In 2023, DataIQ set up a diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) working group for its community to improve DEI initiatives and programmes throughout the data industry. One of the first to join the working group was Manraj Othi, lead decision scientist for Starbucks. Manraj has an extensive history of working with and starting different DEI initiatives for organisations and communities and he spoke with DataIQ editor Alex Roberts to delve into his experiences and thoughts for businesses pursuing DEI.
DataIQ (DIQ): Could you provide a brief history of your experience with DEI initiatives and programmes?
Manraj Othi (MO): I co-founded and built up several corporate DEI networks over the last 14 years. The first was when I was in my early 20s working in finance, and it grew to become the largest corporate faith-based network in the UK. We went from 15 members to 6,500 in a couple of years. The growth of this community came about through the collaborative nature of the group, which was open to all regardless of background, bringing banks and consultancies together, to learn and connect around a shared interest.
This was coupled with youth career mentoring programmes. I began on an individual basis of going to schools in Bermondsey, London in the mornings for career mentoring with Year 9 students and then on different days I visited at lunchtimes to do literacy coaching supporting reading and writing development for Year 4 students. This was then scaled across the UK, and I expanded the reach through the DEI network to include university students and sixth form students from diverse and socioeconomically challenged backgrounds, who were looking for support on the path forward with their careers as they had no other support at home or networks for this.
I was approached in 2015 by the Mayor of London’s team to become a culture advisor – a non-paid advisory role I still have today. The Mayoral team had heard about the calibre, educational and inclusive nature of the programmes we were facilitating and asked me to work with them on bringing London together on faith and culture. This has allowed me to lead and support a number of different faith and cultural events held throughout the year for all Londoners. I made a lot of good friends over the years through this work, and we have collaborated closely on a broad range of initiatives – visual arts, music, food, youth, charities, business, sports and more.
I also got buy-in from the leadership teams at a well-established law firm and a financial service provider for their DEI journeys. These still exist and are continuing to grow. One started very London-centric in its scope, based in Canary Wharf, but this soon evolved and expanded across the UK, receiving strong collaboration with other sector businesses.
Now, in my role at Starbucks, I have been working to support the DEI initiatives as part of the DEI Council for Europe, Middle East and Africa and how this differs depending on the sector and global location. The scale of employees in each office or region needs to be assessed to effectively address what would be appropriate and most impactful for a programme or project. It can be beneficial to work on a broader range of DEI areas rather than too narrow a space given the scale and collaborate with external networks instead of trying to do everything internally.
Thank you for your input
Thank you for your feedback
DataIQ is a trading name of IQ Data Group Limited
10 York Road, London, SE1 7ND
Phone: +44 020 3821 5665
Registered in England: 9900834
Copyright © IQ Data Group Limited 2024