On this podcast, I am fortunate to welcome René Bujard, a dedicated leader with extensive international experience, who has worked for diversity and inclusion for most of his career. Through this inspiring conversation, we explore the value of inclusion and diversity in the corporate world and how they can help shape the world of tomorrow.
Today I have René Bujard and we talk about diversity and inclusion. I chose to welcome him here because during one of our discussions he told me “diversity is much more complex than we think”.
Also, he was very authentic, almost vulnerable, when he shared his life experience and personal journey with me. In addition, he shares with us some key moments in his life that led him to take an interest in diversity.
René has extensive experience in implementing diversity and inclusion strategies within international companies.
He is passionate about creating inclusive work environments where everyone is valued and has the opportunity to contribute and grow. He strongly believes that diversity and inclusion are not only important for ethics and social responsibility, but also for business success.
So you see… because it makes so much sense for him to be a guest on this podcast!
I hope you enjoy the man and his sharing of experiences and find ways to grow yourself and prepare your company and teams for tomorrow.
Come on, let’s go for this episode!
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Here are the highlights of this podcast:
1. René Bujard’s career
René Bujard, born in Geneva in a multicultural environment, studied administration and commerce.
After spending 24 years at a multinational consumer products company (P&G), where he held various positions in different countries, René realized he wanted to make a significant change. That’s how he turned to the non-profit sector, partnering with Oxfam to fight poverty and inequality.
Her passion for inclusion and diversity intensified when she worked at a dermatology company, Galderma, where she saw the benefits of a diverse work environment.
For him, diversity and inclusion are underutilized and misunderstood strategies that could greatly help companies grow.
I want employees to be able to be totally themselves at work and stop using energy to comply and use all their energy to perform.
2. The power of inclusion and diversity
René Bujard sees diversity and inclusion as essential for a successful company.
For him, diversity goes beyond ethnicity and religion, also embracing behavior and personality. It underlines the importance of diversity at different levels: personal, interpersonal, institutional and cultural.
The 4 levels of manifestation of diversity
- Staff: what are my values? Do I really believe that everyone is the same?
- Interpersonal. Do I treat these people in these ways and others in these ways?
- Institutional: what are our laws, our internal company policies, our procedures? How do we handle things?
- Cultural: it’s not how we dress and what’s the national anthem… Who decided that it’s better to be white than to be any other color? Who decided it’s better to be a man than a woman? Who decided that being straight is better than any other expression of sexual orientation?
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3. Initiate this shift towards a more inclusive company
In René’s experience, to change corporate culture and promote inclusion, re-education is needed, which implies deep understanding and open-mindedness.
For companies reluctant to embrace these changes, he suggests it starts with those who are ready to explore and innovate. It’s about creating something that inspires others to do the same.
4. What is a more inclusive professional world?
For René, inclusion goes beyond the simple tolerance of diversity.
It’s about creating an environment where everyone is listened to and respected. He needs:
- a more inclusive decision-making process
- more careful management
- an acknowledgment of each person’s individuality.
Inclusion also involves fighting elitism and acknowledging power differentials. This requires a deep understanding of work environments and changing them to be more inclusive.
5. Inclusion: everyone’s business, not just business
For inclusion to become a reality, each person must take responsibility and act within their area of influence. Whether it’s with family, friends or the professional environment, it is essential to maintain an open and non-judgmental attitude.
In an increasingly complex world, active listening, compassion and a willingness to understand others are essential. Likewise, it is important to create a safe environment where people can express themselves freely and sincerely.
Based on our discussion with Rene, I had fun compiling the key diversity and inclusion elements that would be of tremendous benefit to the company. I have also identified problems in this area. Here they are.
Summary of the challenges and power of diversity and inclusion for the company and its leaders
7 key elements of the power of diversity and inclusion for business
- Innovation and problem solving : Diverse teams offer a multitude of perspectives, ideas, and approaches to solving problems. This fosters innovation and creativity, giving businesses a competitive edge.
- Market representation : A diverse workforce better reflects the diversity of customers or end users. This can allow the company to better understand and meet the needs of its customers, which can lead to greater customer satisfaction and retention.
- financial return : Numerous studies have shown that companies with high gender and ethnic diversity tend to perform better financially than those without.
- Attraction and retention of talent : An inclusive work environment can help attract and retain the best talent. Employees feel more engaged and satisfied in an environment where they can be themselves and where their contributions are valued.
- Employer branding : Strong diversity and an inclusive culture can enhance a company’s reputation, making it more attractive to customers, investors and future employees.
- Ethics and social responsibility : Adopting a diversity and inclusion policy demonstrates a commitment to equality and social justice, which is in line with society’s growing expectations of corporate social responsibility.
- Risk management : A better understanding and better management of diversity can help prevent conflict and discrimination or harassment issues, reducing legal and reputational risks for the company.
5 diversity issues
- Culture change : Implementing diversity and inclusion requires a culture shift within the company, which can be difficult and time consuming.
- Training and skills development : Managers and employees may need training and skills development to understand and manage diversity effectively.
- Resistance to change : As with any change initiative, there may be resistance from employees who are comfortable with the status quo.
- Measurement and monitoring : It can be difficult to measure and monitor progress on diversity and inclusion, and it is important to do so to evaluate the effectiveness of initiatives and identify areas that need further attention.
- Integration into corporate strategy : To be effective, diversity and inclusion must be integrated into the overall corporate strategy and supported from the top.
Indeed and finally,
René Bujard invites us to consider inclusion and diversity as opportunities for growth and innovation instead of seeing them as obstacles. He is optimistic, despite being lucid, he maintains an attitude that is both idealistic and pragmatic.
For him, every little step counts and, with persistence, we can make the world of tomorrow a more inclusive place.
A huge THANK YOU René for taking a moment to talk about your favorite topic!
Happy listening everyone!
And remember to subscribe to the newsletter to receive the next episodes 
PS: follow René Bujard on Linkedin.
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Article #66: The power and challenges of diversity and inclusion with René Bujard first appeared on Valérie Demont Greenheart.business.
