I Traveled To 40 Countries To Understand Diversity. Here’s What I Saw.

For the past few years in corporate and educational environments, constant dialogue has been swirling around the presence and effects of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI). And while the perspective is occasionally positive, lately the narrative has been overwhelmingly negative.

Amid these ongoing conversations, I’d like to present a simple truth that’s often missing: diversity isn’t a U.S. issue—it’s a global issue.

Multinational corporations, universities and naysayers who consider this a strictly domestic issue have a huge blind spot, particularly in light of the way various cultures influence media, product development and perspectives across the world.

I agree with those who believe the subject of diversity should be reframed. But contrary to the direction many organizations are taking, belonging and inclusion may not be the answer.

In my opinion, DEI should be reframed as cultural competency.

Yes, exploring and becoming knowledgeable about human differences around the world is fascinating, but it’s critical work for every business leader and business operating globally.

I spent nearly a decade living and working in the U.S. as a diversity officer, confident in my skill set. Yet that all changed when I had the opportunity to relocate to Geneva, Switzerland and lead international DEI efforts from the other side of the pond. The difference in approach, narrative and process versus the U.S. was astounding.

In one year, I traveled to 40 countries to better understand what diversity meant locally, in both business and cultural settings.

40 Countries in 40 Weeks

Before I started my journey, I had to expand my own knowledge of the world beyond the U.S. I lacked answers to simple questions such as, ‘“How many countries are in Europe? The EU? The world?’’ (44, 27 and 195 respectively, according to the United Nations). I had to learn proper etiquette of international dining and cultural traditions, so I didn’t say, do or even gesture incorrectly. As a typical, fast-talking New Yorker, I had to slow my speech by about 30%, to accommodate colleagues who may have learned English as a second or third language. I also had to grasp that this subject varies based on how the concepts translate into different languages and cultural contexts.

International diversity—or rather, cultural competency—was much more interesting and compelling than I had ever imagined.

Here in the U.S., most of the focus around DEI centers in on celebrating cultural months, forming ERGs/BRGs (employee/business resource groups), disclosing racial and gender statistics to improve recruitment, speaking on panels or hosting happy hours to build community, and supporting dinners/non-profits/events with guest speakers that gather like minded individuals. In Europe, the efforts revolved around cultural immersion through experiences in each country, individual listening & one-on-one conversations, understanding government mandates and compliance policies, and learning the history, language and cultural backgrounds of why things are as they are.

One country at a time, I traveled across our incredible planet to better understand the cultural nuances and similarities of my employer’s clients and colleagues, and explore strategies we could use to improve our policies and practices to be more inclusive.

My ideal agenda was five days per country. Day one consisted of visiting museums, to learn about the market’s artistic and creative perspective. Day two I visited popular destinations with a tour guide, to see the sites and observe the culture. Days three and four I hosted DEI workshops with HR teams and leadership, to get clarity on what this topic means to them and how it is expressed in the local language. Day five involved studying compliance and local laws and visiting client-facing colleagues.

Forty weeks and 40 countries later, what did I learn?

First and foremost, that the CDO role, if designed and supported correctly, can be one of the most transformative and important roles within a corporation, along with the department that individual oversees.

I discovered that many countries use quota systems, something we typically don’t do in the U.S., as a lever to ensure that employees with physical disabilities are integrated within the flow of business.

Also, I learned that the word diversity doesn’t translate effectively around the world. Words such as justice, opportunity, disability, inclusion and equity are used instead. (I refer to those terms as “JODIE.”) And while some countries encourage the use of gender pronouns, like we do in the U.S., other countries, such as the UAE, don’t allow them by law.

And different regions have different priority areas to address. In the U.S., most of the conversation revolves around race, but in other countries across the Americas, such as Mexico, age representation is a priority. In Europe, gender is the primary focus, while in Asia, family status takes center stage, especially in places like China and Korea. In the Middle East, religion and country of origin are the main conversation, due to Saudization and Emiratization.

I can go on and on – but the important thing to know is that cultural competency is a super power – and those who have the privilege to travel to experience it should be lauded for their ability to educate, inform and inspire others. The knowledge gathered can inform those on corporate mobility, those who travel as part of their remit, and for recruiters and leaders to better understand cultural queues. It’s one thing to discuss the importance of Chinese New Year, it’s another to experience and participate in the celebration in China and Singapore. Not only to see its power and majesty – but to feel it.

At the core, people within companies want to learn more practical information that can help them superpower their careers. They want to understand international business and global conversations around diversity – but at the core they are unsure what to say, when to say it and how to translate sensitive topics regarding race, gender, age and culture. It is for that reason, we should not be looking down on those trying to educate others on diversity, but instead empowering our DEI leaders and training them to become the storytellers, and culturally competent CEOs of tomorrow.

This post was originally published on here