The Situation
Our client sought to increase the progression of underrepresented talent to senior level positions
Key challenges included:
- Lack of diversity in senior leadership and on the board
- High turnover of underrepresented colleagues at junior levels
- Low annual promotion rates for underrepresented employees
A need was identified for more equitable development pathways and deeper, bidirectional connections across levels of the business.
Our Approach
We partnered with the Global I&D team and ERGs to:
- Co-create a vision for inclusive career progression
- Conduct focus groups and an Inclusion Diagnostic to identify systemic barriers
- Launch a mutual mentoring programme pairing senior leaders with underrepresented talent for two-way learning and sponsorship
- Facilitate leadership development sessions on strengths, presence, and impact
- Provide Strengthscope® assessments and 1:1 coaching for ERG leads
- Lead group coaching and action learning sessions to build community and momentum
The Impact
- 93% of participants rated the programme as excellent
- Sponsorship has led to new internal networks and active support for promotion
- Clear career pathways now co-developed between employees and managers
- The diverse talent network is stronger—with a louder voice on culture and influence both internally and externally
- The organisation has taken strategic steps to embed sustainable inclusion structures
Mutual Mentoring Outcomes
- Senior leaders gain insights into lived experiences and systemic barriers
- Talent receives authentic sponsorship, visibility, and strategic career support
- Organisation benefits from bidirectional growth, empathy, and inclusive leadership capacity