DEI at Bright: Our initiatives

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) aren't just buzzwords – they're the heartbeat of modern businesses. Picture a workplace where everyone, regardless of background or identity, feels valued and empowered. If we’re to put it simply – this is how things should be, but unfortunately, sometimes is not the case.  

At Bright, we have a passion for DEI, and although we're only at the beginning of our journey, we’re thrilled with the progress we’ve made so far. 

Defined who we are 

One of the first steps we took was collected data to find out who we, the people of Bright, are. We ran a company-wide survey to get a clearer picture of the nationalities, age ranges, and gender identities of our employees. This approach allowed us to gain deeper insights into the composition of our workforce, laying a strong foundation for our commitment towards DEI initiatives. 

Created an internal DEI group 

Next, we created an internal DEI group made up of our Bright volunteers. This collaborative group serves as a platform to openly discuss important DEI topics, share personal stories, address pressing DEI challenges, and strategise on actionable solutions. By harnessing the collective insights from our DEI group, we're actively fostering a culture of inclusivity and driving more meaningful change.  

Speaking on this topic, is our Chief People Office, Laura Murphy:  

“I am very proud of the progress we’ve made and the continuous focus the entire team is making to ensure that Bright is a place where everyone can truly be themselves. That said, I am very aware that we are continuously learning and that DEI will never be done. We strive to be transparent in our efforts and are committed to small continuous improvements that foster inclusivity at Bright as we grow.” 

Re-defined our recruitment structure 

With the insights from our DEI group and survey results, we were able to enhance recruitment guidelines in our recruitment policy. These measures were aimed at fostering a more fair and equitable hiring process, propelling us closer to achieving our DEI objectives with each new hire. 

Consistent training 

We’ve also implemented a mandatory DEI training course for all of our employees. The course gives an overview into what DEI is, why it’s important, and delves into common issues companies face. Since then, we’ve planned more specified training courses which delve deeper into the common issues companies face, such as an unconscious bias course scheduled for March.  

DEI and ESG case study  

As sponsors of the Pride category as part of the 2023 Accounting Excellence Awards, we had the privilege of interacting with the nominees for the DEI and ESG award and hearing about the initiatives they have in place. We were so impressed after chatting with them, that we wanted to share some of their initiatives, in hope that others in the industry find inspiration to kickstart their own DEI and ESG journeys. To do this, we did a case study with Q Accountants to discuss how they embody DEI and ESG throughout their practice.