Our midyear update

As DICE continues to grow, we’re thinking more about how we can create an environment where everyone feels comfortable and supported. So we started the year with a singular focus: accountability. 

Holding everyone accountable to our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion commitments (DEI) means we can create real change within our company and for our fans. It means that everyone’s invited to the party and everyone’s free to dance. Here are some of the initiatives we’ve put in place so far this year.

Sharing our data 

After conducting our first DEI survey in July 2020, we committed to a second in February 2021. We had an impressive 89% participation, an increase of 17% – but in hindsight, six months was not long enough for us to make meaningful progress towards greater diversity. We’re learning from this and will ensure our next survey allows us to capture more helpful data.

Our second survey allowed us to incorporate a separate section for measuring equity and the results further validate our initial data, giving us some great insights to guide future work. 

Setting targets

The DEI Squad is now tasked with setting clear targets on the issues that matter the most, so that every area of our business can be viewed through a lens of diversity, equity and inclusion. We held our first cross-functional strategy session in May, where we challenged our assumptions and learned from one another, and we’ll continue to do so throughout 2021.

Defining our values 

Our Values Squad codified a new set of company values and we’re now working on implementing them into all aspects of our working life. Our values are a reminder of how we need to show up for each other, what we promote and the standards we hold each other accountable to. They’ll be woven into all of our people and product decisions, and will help hold us accountable to being a diverse, equitable and inclusive company.

Teaching opportunities

Our DEI Group Sessions have been our most impactful initiative at DICE. They’re a space where everyone can bring their whole selves to join in an open and honest conversation, and we held eleven in January alone. We love Ian from CMP Solutions, so we invited him back to host these sessions, with an impressive 85% participation – thanks Ian! We spoke candidly about where we’ve done well so far and identified the areas which still need improvement.

Tracey Fox led sessions on ‘The Importance of Employee Resource Groups’ and ‘Creating Safe Spaces’ ahead of the launch of DICE’s own BIPOC and Women’s ERG. And Michael Adu joined us during May’s ‘Mental Health Awareness Week’ to talk about his pioneering approach to managing stress and increasing productivity. 

Leaders who learn

We’ve also made sure to find opportunities for our own people to host learning sessions, starting with our team leaders.

Our Executive Creative Director Patrick took on the first ‘Leaders Who Learn’ session, entitled 'Check Yourself'. In it, he talked about the assumptions he had made about his place within the system of white supremacy, and how he had started to correct those assumptions and move toward positive action through reading and self-analysis. Shanna, our Country Manager in the US, talked about how white supremacy can permeate the workplace and the ways in which we can dismantle it. Our next session will be led by our CEO, Phil. 

Learning and sharing

Continuous learning is a key theme within the DEI Squad, so we’ve all committed to short learning segments in our weekly meetings. 

Our Fan Support Manager Dave gave us a retrospective of the career and social impact of SOPHIE, the British musician and producer who reshaped electronic music into dazzlingly original avant-pop, paving the way for more diverse gender representation across the scene. DICE’s Lead Writer Georgia talked about the rise and supposed ‘fall’ of disco, detailing how Black and LGBTQ+ artists created one of the most influential genres of our time.

Mentoring 

To help us invest more in diverse communities, we partnered with Ting, who deliver outstanding personal and professional development programmes. The Ting team is on a mission to bridge the equity skills gap that people from underrepresented backgrounds often face when trying to climb the career ladder. Several of our DICE leaders were selected for their latest programme and are very excited to begin their mentoring journeys. 

Diversifying our board

One of our earliest commitments was to add greater representation to our board. We all know diverse teams perform better and build better products – and the same goes for the boardroom. We’re working towards appointing a new board member by Autumn – watch this space.

Launching ERGs

Our first ERGs will be available for BIPOC and women in June. Our goal is to increase support for these two groups and create a safe space where they can connect on personal and professional issues. 

Rolling out DEI efforts to fans and partners 

We can’t wait to share the lessons we’ve learned with our partners so that we can work together to improve the fan experience. There’s a lot to cover on this one, so we’ve asked Dave and New Market Lead Sophie, our Fan and Partner experts, to help us tell the story in our next update.