Diversity and inclusion (D&I) work best when NGOs and corporate CSR teams design experiences that shift everyday behaviour, not just policies. The activities below are written as actionable formats you can co-run with client HR and business teams.
- Identity mapping: “Many Sides of Me”
Run a 60–90 minute workshop where employees map visible and invisible aspects of their identity (region, caste, gender, language, caregiving, disability, education, etc.) on a simple one-page template. A trained facilitator then guides reflection on privilege, bias and how these identities shape workplace experiences, capturing themes that can feed into an internal inclusion diagnosis. NGOs can provide the template, sample debrief questions and a short insight note for leadership after the session.
- Storytelling circles: “My Name, My Journey”
Facilitate small circles of 5–7 employees with prompts such as “A time I felt included or excluded at work” or “What my name means and how people respond to it.” Set clear ground rules (confidentiality, listening without fixing, no interrupting) and keep each round time-boxed so everyone speaks. NGOs can train internal facilitators, provide a script and create anonymised insight themes that inform DEI priorities and policies.
- Inclusive culture lab: microaggressions and everyday inclusion
Design a practical, scenario-based lab where small groups work on realistic situations: someone being repeatedly interrupted, assumptions about who takes notes, jokes about accents, or bias around flexible work. Each group analyses “What’s happening?”, “Who is impacted?” and “What could an ally say or do?” and then receives “say–do” scripts plus an inclusive meetings and emails checklist. NGOs can curate scenarios from real cases (with details changed), co-facilitate the lab and leave behind ready-to-use tools for teams.
- “Culture on a Plate” or traditions showcase
Co-create a celebration of cultural and identity diversity through food, festivals and stories – onsite or virtual. Options include a potluck or food festival where people bring a dish and story from their culture/region, or an online “show & tell” where employees share an object, festival or tradition from home, supported by guidelines to avoid stereotypes and insensitive costumes. NGOs can provide a simple do-no-harm checklist, sample invitations and reflection questions leaders can use to connect the event back to inclusion at work.
- Reverse mentoring on inclusion
Set up a 3–4 month reverse mentoring program where junior or underrepresented employees mentor leaders about their lived experience in the organisation. Structure 1:1 or small-group conversations with prompts on career progression, policies, language, microaggressions and everyday culture, backed by clear boundaries, confidentiality norms and orientation sessions for both mentors and mentees. NGOs can help design the framework, train participants and support the organisation in converting insights into specific leadership commitments.
- “Inclusive meetings” design sprint
Run a 2–3 hour design sprint in which teams audit how their meetings currently work and redesign them to be more inclusive. Step 1 is to surface pain points (who speaks, who is invisible on calls, time zones, language, accessibility needs); step 2 is to co-create 5–7 norms such as round-robin check-ins, rotating facilitators, clear pre-reads and accessible materials, which are captured in an “Inclusive Meeting Charter” for each team. NGOs can bring the sprint template, example charters and a simple tracking tool so teams can monitor adoption over 30–60 days.
- Allyship in action: 30-day challenge
Instead of a one-off workshop, co-launch a 30-day allyship challenge built around weekly themes like Listening, Language, Bias and Everyday Support. Each week, participants complete 3–4 micro-actions such as inviting a quieter colleague to speak, replacing gendered phrases with inclusive language, learning and using correct pronouns, or amplifying work from underrepresented teammates. NGOs can supply a ready-made challenge calendar, nudging emails/WhatsApp messages and a reflection template so the company can capture behaviour change stories.
- ERG launch and “belonging circles”
Support companies to launch or strengthen Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) with a purposeful kick-off instead of just a mailing list. Run facilitated “belonging circles” where members of a specific group (women, LGBTQIA+, persons with disabilities, caregivers, etc.) share needs and priorities, while a parallel ally session focuses on how to support without taking over. NGOs can help each ERG define its purpose, 6–12 month action plan and “leadership ask” (sponsorship, budget, access), ensuring the group has teeth and not just a logo.
Written by Deb who is a social impact worker and part of Letzrise team and stays in Bengaluru.