At The Radio Academy, we are committed to advancing equity, and to an accessible, inclusive and safe industry.
We worked with independent EDI consultant Chico Chakravorty from Doing Diversity Differently, to offer support and guidance to ensure that equity is embedded at the heart of the ARIAS. This includes offering insights into best practice and highlighting the impact of, for example, unconscious bias when judging entries.
Inclusion is an integral part of The Radio Academy’s Values and we strive to be representative of the sector and the UK population in all that we do.
We welcome feedback and collaboration, please get in touch here.
Introduction: A Guide for Fair and Equitable Judging
Bias
Bias is where one favours or opposes a particular thing or person purely based on their preconceived ideas about that thing or person.
Further information and reading
Common types of Bias
- Affinity Bias: liking or respecting things or people we have similarities with
- Beauty Bias: people being more valued due to how they look
- Confirmation Bias: looking for information that already backs up what we think is true
- Conformity Bias: having to change your thoughts / beliefs to agree with other people
- Halo / Horns Effect: when someone is either perceived as good or bad at everything because they are good or bad at one specific thing
- Opportunity Bias: giving or receiving the opportunity to do something
- Statistical Bias: presenting data and information in a way to influence how people think
- Stereotypical Bias: believing all people with shared characteristics are the same
Cognitive Bias Codex:
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/all-188-cognitive-biases.html
Privilege
Privilege is where your life is not negatively impacted by who you intrinsically are.
Further information and reading
Privilege Wheel Infographic:
Image source: https://www.instagram.com/p/CEFiUShhpUT/?hl=en
A British school helps its students uncover and eradicate hidden racial biases, from Channel 4:
Meritocracy
Meritocracy is a flawed concept where someone or their work is chosen purely on their merit for being the best, but does not take into account other factors.
Further information and reading
This Harvard professor explains why meritocracy is broken and how to fix it:
The myth of meritocracy from the British Psychological Society:
Microaggressions
Microaggressions are small, seemingly innocuous statements or actions that make people feel othered, undervalued, violated or unsafe.
Further information and reading
What is a microaggression? How to recognise and respond to comments and actions that may actually be racist, sexist, or offensive, and harmful to the health of your colleagues.
https://hbr.org/2022/05/recognizing-and-responding-to-microaggressions-at-work
Chico Chakravorty, EDI Consultant
Chico Chakravorty (he/him) has over 15 years professional leadership experience across various sectors including insurance, health, not-for-profit and consulting. His key specialisms are strategy, business growth, commercial relationship management and international business. Through his consultancy, Doing Diversity Differently, he helps organisations approach D&I through innovative and agile means.
Through his career, he has always found inventive solutions to fundamental company problems that constrained the ability to grow, whether at a strategic thinking level or during the implementation of multi-million pound programmes of work. Chico has consulted for organisations including Houses of Parliament, Cambridge University, Accenture, Department for International Trade, EY, Shawbrook Bank, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Quadmark and many more. He is also the Head of Diversity and Inclusion for the communications training agency Working Voices where he has designed content and trained leaders in organisations such as DeutscheBank, J.P. Morgan, James Fisher and Sons, London Stock Exchange Group, and BlackRock amongst other multinational organisations. He additionally presents for the BBC Symphony Orchestra’s live concerts at Maida Vale.
Chico completed his MBA at Durham University Business School focusing on Management Consultancy and Leadership Culture. A keen violinist, Chico plays with different chamber groups and orchestras (including as a leader), chairs the board of trustees for a South Asian Dance Company (and the former chair of a professional orchestra), and volunteers for various charities.