Include more people, achieve more good
Audits, training and bespoke DEI services for small teams.
I don’t need to present the business case to you. You’ve already been having “we really need to be doing more around DEI” conversations in management meetings, haven’t you?
You aren’t looking to take performative, tick-box actions that don’t change anything beyond the surface. It’s meaningful change, or you don’t want it, thank you very much.
And that’s the bit where you do a great impression of a deer caught in headlights:
Where do we even start? How do we engage with that community? What if we get it wrong? Will it seem performative? What if there’s backlash?
Add to that, you’re stretched. You’ve got a bold vision, but limited resources. So you get on with the things you know (the day-to-day stuff that always seems urgent) and DEI fades into the background
… Until it next comes up in a management meeting where you sit around the table nodding “yes, we really DO need to be doing more around DEI”
and you do it all over again. Or do you? Because you don’t have to, you know 😉
Start by doing what you can with what you have now (it’s more impactful than you think)
I offer audits, training, and bespoke DEI services to help you identify simple, tangible and doable actions that will make your organisation better for everyone.
DEI Audit
This DEI audit builds the foundations to make meaningful and lasting changes that will attract diversity, make sure policies and processes are fair, and create a more inclusive workplace and services that lead to better outcomes for everyone.
I’ll comb through your policies. I’ll rummage through your services. I’ll scour your comms.
I’ll tell you things you probably didn’t even know you didn’t know, and exactly what you can do to make your workplace and your services more inclusive (and in what order to do them).
(The audit is all about making DEI work in your specific context, so you won’t find the answers on Google)
Then, together we’ll find the sweet spot: a plan that makes your organisation more diverse, inclusive and equitable, within the capacity and resources you have.
An audit is a good step if you don’t have the in-house expertise to see exactly what’s going on and how to fix it.
Maybe that looks like:
You have the will but not the way. Everyone’s on board, but you don’t have a clear grasp of exactly what you need to do, and in what order.
Your DEI activities haven’t moved the needle. It’s usually because it’s the wrong solution or approach for the particular problem you have.
“The impact is tangible with the clients we work with”
… much deeper discussion and more aha moments. Also, we are now being seen by clients and potential prospects as an organisation who can deliver training programmes that align to their DEI objectives
Laura and Kenny, The Vibrancy Hub
What the audit journey looked like for The Vibrancy Hub
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We had read and absorbed information but we were scared of making mistakes and therefore not leaning into being proactive around inclusivity.
We specifically wanted to work with Sumi on our signature Leadership Training Programme: Women Rising. We had confidence in our work and our teachings but we wanted to understand what we might be missing to ensure the programme reflected best practice elements of inclusivity, and would be as impactful as possible.
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Working with Sumi felt SAFE + CHALLENGING + FUN: Sumi created an environment where we could be totally honest with them about our concerns and fears. No judgement or shame for some of the sh*t we were getting wrong and so it meant our experience went far beyond the original scope that we had identified.
They did not let us get away with stuff though!!! Sumi called out areas big and small that needed attention.
And the best thing about it was that this scary work / hard thing was done with a big fat dose of humour, lightness and joy - we had fun as we dived into all these areas. This kept our energy and motivation up - at no stage did we feel overwhelmed and so we were able to progress things quickly and consistently.
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We could take a big breath out and have confidence in our approach. Whilst there were lots of areas we could make improvements on, there were a couple of concepts and ideas she shared with us that basically blew our minds and changed the way we approached all of our coaching, training and workshops.
Instead of just putting red pen through all of our content, Sumi helped us to see how small tweaks could be made that would mean the content had a much bigger impact on more of our audience. It was not all about what we should / shouldn't say and all about how we could structure things to ensure our participants had a better experience.
How the audit works:
Tell me everything. You complete a self-assessment questionnaire about all things DEI in your organisation. I’ll also talk to selected team members one-on-one to get their views (they often tell me things they don’t tell you)
I get nosy. I'll review everything you’ve told me, plus up to 12 policies or key documents (we’ll agree on these beforehand), and your website and social media.
Your ‘ideal world’ plan. You’ll get a report with all of my recommendations of everything you COULD do, with priority ratings.
Your ‘real world’ plan. We’ll have a 90-minute call to identify realistic next steps (and what you can park for next year and beyond)
For an additional fee, you can choose to add:
More documents for review
Surveys and/or focus groups with your clients/service users
Done-for-you DEI strategy
Training to make sure your team have the understanding and skills to implement the recommendations
Starting from £3,000
DEI Team Training
“DEI training doesn’t work!” they say. And you know what? They’re partly right (bet you didn’t think I’d say that)
DEI training is a good step if:
It’s not the only step. Training should be part of a wider commitment to making sure DEI runs through the core of your organisation like a stick of rock (no clue how? An audit might be a better starting point for you)
It’s a conversation starter. Plugging awareness gaps and having a shared understanding is a must-have for meaningful conversations about what needs to happen next.
It promotes action. Training needs to bridge the gap between understanding and doing (because nobody ever made their organisation better by just thinking about it)
If you’re not up for the action bit after, then honestly? Use the money for a team social.
Ready to kickstart or refocus your commitment to action?
I’ll design a custom menu just for you, but here’s a taster of the kinds of things we can cover:
Understanding DEI. Your team won’t just be able to parrot definitions of diversity, equity and inclusion. They’ll know why each part matters, what they look like in practice, and which is missing from your organisation.
Who’s missing? The people you need to think about (even beyond protected characteristics), who’s not represented and why.
Spotting the ‘isms’. What they are, why they exist, and how they show up in the way we think and how we work.
Fight the fear. Language, performativity, cultural appropriation, lack of awareness… Whatever’s keeping you up at night, we’ll increase understanding, reframe them, and come up with ways to move through the fear of getting it wrong.
More inclusive services. I’ll share a simple framework to identify barriers for marginalised groups and ways to minimise them. In fact, let’s work through a current project as an example (and your team will be able to apply it to others, so DEI is always at the heart of what you do)
So what now? Every team member will leave with tangible and manageable actions to take after the session.
Don’t worry, I don’t talk ‘at’ you the whole time (that would be painful for you and for me). I’ll make space for the team to reflect and discuss what it all means for your organisation and their individual roles.
I’ll also create a short pre-training questionnaire to send to your team, so I can pitch the session just right.
Starts from £800 for a bespoke 2-hour online session.
What people say about my training
“Your training changed my perspective forever. You're a magician.”
— Nyree Ambarchian, Co-founder of Jack & Grace
“Sumi was wonderful. Very engaging, knowledgeable and friendly!”
They really got the whole group engaged and made everyone feel very comfortable to input into the conversation
— Training attendee
“I can honestly say that in my 25 years as an HR professional, this is the best EDI session I’ve attended”
Thank you so much Sumi for such an informative and mind blowing session this week.
— Sharon Wilson, Director at Positive Dynamics
Got something else in mind?
I’m a sucker for an exciting DEI project, so just try me! If it’s in my zone of genius and gives me tingles, I won’t be able to resist.
Here’s what other organisations have hired me for:
Support on retainer
One-off consultation on a specific issue
Policy review