A Conversation About Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Anti-Fraud Field
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GUEST BLOGGER
Liza Ayres
Contributing Writer
The past few months have brought social and political unrest to the forefront of local, national and even global conversations. This is an unprecedented time of awareness, but as difficult and eye-opening as these moments of national rupture have been, they present a crucial time for organizations to assess workplaces and communities.
On August 19, the ACFE hosted a webinar titled, “A Conversation About Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Anti-Fraud Field,” which is free and available to view for all ACFE members.
ACFE President and CEO Bruce Dorris introduced the conversation with a few remarks. “We are not being called out; we are being called. Called to be better, pull up and grow for a more equitable future.” In the pattern of calling upon ourselves to use this moment to examine how we might reshape the anti-fraud profession to uplift all people, Dorris hopes this conversation will call upon others to do the same. This virtual discussion is a new step in the ACFE’s commitment to uphold those values in our industry, and to encourage our members to do the same.
Dr. Lisa Walker, a leadership psychologist, moderated three speakers in the lively and informative discussion. Monica Modi Dalwadi, CFE, joined from the D.C. office of Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP; Bethmara Kessler, CFE, Chair of the ACFE Board of Regents, contributed her remarks; and Charles Washington, CFE, offered insight from his position as Global Fraud and Asset Protection at Pfizer and as the Vice-Chairman of the ACFE Foundation Board of Directors.
Where is the conversation right now?
The conversation began with the panelists sharing their perspectives on how workplaces are currently thinking about and responding to issues of racial justice and belonging, particularly in the U.S. The speakers agreed that racial equity is an obvious business imperative, but many obstacles have prevented valuable action.
For example, unease may exist around conversations about identity, especially in workplaces where people seek to avoid potential conflict. “Predominately white leaders reported feeling ill-equipped, even afraid to act or to engage in this conversation,” Walker noted, referring to a recent survey of business owners. Walker stated that it should come as no surprise, given the history of race and capitalism in the U.S., that race makes corporate managers uneasy and therefore unlikely to act. In actuality, however, inaction only deepens the systemic issues that are shaking many communities right now, according to the panelists.
However, Monica Modi Dalwadi demonstrated how sometimes reaching out with compassion can be enough to disrupt the status quo. After the tragic and fatal killing of George Floyd, Dalwadi shared her troubled emotions with her team at work. Many of her colleagues responded with relief and gratitude that someone said something. In particular, a Black colleague on her team responded, saying he was glad she said something, especially because he didn’t expect anyone at the company to acknowledge it
“The silence is not acceptable,” Dalwadi said. “We have to be having this conversation and this discussion and figuring out where we are going with all of it.”
Who needs to participate in this conversation?
This question arises frequently when companies wonder how to approach discussions of diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism, so Walker posed it to the panelists.
Kessler stated simply, “Everyone.” She continued, “It’s really important that everyone feels a true sense of belonging within the business and on the team.” In order to reach the point where everyone can express themselves fully at work, she explained, there must be active engagement from everyone in the business. Approaching this type of work should be organized, systematic and thoughtful, so the panelists recommended planning in advance.
Moreover, Kessler and Washington agreed that change comes from both the top tiers of leadership and the lowest levels, especially those still early in their careers. “I believe we can all be catalysts,” Kessler remarked, but to make real change, she noted, the most senior leaders need to be invested.
Washington concurred, saying the leaders need to start the conversations, but, he added, “Equality, fairness and equity don’t really work unless they work at the lowest level of the organization.” Much like tone at the top in anti-fraud matters, the panelists suggested that the work around diversity, equity and inclusion needs to start with leaders at the top of an organization and filter down.
What are common barriers to the conversation?
1. Unconscious bias
We often speak about unconscious bias in terms of fraud investigations, but the panelists stressed that organizations should also recognize that leaders are not immune to unconscious biases. In fact, no human on planet earth is immune.
Dalwadi offered the idea of bias training for individuals at every level so that people are challenged to think differently about the assumptions with which they view the world.
“You can’t fix it unless you admit you have it,” stated Washington.
2. The fear of speaking up
Kessler encouraged those who are interested in joining these discussions as thoughtful allies to acknowledge their privileges before engaging with the subject matter. She noted that, in some cases, allies might be able to have a louder voice in the conversation, depending on the audience.
For example, Kessler relayed a story about a straight colleague offering to speak on the subject of queer identity. At first, Kessler didn’t like the idea, but once she considered it more deeply, she understood that when addressing other straight people, the straight colleague might have an easier time relating to their peers and encouraging them to think about the privileges they have from navigating this world as straight.
3. A lack of trust
There is no doubt that this is hard work. Washington urged allies to remember how critical it is to build trust with colleagues and to help build environments where people feel like they belong.
Washington shared a story from when he began his career as a criminal investigation special agent. On one of his first assignments, he was partnered with a young officer from a small Midwest town who admitted that Washington was the first Black man with whom he had ever interacted. Although there were uncomfortable moments, Washington and his partner built a strong foundation of trust to have conversations about race. “He asked so many questions just because he didn’t know, and he didn’t have the experience and he wanted to know it.” Washington credits his partner’s interest and willingness to have these deep conversations to why they formed such a strong bond. They remain friends to this day.
The panelists agreed that increased trust between peers makes organizations more successful, which increases the quality of work for everyone.
So, where do we go from here?
Dalwadi shared some important considerations for having productive dialogues. First, facilitators should make people aware that the space for workshops or conversations is a safe space for people to share their emotions and experiences. No one should feel pressured or uncomfortable. For example, facilitators should not be anyone at the top of the organization. Otherwise, employees might feel like they could be reprimanded, or worse, lose their jobs.
Washington urged people to go beyond programs and webinars to actually taking tangible steps toward effective results. He said it’s crucial to get to the root cause, which means addressing these issues directly with the group that has an advantage or privilege.
He added that getting those who are early in their careers involved is urgent so that they are aware of these practices from the start. “I’d like to see us get away from a defensive posture, where we’re constantly trying to defend our rights,” he said, “to a point of being offensive, and we get to a place where we can actually live and enjoy the rights that have already been bestowed upon us.”
This enlightening conversation served as a starting point for further action on diversity, equity and inclusion in the anti-fraud field. As the panelists pointed out, there are many skills that fraud examiners possess that can aid in building a diverse, equitable, inclusive and anti-racist culture in the workplace and in the profession as a whole.
You can watch a clip from the recent webinar below, and ACFE members can access the full version for free on ACFE.com. Please stay tuned. Our next webinar on the topic of diversity, equity and inclusion will be held on October 13.
