Stokes

Topics covered

• DEI
• workplace culture
• societal discourse
• polarization
• migrant issues

Keywords

• DEI
• diversity
• equity
• inclusion
• workplace
• society
• culture

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Birmingham City Council, The Smallpeice Trust, University of Birmingham

Places: UK

More episodes of Compassionate Cultures

• S3:Ep:7 Celebrating Antiracist Healthcare in Birmingham – Part 2 · December 18, 2025 · 39 min
• S3:Ep:6 Celebrating Antiracist Healthcare in Birmingham – Part 1 · December 4, 2025 · 30 min
• S3:Ep:5 Migrants, Belonging, and the Reality Behind the Headlines – A Conversation with Salman Mirza · November 20, 2025 · 23 min
• S3:Ep:4 Professor Partha S Kar on Tackling Racial Inequality in Healthcare · November 7, 2025 · 27 min
• S3:Ep:3 AI in the Age of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – A Conversation with Eugene Hilton · October 29, 2025 · 29 min
• S3:Ep2 Embedding DEI in Evolving Times - Part 2 · October 14, 2025 · 33 min