Making DE&I strategy a conversation that everyone feels part of
Problem
Inspire people to see themselves and their colleagues in their DE&I strategy
Action
Shape a video-led campaign around employees’ authentic words and experiences
Impact
The programme challenged perceptions, shifted attitudes, and saw record engagement and conversation
PROBLEM
Overview
Biffa’s DE&I strategy had netted some stellar achievements
The firm was exceeding targets, running numerous action and awareness events, and building groups and networks. Yet employees were not feeling the effects of all this activity. Research told us some people were still nervous about opening up or being themselves, because they were afraid of what others might think.
Others felt awareness events were driven more by boxes to tick than pride or passion. And there was a general sense that DE&I was something that happened at board level, in HR or in specialist groups.
We designed a campaign that would:
- Shift attitudes and transform perceptions about what inclusion actually means to Biffa’s people.
- Educate by getting people excited about – and signed up to – Biffa’s DE&I training.
- Get everyone involved in the conversation about what inclusion really means, and why it matters – particularly our 6,000 frontline employees.
THE TECHNICAL CHALLENGE
For many frontline employees, their main information source is the supervisor briefing at the start or end of shifts. We’d have to reach them just as well as their colleagues who work at desks or attend frequent meetings.
The answer? A short, punchy video telling a powerful story.
It would be:
- Easily accessible to all – through the intranet, the app or shared during supervisor briefings.
- A launchpad for two-way conversations across the business.
- Something that would stop people in their tracks and make them think.
- Inspire people to find out more.
I am really proud of the We Are Biffa video. It’s so powerful because it features real Biffa employees saying what it means to them to feel included at work. It’s designed to make us all think about how we work with each other, and it achieves this brilliantly.
ACTION
Making it happen
Candid employee feedback highlighted four areas to tackle, to help Biffa become a truly inclusive employer – one where everyone felt comfortable being their real selves and being part of the DE&I conversation.
We developed specific actions to address each of the focus areas:
1. Fear of discrimination: Change perceptions and inspire people to be authentic by tackling stereotypes head-on.
2. Fear of saying the wrong thing: Make sure people are fully informed by significantly driving employee engagement with DE&I training.
3. DE&I initiatives feeling like a closed conversation: Create an accessible campaign that inspires everyone to get involved – with real employees at the centre.
4. Narrow ideas of what DE&I means: Clearly acknowledge and celebrate the many strands within DE&I – and show it’s for everyone.
01
Find genuine stories
We invited colleagues to appear in the video, using all the employee channels available. Twenty amazing volunteers welcomed the chance to change perceptions and shift behaviours, and worked with us to create a script based on their insights and experience.
02
Make it authentic
This was about the workplace, so we filmed colleagues in their real environments – including offices, recycling centres, and even out on the road with the bin trucks. This helped to put across their messages in the most genuine and meaningful way possible.
03
Get everyone talking
With managers coached and prepped to lead conversations with their teams about DE&I, we premiered the video across the business – via the intranet, the Biffa Beat app, newsletters and supervisor briefings. Employees could then sign up for follow-up courses if they wished.
I thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the film. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I’ve had really good feedback from other people in the company. I’ve noticed that people make fewer assumptions about me, because of my age. In fact, since taking part in the film, I’ve been promoted into a management role, so the whole experience feels very positive!
IMPACT
The outcome
The video challenged the way people saw ‘difference’
It opened minds to new perspectives, transforming beliefs and attitudes. It also exceeded our targets for the number of people engaging with the campaign, and with the company’s DE&I learning.
And the conversation continues to grow organically, on Biffa’s internal channels, as more people understand DE&I and talk about what it means to them.
100%
of respondents said it reflected what inclusion means across the company
300+
Over 300 managers attended DE&I initiative workshops
500
leaders attended our live DE&I webinar
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