Allbright meets Joahanna Garcia-Thomas

In this new interview series, we meet with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) experts. We want to know how they work in the field of DEI, what their challenges are and how they achieve success factors. In our first round, we met Joahanna Garcia-Thomas, a Global DEI Director with experience from both the Swedish and the US markets.

Joahanna Garcia Thomas has almost twenty years of experience in Human Recourses in the Swedish, Singapore, and US markets, among others. Today she works on strategies for DEI implementations, using both qualitative- and quantitative data to create meaningful initiatives to improve representation, inclusion, and equity. But her journey started on the other side of the world.

Growing up in the Philippines, Joahanna experienced immense racism based on colorism. She learned early on that the ‘whiter’ you are, the more privileges you had. It was first when she moved to New York that she realize that people’s destiny is not dictated by the color of their skin.
– With diversity you add differences, and these diversity differences are awesome. You have to work on inclusive practices for these differences to work for the best of the people and organization, which is where equity and inclusion comes in, she says.

So how do you integrate these topics within your work? We were curious, so we asked for Joahanna’s experience and approach.

What would you say is the differences or similarities between companies working with DEI in the Swedish and the US market?

– The culture in the countries dictates how the different companies work with DEI. The stark difference is that in the US it is a lot about race, while in Sweden it is a lot about gender. And in Sweden, talking about race is taboo so ethnicity or where you're born is referred instead.

– I think the similarities are that companies are still much white men led.

Do you think Sweden can learn something from the American labor market?

– Sweden can learn more by talking about race. Seeing it as a social construct and understanding the stories of marginalized folks. There is data that over 30 percent of Stockholmers are not born in Sweden. Utilize that already existing data for starting conversations around race.

– The reverse is that the US could learn to have gender-equal laws. The legislation really helps in this matter and makes it easier for all companies to follow. In the US we could need more legislation that supports DEI, including parental leave, making it equal, and making it paid.

What would you say is a success factor that you have experienced while working with DEI?

– Data plays an important role. Any data you have, you can use to create initiatives. In the EU, there are strict privacy GDPR-laws making it not allowed to gather personal data like religion or sexuality. But in the US, you can gather this kind of data which is such a difference. It helps you to track who comes into your pool of candidates, who gets moved to interview, and who gets promoted. In Sweden, that is not available. So, then you can do a mapping where it is voluntary and anonymous for people to identify themselves. The data from that is used for strategic initiatives that are specific to the company.

What should companies focus on in the field of DEI during 2023?

– If there is only one thing it would be for the CEOs in the companies to allocate resources for DEI work. And then, leaning into that work. There is not only one thing that they can do, but it really makes a difference if it starts from the top. And this should not only be in 2023, but always.