This past April, Thenmozhi Soundararajan was scheduled to give a talk about caste to employees at Google News. Soundararajan is a Dalit rights advocate — someone who works against caste-based discrimination against the Dalits, the community that has faced the most historic and ongoing caste oppression in Indian society, where the somewhat rigid and ancient caste hierarchy still prevails. But when some “upper-caste” employees complained that her views on caste were anti-Hindu, a firestorm ensued, ultimately resulting in Google canceling her visit.
Bringing Caste into the DEI Conversation
As companies increase their global footprint, they must also expand their definition of DEI.
December 05, 2022
Summary.
In the United States, most efforts to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion focus on race, gender, and sexual orientation. Companies should be aware of caste as a basis of discrimination, too. Caste is a form of social organization and identity in the South Asian context, and it affects more than 1 billion people around the world — and 5.4 million in the United States. Companies should follow these four steps to become more aware of caste as a factor in their own DEI efforts.
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New!
HBR Learning
Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
How to build a better, more just workplace.