How can a Leader Promote Social Justice in the Organization

Leadership & Culture
Leadership Test I: How Can a Leader Promote Social Justice in the
Organization?
The Situation:
In recent years, many company leaders have responded to the public outcry
about injustice and inequality in their countries and elsewhere by personally
embracing, and publicly engaging their organizations in what John Lewis, the
late American congressman and civil rights leader famously described as “good
trouble, necessary trouble”. He meant by this pursuing nonviolent protest and
taking a stand against injustice and in favor of unity and peace.
The momentum at the present time is strongly in favor of organizations taking
such steps, but history teaches that in order to realize the progress that these
actions promise, the present momentum needs to be sustained for months
and years, which could prove challenging. Over time, all organizations will have
to resist the tendency for business priorities to naturally shift to activities more
focused on business profitability and growth. Moreover at the present time,
the global economy continues to tentatively emerge from the worst effects of
the COVID-19 pandemic. In the UAE, organizations in particular must balance
aspirations of economic recovery with the possibility of recession, inflation or
other socio-economic restrictions (e.g. lockdowns) to combat future
pandemics. Organizational leaders will likely pay greater attention to risk
analysis and business contingency planning. With that comes the risk that the
spotlight on racial and social justice and similar societal concerns will dim even
as issues of social inequity continue to plague their various organizations.
To combat this risk, senior executives need to act now to clearly define their
identity as leaders in the fight against inequity, guided by transparent policies,
compassionate conversations, bold strategies, and an unwavering
commitment. Such action is critical, because the success of any social justice or
inclusion initiative, or indeed any steps taken to advance the corporate social
responsibility (CSR) agenda of the organization must start at the top. Without
executive buy-in and support, any such initiative will likely fail to achieve its
intended objectives.
Your Task:
Assume you are in a senior leadership position (board chair, CEO or similar) in
a UAE-based organization (ideally your current place of employment, but not
necessarily so). You have taken some steps in the past that helped your
organization take a stand in the public conversation about social injustice. Your
goal is to take any necessary steps/action to ensure that your organization’s
commitment to the promotion of social justice/inclusion is maintained even as
you contemplate future challenges brought about by fears of a national
economic downturn and possible resurgence of the Covid (or other) pandemic.
You have pondered your options and consulted with your usual sources. You
will now do two things and contemplate a third:
1. Identify at least two of the most significant principles or ideas that you
believe will ensure the buy-in of employees in your organization. Explain the
reason(s) behind your choices.
2. Outline several actions you can take, or initiatives you can introduce that will
build upon your past modest success, and sustain the commitment of your
organization to social justice.
3. Identify at least one way your actions will be impacted if your organization
was the UAE arm of an Austrian-based conglomerate.