Seminar emphasises need to embrace diversity, equity, inclusion in society

In support of this, The Nation partnered with the Department of Women's Affairs and Family Development, under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, to organise "Thailand's International Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Day 2023", on June 16 at Thammasat University's Tha Prachan campus. The university's Institute for Continuing Education and Human Resources also played an important role in making this event possible.

The seminar was organised with the aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles, featuring expert presentations with case studies and examples to inspire organisations to implement them effectively.

The concept of DEI aims to help executives comprehend, embrace, and support diversity among employees, encompassing factors such as race, culture, socio-economic background, physical disabilities, gender and experiences.

The objective is to foster an inclusive environment where all employees are treated equitably and feel included rather than marginalised.

Creating a better workplace

The human resources departments of several firms were invited to this event to discuss establishing a better workplace for people of all genders.

In her opening remarks, Jintana Chanbamrung, director-general of the Department of Women's Affairs and Family Development, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, said: "It won't take 300 years to make a difference in terms of diversity in our country if everyone is willing to change and becomes conscious of it,” Jintana said, adding, ”We need everyone participating to create a better society for all people."

Jintana emphasised several important topics that she urged the government and society to address, including:

▪︎ Dressing according to gender identity

▪︎ Gender-inclusive restrooms, breastfeeding rooms, and daycare facilities

▪︎ Combating LGBTQ+ bullying and hate speech

▪︎ Equal career opportunities for all genders.

▪︎ Combating sexual harassment in all its forms.

▪︎ The freedom to choose one's own title

By focusing on these issues, Jintana highlighted the need for inclusivity, equality and respect for all individuals in society.

The first session of the seminar was led by Nhabhakhavhat Kittithamavoot, chief people and culture officer at EXO Group. She presented an introduction to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), covering various dimensions of diversity such as gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and more.

Nhabhakhavhat highlighted the value of organisational diversity and shared a case study illustrating its impact.

She emphasised the distinction between equality and equity. "Equality ensures equal opportunities and rights for all individuals, regardless of their differences," she said.

"On the other hand, equity acknowledges and addresses the unique needs and circumstances of individuals, aiming for fairness and justice."

She stressed the importance of considering individual circumstances and providing targeted support to foster inclusivity.

Lastly, Nhabhakhavhat discussed the significance of inclusion in creating a diverse and vibrant world. Inclusion ensures that no one is marginalised and promotes respect, acceptance, and a sense of value for all.

She also mentioned companies like Microsoft, which have embraced inclusivity, by hiring visually impaired employees.

By integrating DEI principles into organisations, she emphasised the pursuit of a more inclusive and supportive workplace for all.

Trials of a transgender person

The second session in the morning was conducted by Risa Siriwat, co-founder of "Trans for Career".

Risa shared her personal struggles and experiences when applying for jobs as a transgender woman.

She highlighted the challenges faced by the transgender community in accessing equal job opportunities and the discrimination they often encounter.

Currently, she holds the position of fund manager at Kiatnakin Bank. However, her journey to reach this point was not easy.

"I wanted to become the chairperson of a national bank, so I chose to study economics. My friends and I chose to study at Thammasat University since it is a place where students are not required to conform to a specific dress code and are encouraged to freely express their individuality.

"People would tell me that I shouldn't work in the financial industry and should instead pursue careers like make-up artistry or hairstyling," said Risa.

"I submitted my resumes countless times, but no one got back to me. And that is because I included a picture of myself as a female version but used a male title in my resume. I hope that HR departments can have new guidelines that eliminate the need for photos or gender-specific titles in resumes.”

She added: "Once I tried changing the picture to my male version and received a call for an interview. However, when I had my interview with the hiring manager, they liked me. The HR then discussed with the hiring manager on whether they should hire me because I am a transgender woman, fearing it might affect the organisation's image."

Risa established "Trans for Career" as a platform on Facebook. This initiative serves as a consultant and community for transgender people to enhance their career prospects.

Risa's session shed light on the importance of creating a more inclusive and accepting environment for transgender individuals, ensuring that they have equal access to job opportunities and are treated with respect and dignity in their professional lives.

Understanding gender and sexuality

The first session in the afternoon, conducted by Vitaya Saeng-Aroon, Programme Director of DiversityInThailand.org, presented ideas on gender and sexuality.

He said that gender cannot be fully defined by words alone. However, he highlighted four key components that can help in understanding people's sexuality. These components are biological sex, gender identity, social gender, and sexual orientation.

"By considering these four aspects, a deeper understanding of an individual's sexuality can be achieved," said Vitaya.

Vitaya also mentioned that in the past, politicians were hesitant to address issues of gender and sexuality. However, in the past couple of years, there has been an increase in advocacy and demonstrations, indicating a growing acceptance in society.

"Nevertheless, World Pride would not come to Bangkok unless there were legal adjustments to ensure equal marriage rights for all genders. Some tourists have started boycotting countries that are not LGBTQ-friendly," said Vitaya.

A growth-oriented strategy

The final session was led by Pitchayaanit (Ray) Panawiwattanakarn, a trans-woman who established the Pride Network, and Suparluck Suparphul TH GLEAM, a global LGBTQ employee at Microsoft. They discussed the topic of "How to get DEI started?"

Suparluck said: "If we adopt the DEI principle in our DNA, every organisation will have a more dynamic and growth-oriented strategy."

She also shared stories about some of the people she was looking after who were having a hard time transitioning to being gay. It's not an easy task to explain things to their family or children.

Pitchayaanit discussed the genesis of establishing the Pride Network, sharing her experience of forming a team and engaging with the HR department to advocate for LGBTQ benefits. She said that while such networks existed in other countries, they were not yet present in Thailand.

She emphasised the importance of creating a platform and support system for LGBTQ individuals within the organisation.

"After establishing the pride network, the company included the DEI principle and implemented a training course for all staff," she said.

She added that "companies that prioritise DEI principles witness a 35% higher growth rate and gain support from clients and partners. Embracing DEI principles benefits both employee engagement and external relationships”.