Equity Is Not 'Their' Work, It’s Ours

Recently, I was working with a leadership team that was discussing how to improve representation in senior roles. One director paused and said, “I’m in finance, I support this work, but I’m not sure where I fit in.”

I hear versions of this question often, sometimes spoken out loud, sometimes just beneath the surface: “I’m not sure how equity relates to my work.” or “I’m not sure what is expected of me in terms of equity and inclusion at work.”

It’s easy to assign equity work to the Diversity and Inclusion team, Human Resources, or those most directly affected by inequity. This quiet narrative allows some leaders and team members to opt out, even unintentionally: “I care, but this isn’t really my lane.” “I don’t know enough.” or “I don’t want to get it wrong.”

But this mindset becomes a form of avoidance, and it’s one of the biggest barriers to creating more equitable workplace cultures.

Here’s what I’ve come to know: equity work is all of our work. Full stop.

It doesn’t only happen during strategy sessions or formal equity and anti-racism initiatives. It shows up in how we build relationships, make decisions, share power, and respond when something’s not working.

The shift from avoidance to contribution often starts with a simple but powerful question: What can I offer right now?

I invited that finance director to consider how equity might show up in her department’s day-to-day work: budget allocations, payroll, vendor selection. When was the last time your procurement policy or compensation practices were reviewed through an equity lens? Whose needs are centred in financial decisions? Who benefits most from your funding allocations? We developed a few equity focused questions she could bring to her team. Several weeks later, I heard they had presented a set of recommendations to the leadership team informed by equity and inclusion considerations.

That’s what contribution can look like. Contribution doesn’t mean being an expert. It means using your strengths, your knowledge, and your position to make meaningful shifts in the spaces you influence.

Equity happens by choice, not chance. And centering it requires that more of us step forward, engage and act.

So ask yourself: What can I offer today?

Chances are, there’s something you can do.

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Chanel Grenaway & Associates Inc. is committed to helping leaders, staff teams and boards align with their anti-racism and inclusion goals through continuous learning and practice change. Do you need support to start or accelerate your equity practice and outcomes? Happy to hop on a call with you to see how I might help. Let’s chat.