Institute of Hospitality glossary of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) terms
The Institute of Hospitality has developed a glossary of terms relating to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB), as a starting point for communication and learning for businesses and organisations.
Refers to the individual and social discrimination faced by disabled people. It is rooted in a social prejudice that assumes people who are not disabled are superior and more valid than those who are. At its heart, ableism defines individuals by their disability and medicalises them, taking the position that they are deficient, incomplete or require ‘fixing’ in some way as a result of them being disabled. Ableism may include or take the form of un/intentional organisational barriers that result in different treatment of disabled people.
The degree to which a product, service, or environment is accessible by as many people as possible.
Ageism, or age discrimination, occurs when a person is treated less favourably because of their age, and particularly affects young and older people. You can be discriminated against because of your age, or because you are in a specific age group.
A person who is not a member of a marginalised or disadvantaged group, but who expresses or gives support to that group.
Antisemitism is discrimination, prejudice or malicious acts against individuals, communities or organisations because of their Jewish identity or heritage. An act of Antisemitism may be considered a hate incident or a hate crime.
The acronym ‘BAME’ has not been in use by many inclusive employers since December 2021. On April 7 2022, The Race Disparity Unit wrote a blog entitled Why we no longer use the term ‘BAME’ in government which is an account of why the government no longer uses the acronym.
The controversy and unease with the term ‘BAME’ largely stems from the grouping together of diverse ethnicities, and the implication that it reflects a singular or homogenous ethnic identity which is problematic. When talking to an individual about race be led by them and ensure the terms you’re using accurately reflect who they are and what terms they would like you to use
In the workplace it is an employee’s sense that their uniqueness is accepted and even treasured by their organisation and colleagues. Belonging is an accumulation of daily experiences that enables a person to feel safe and bring their full, unique self to work.
Prejudice in favour of, or against one thing, person, or group compared with another. Usually in an unfair or negative way. Unconscious bias, also known as implicit bias, is defined as “attitudes and stereotypes that influence judgment, decision-making, and behaviour in ways that are outside of conscious awareness and/or control”. Harvard Business Review, 2020.
Black Lives Matter is a human rights movement, originating in the African American community in the United States. Often abbreviated to BLM, the movement campaigns against violence and systemic racism toward black people and began on social media in 2012 after the killing of black teenager Trayvon Martin. The movement gained worldwide prominence after the killing of George Floyd in 2020 during the global pandemic.
Is a phenomenon where individuals transgressing current societal norms are called out and ostracised on social media and other venues by members of the public.
From the Latin ‘cis’ meaning “on this side.” A person whose gender identity corresponds with the sex the person had or was identified as having at birth. For example, a person identified as female at birth who identifies as a woman can be said to be a cisgender woman.
Originally coined to describe the effects of colonialism, cultural appropriation generally entails adopting aspects of a minority culture by someone outside the culture, without sufficient understanding of its context or respect for the meaning and value of the original. Cultural appropriation done in a way that promotes disrespectful cultural or racial stereotypes is considered particularly harmful.
You’re disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.
Discrimination is when someone is treated unfairly, in relation to a protected characteristic, in one or more of the following ways:
The condition of being different or having differences. Differences among people with respect to age, class, ethnicity, gender, health, physical and mental ability, race, sexual orientation, religion, physical size, education level, job and function, personality traits, and other human differences. Organisational diversity is social heterogeneity.
An employer sponsored or supported group of those who share the interests and concerns common to those of a particular race, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. ERGs done well are intended to build community, strengthen networks and supportive relationships, and improve the mobility and retention of diverse people. They are also important for having underrepresented voices heard.
Equality is about ensuring that every individual has an equal opportunity to make the most of their lives and talents and believing that no one should have poorer life chances because of where, what or to whom they were born, or because of other characteristics. Equality recognises that certain groups of people with particular characteristics e.g., those of a certain race, disabled people, women, gay and lesbian people etc, have and continue to experience discrimination.
Fair treatment for all while striving to identify and eliminate inequities and barriers. In some circumstances people need to be treated differently in order to provide meaningful equality of opportunity.
