Fostering Inclusivity in the Workplace: A Conversation with Innovid and Friends in the DEI Space

Inclusivity may mean something different in different cultures, to different people, in different places. At Innovid, inclusivity means that each and every one of our employees feels respected, heard, and valued, regardless of their gender, race, sexual orientation, or position in the company. In an effort to foster our culture of inclusion, our employees have created DEI committees, each dedicated to implementing a variety of initiatives from building an internal mentorship program to having each culture and tentpole acknowledged and celebrated throughout the org. Most recently, we were honored to host a virtual panel of industry leaders, who make it their mission to create a more inclusive workplace (and world) for all:

• Fatma Ghedira: Head of Community at ThinkHuman, dancer, musician, and yogi who also focuses on social justice and equity work in organizations. 
• Kerel Cooper: Chief Marketing officer at LiveIntent and Founder & Host of Minority Report Podcast, which highlights people of color, women, and the LGBTQ+ community within business, media, and technology.
• Sara Porritt: Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Omnicom Media Group, R&B vocalist, and Creator & Host of Hear Us Roar⁠, a podcast featuring inspired conversations with fearless Asian women about how ideas and passions can ignite transformative journeys.

Moderating the panel was none other than our SVP of Marketing, Stephanie Geno, who has spent years fighting for access and opportunity within marketing and technology. Together, this esteemed group explored a range of DEI-related topics, including:

• How diversity improves workplace culture and why it’s important to have diverse folks in the room. (“Better decisions are made.”)
• How to detect, process, and address microaggressions. (“Education is key!”)
• How we can all work together to foster a culture of inclusivity (“Talk to people like human beings. You really foster inclusivity when there’s trust.”)

As we all know, DEI is not an issue that can be addressed in one panel or one training, from bottom up or top down. Inclusivity must be fostered every day, during every meeting, and in every interaction. We each need to do the work in acknowledging our biases (which we all have), educating ourselves (without putting that responsibility on any minority group), truly listening to one another, and taking action.

Thank you again Fatma, Kerel, Sara, and Stephanie for creating a safe space for us to be our authentic selves and inspiring us to continue on our DEI journey.

“As an organization, what are you doing long term with respect to DEI? There’s no short term fix for any of these issues. It’s about building a foundation that’s going to impact change for the long haul.” - Kerel Cooper, Chief Marketing officer, LiveIntent