Summer 2021 Alert! 10 cm high panties, ice-cream and mental health

Spontaneous global social media campaigns during the summer of 2021 called out sexism, discrimination, racism, homophobia, and a lack of diversity and representation. New generations expect us to start doing things differently. The major sports events of this summer should now be a catalyst for urgent change, and an inspiration for enterprises around the world. The importance of making inclusion, diversity, and equality (DEI) and mental health a strategic priority is clear, and it's the only way to capture the hearts and minds of younger generations. DEI is no longer a nice-to-have but a need-to-have, and it is a leadership responsibility. Enterprises that want to be relevant, respected, and a leading, attractive brand for new generations must get their mental health practice and their DEI in order, now.

Enterprises that embrace DEI across every aspect of their business statistically outperform their peers. It's a key driver of innovation, creativity, products, results, and profit, and it leads to better decisions through more diverse perspectives and challenged assumptions. A lack of DEI can unintentionally lead to poor judgment and disrespect. DEI and mental health practices are no longer optional extras for a respected enterprise; they're essential to navigating, and remaining relevant in, a new era. New generations celebrate and expect diversity in the broadest possible sense — people of different genders, races, and ethnicities, abilities and disabilities, neurodivergence and mental health, religions, cultures, ages, and sexual orientations, and people with different expertise and educational backgrounds.

The summer of 2021 kicked off a new era that makes DEI in leadership and the boardroom a must. #PurpleWashing is yesterday's news, and urgent action must lead the way. Leadership teams unable to put the organisation's mission above their own ego, and unable to build a DEI culture with mental health as a priority, are a dangerous combination. DEI is no longer just the right thing to do — it's vital to making good decisions in an increasingly complex world, delivering relevant products, being an attractive employer, and avoiding public embarrassment.

Walk the talk

It's no longer enough to have glossy internal DEI slide decks and fluffy words about how important it all is. DEI targets, strategic initiatives, a review of privilege, anti-discrimination structures, training for everyone, and a redesign of HR systems and initiatives are now a given. Reward and celebrate the internal behaviours that actively contribute to those targets, in performance reviews and other key moments. DEI at every level of an organisation is now a requirement for delivering the right products, services, and decisions — alongside building an open culture where employees feel a genuine sense of belonging, feel able to be authentic, and believe their opinions matter and can influence decisions. Blind spots can be a costly hazard, damaging even for well-established enterprises. Challenge your own privilege rather than running on autopilot. Enterprises that don't risk social media shaming, both locally and globally, and risk becoming an irrelevant, unattractive brand and employer.

A summer of double standards

The Norwegian women's beach handball team were fined 1,500 euros in total for "improper clothing," according to the EHF Disciplinary Commission. The players had refused to play in the required "max 10cm high" bikini bottoms mandated by the International and European Handball Federations. There was no equivalent "max 10cm" requirement for the male players, who are allowed to play in tank tops and shorts no longer than four inches above the knee. Double standards in action. The lack of DEI within the IHF and EHF governing committees has been harmful, and has made them a global laughing stock. Handball federation leaders in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden — all male — are now finally requesting that this sexist, discriminatory rule be changed, a rule the IHF's own spokeswoman wasn't able to explain the reasoning behind. But where were those same Scandinavian leaders when the "max 10cm" decision was made? Why did no one question such a ridiculous rule internally? Why should the IHF and EHF decide what women feel comfortable playing in?

The German women's gymnastics team competed at the Tokyo Olympics in full-length unitards, which is not against official rules. For the athletes, it was about creating equity and combating the sexualisation of their sport — a clear response to the sexism long associated with what women in sport are expected to wear, in a sport where sexual harassment and abuse have led to the imprisonment of leaders in the US. "We wanted to show that every woman, everybody, should decide what to wear," said German athlete Elisabeth Seitz.

We've also just seen several Olympic medallists actively make DEI-related political statements on the podium. The IOC Executive Board isn't happy, and the athletes don't seem to care. Welcome to a new generation of athletes, and a new world of purpose-driven, self-directed, confident individuals who are radically diverse and inclusive, and who connect through different truths. Gen Z is all in on DEI. They vote with their feet, they know how to run a damaging social media campaign, and they're not afraid to let their wallets speak — they can make or break entire enterprises.

Nike has spent considerable time and money presenting itself as a leading DEI brand. And yet Olympic runner Allyson Felix was given a pay cut by Nike after she gave birth. Together with Alysia Montaño and Kara Goucher, she courageously broke her non-disclosure agreement to create change for other women. Allyson Felix came home from the Tokyo Olympics with 11 medals; Nike came home with a damaged brand, and a need to examine its own ethics and behaviour.

In swimming, the newly designed Soul Cap, created to accommodate diverse hair types, was banned from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics by the sport's governing body, FINA. That decision, made after a social media campaign, is now under review. The Badminton World Federation has decreed that women players must wear skirts or dresses at elite level, and similar rules exist in tennis. #DontTellWomenWhatToWear.

Mental health takes centre stage

Leading sports figures Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka are changing the narrative around mental health, leading a needed shift in both sport and enterprise. Talking openly about mental health challenges, trusting their own judgement, and showing real strength and courage — that is authentic leadership. For new generations, mental health is no longer taboo, and it matters more than gold medals or profit. While some in older generations don't understand these decisions, and criticise them on "old school" corners of Facebook, their actions are celebrated on TikTok and Instagram. Their legacy should serve as a reminder for enterprises to make mental health a priority, if they haven't already. It has never been more important for enterprises to understand the root causes of mental health challenges among their people, and to build or update programmes based on what they learn.

UEFA and FIFA, along with other major sports federations, are in a similarly difficult position. Time and again, major sporting events are awarded to countries where the head of state has inherited power and has a poor track record on democracy and human rights. Players in various countries have responded by demonstrating their support for democracy and human rights. English footballers have long taken the knee before matches to raise awareness of racism in football, yet UEFA appears not to have noticed this visible, sustained demonstration. At Wembley, four white, middle-aged men handed out medals while three young footballers became victims of racial abuse after missing penalties. Once again, no diversity, no representation, and no critical reflection on their own privilege from UEFA.

Danish players were required to play on after Christian Eriksen's cardiac arrest on the pitch — the players' mental health apparently wasn't a priority for UEFA. Rainbow colours, flags, and commercials were banned from stadiums, though the crowd brought their own rainbow flags and celebrated LGBTQIA+ visibility regardless. #RepresentationMatters

Snickers Spain recently launched a homophobic television commercial for its ice cream, apparently intended to be funny. The advertisement was quickly withdrawn after calls for a boycott, and an official apology followed, expressing regret for the "misunderstanding" the advertising had created. Previous generations have been forgiving of this kind of misstep. New generations are not. Why wasn't this decision challenged and dismissed internally, before it ever reached the public?

A moment enterprises can't afford to miss

All of these discriminatory cases and double standards could, and should, have been challenged internally, and avoided, by building a genuinely open, agile, trustworthy DEI culture. Times are changing fast, and new generations now expect DEI and mental health practices as a given. It's time to review and update the programmes, policies, and strategies that encourage the representation and participation of diverse groups of people. Be part of building a brighter future, and make your enterprise relevant. Be the bold leader in this new DEI era, where Millennials and Gen Z now make up more than half the world's population, and are living pragmatically while genuinely wanting to change it. The enterprises that manage to capture the hearts and minds of younger generations will have the brightest future ahead of them.

Written by Charlotte Søndergaard, August 2021