A way of identifying and/or expressing oneself outside the binary gender categories of male/masculine and female/feminine. Non-binary people may identify as an intermediate or separate third gender, identify with more than one gender, no gender, or have a fluctuating gender identity. Gender identity is separate from sexual or romantic orientation: non-binary people have various sexual orientations.
An umbrella term defining discrimination, prejudice or malicious acts towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer or questioning people.
Is a workplace culture that is welcoming to all people regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity, age, abilities, and religion and where everyone is valued, respected and able to reach their full potential.
The theory of intersectionality was originally coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, a leading feminist scholar, and was used to describe the specific intersecting inequalities faced by African American women. Today Intersectionality encompasses the complex, cumulative way in which the effects of multiple forms of discrimination (such as racism, sexism, and classism) combine, overlap, or intersect, and their multiple effects on the same individuals or groups. It also refers to the view that overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination can more effectively be addressed together.
Is discrimination, prejudice or malicious acts against individuals, communities or organisations because of their Muslim identity or association. An act of Islamophobia may be considered a hate incident or a hate crime.
An abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual plus. These terms are used to describe a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
Refers to the time in a woman’s life, commonly between the age of 45 and 51, when menstruation ceases, although it may begin at an earlier time. There are a number of other health issues and conditions that may relate to, and result from, the menopause. It is important to note that the menopause may affect trans men and nonbinary people.
A comment or action that unconsciously or unintentionally expresses or reveals a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalised group. These small, common occurrences include insults, slights, stereotyping, undermining, devaluing, overlooking, or excluding someone. Over time, microaggressions can isolate and alienate those on the receiving end and affect their health and wellbeing.
When neurological differences are recognised and respected, as are any other kind of human differences or variations. These differences can include Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autistic Spectrum (ASD), Dyspraxia, Dyslexia and Tourette’s Syndrome.
An unearned, sustained advantage that comes from race, gender, sexuality, ability, socioeconomic status, age, and other differences.
Words to refer to a person after initially using their name. Gendered pronouns include she and he, her and him, hers and his, and herself and himself. “Preferred gender pronouns” (or PGPs) are the pronouns that people ask others to use in reference to themselves. They may be plural gender- neutral pronouns such as they, them, their(s). Some people state their pronoun preferences as a form of allyship.
An umbrella term used by people who wish to describe themselves as neither heterosexual nor cisgender.
Is discrimination, prejudice or malicious acts towards individuals or communities because of skin colour, ethnicity, nationality, language, customs or practices and place of birth. A belief that racial differences produce or are associated with inherent superiority or inferiority.
In the UK the duty to make reasonable adjustments requires institutions to take positive steps to ensure that disabled team members can perform their roles. What is considered reasonable will depend on all the circumstances of the case including the size of an organisation and its resources, what is practicable, the effectiveness of what is being proposed and the likely disruption that would be caused by taking the measure in question.
Discrimination based on a person’s sex and/or gender identity. Examples of such discrimination could be limiting someone’s employment and other opportunities based on their sex or gender, or by restricting rights such as voting rights.
The link between a person’s occupation or income and the occupation or income of their parents. Where there is a strong link, there is a lower level of social mobility.
An umbrella term used to describe a person whose gender identity is something other than their Sex Assigned at Birth (SAAB). The SAAB is a person’s first association with gender, typically based on physical sex characteristics.
Tokenism is the practice of making only superficial or symbolic gestures to appear inclusive of members of underrepresented groups. For instance, by recruiting people from minority ethnic groups, an organisation may attempt to give the appearance of racial integration or balance within a workforce. However, the organisation may make no further efforts to invest additional resources into exploring the root cause of such an imbalance, or to improve the experiences of minority groups once they are part of the workforce.
Woke is a term defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a person being “alert to injustice in society, especially racism”. It had been used by Black Americans since at least the mid-1940s. It is now being misappropriated and used as an attack against ‘cancel culture’.
The above short version of glossary terms was produced by the Institute of Hospitality (2023).
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