Facebook doesn’t need an introduction. With over 2 billion users the social media platform has permanently changed the way we connect with each other.
We caught up with Dorianne Richelle, Group Director at Facebook and responsible for partnerships with companies in travel, retail and fashion. We talked about her thoughts on diversity, inclusion, and teaming up with us as a gold partner.
What is the reason Facebook supports the TEDxAmsterdamWomen movement?
“Our own mission is to bring people together, to create communities that revolve around what people find important. You bring people and ideas together, so we already share the same mission. On top of that, we are increasing gender diversity on the workfloor internally, but also outside of our own organisation. Which means we are always on the lookout for partners that share this goal. And TEDxAmsterdamWomen stands out. What I love is the effect of your work, which happens on different levels. By organising events where people can meet each other but also by creating a platform to help female entrepreneurs, with the Startup Award competition.”
What actions are you taking to bridge the gap within Facebook?
“Apart from colleagues that work on making Facebook more diverse on a full time basis, such as our Chief Diversity Officer, every department has at least one person who dedicates her or his time to the same goal, in addition to the job they were hired for. I am a part of FacebookWomen and focus on gender, but there are also different departments that address other groups. Next tot that, we are dedicated to have at least 2 women in the final candidate pool when recruiting a new hire, for example, but we also invest in different trainings. All employees are required to take part in a training to manage their own biases – because everyone is biased about something. All managers have to join a ‘managing inclusion’ workshop as well. Because the process of inclusion doesn’t stop after hiring, people also need an environment where they can be themselves.”
What is your personal opinion on diversity and inclusion?
“The world is changing rapidly because of technology. Look at companies such as Uber and Spotify. They are changing the game. While new companies are thriving, older companies get stuck. One of the reasons for this is that they keep putting the same people at the top. If you have a varied group to lead a company, it makes it easier to deal with change. For me, it’s so logical to have a diverse group of people manage a company, that dares to be vulnerable and authentic. For economical reasons but it also makes working a lot more fun. Diversity helps companies to be more flexible, creative, fresh and open. This is a necessity to be able to keep moving forward.”