Allyship definition: what is an ally?
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Allyship definition
An allyship can be described as an act when a person collaborates and stands in solidarity with a group of individuals who are marginalised in order to support the removal of the barriers that prevent that group from enjoying equal access to opportunities and basic rights in our society.
Although our present usage of the term in relation to social justice is relatively recent, allyship is not a new concept. The concept of allyship originates from conflict, and conflict existed long before the debates over colonialism, slavery, and policy that occur today. For example, when a region was at war with another territory, giving assistance in the form of cash, food, livestock, land, weapons and warriors was the definition of an ally.
Various business strategies and campaigns can be used to display allyship as an organisation as a whole. For example, Steve Easterbrook, the CEO of McDonald's, and other senior executives altered their LinkedIn profile images to reflect the launch of their new DEI Strategy, replacing the iconic McDonald's arches with an upside-down version. This illustrates the leaders of the company's dedication to challenging the gender norm by continuing to be conscious of implicit bias.
Real-world context
- Transparency: Having allies in the workplace encourages transparency and safety, which in turn better enables others to call out inappropriate behaviours in the workplace. It is possible for those in positions of privilege to speak out against discriminatory practices towards marginalised communities and make their voices heard. People from underrepresented groups could be reluctant to bring up problems for fear of criticism or the possibility of damaging their professional connections.
- Retention of talent: Organisations who have strong allyship programs are statistically better at retaining and developing their talent. According to a study by Bentley University, employees who work for companies that have strong allyship and inclusion cultures are up to 167% more likely to endorse their companies as wonderful places to work. Additionally, employees show enhanced performance and take 50% fewer sick days compared to those who do not feel their workplaces have such cultures.
- Effective allyship: An act of allyship can be effective or performative. Performative allyship can occur and manifest itself in various ways. It occurs when a company tries to appear as though it is supporting a cause, yet the motivations behind this kind of outward "support" are frequently flimsy and deceptive. In actuality, there isn't a sincere desire or meaningful action to truly change things. Such allyship can do more harm than good towards inclusion in the organisation. Conversely, effective allyship is authentic and is aligned with meaningful change and positive actions.
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