Sysco LABS Sri Lanka, the innovation arm of Sysco, the world’s global foodservice leader, commemorated Inclusion Month recently, hosting a thought-provoking panel discussion titled ‘Diversity in Motion – A diversity, inclusion and equity panel discussion’. 

The discussion explored diversity and inclusion in Sri Lankan workplaces, the challenges and scrutiny faced by individuals belonging to these groups and the importance placed on organisations to foster a more inclusive environment for everyone.

As an equal opportunity employer, Sysco LABS is committed to driving a sound diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) strategy and policy framework. By organising the panel discussion, Sysco LABS intended to delve into deeply rooted diversity and inclusion issues while also addressing how social issues affect the dynamics of the workplace and how corporates in Sri Lanka can embrace these changes.

The discussion focused on four key areas important to Sri Lankans – ethnicity and religion, females at work, persons with disability, sexual orientation and gender identities. 

The eminent expert panellists, Diversity Collective Lanka Vice President Bani Chandrasena, Equal Ground Executive Director and Founder Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, Sri Lanka Unites and Global Unites President and Founder Prashan De Visser and Enable Lanka Foundation Co-Founder Janitha Rukmal, elaborated on what these concepts mean in practice, the skills necessary and how individuals can strengthen their organisations. Sysco LABS Director Marketing Kushani Kalpage moderated the event. 

Offering an earnest analogy, Visser emphasised the value of embracing diversity. He said, “You can dig for oil or gas but if you dig deeper into the beauty of your diversity, there is a far greater more valuable resource in our nation that we have not tapped.”

Advocating for definitive action by corporates and society too, he opined, “This is a vital issue that we must address and every Sri Lankan needs to be part of it. It is an important conversation in the workplace, in schools, our villages and communities. 

Providing an insight into the female workforce in Sri Lanka, Chandrasena observed that contribution of females in workplaces and in employment cannot be overstressed. She said, “Having diversity makes a huge difference in how decisions are made and how you review situations and problems.” 

Moreover, she also noted in companies which promoted ethnic diversity and encouraged female participation especially in the boardroom, a co-relation existed with increase in revenues compared to companies that did not.  
Discussing the challenges faced by persons with disabilities and efforts towards social progression, Rukmal explained, “Stigma is the first barrier. The main challenges we encounter begin from society itself where there is an unyielding stigma and opportunities that should be given to persons with disabilities have been taken away. The second barrier is the lack of infrastructure to accommodate persons with disabilities in meaningful ways in society.” 
He requested that companies should “open up opportunities for these people beginning with accessibility in the workplace and then attitudes of co-workers, creating an environment for a person to work”.

Championing change for the LGBTQ+ community, Flamer-Caldera pointed out that most of the issues stemmed from archaic mindsets and ignorance about this community.   

Further elaborating, Flamer-Caldera pointed out that most of the issues stemmed from archaic mindsets and ignorance about this community. 

She said, “We look at not only educating and sensitising the public but also educating and sensitising our own LGBTQ+ community because of years and years of marginalisation and discrimination. We have a lot of bright amazing creative and very intelligent individuals, who can contribute a lot to the growth of this country.” 

Kalpage noted that at Sysco LABS, the D&I journey is to acknowledge each person’s role in creating a more gender equal world. 

She added, “I hope this session will inspire your own learning journey and build deeper empathy for the people around you.” 

Watch the full discussion on the Sysco LABS blog: https://syscolabs.lk/blog/video/diversity-in-motion-a-sysco-labs-collective-initiative/.