Known Unknowns | Tiziana Trefiletti

KNOWN UNKNOWNS IS A SERIES THAT PROFILES MOVERS AND SHAKERS MAKING A DIFFERENCE

TO DRIVE BETTER, MORE SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS PRACTICES.

Meet Tiziana - the Co-Founder & Co-Chair of the Disability Employee Resource Group (ERG) at the European Central Bank.

Tiziana has been instrumental in establishing a strong Diversity&Inclusion (D&I) culture and state-of-the-art disability-related policies. With over 9 years of experience working on Diversity & Inclusion topics, Tiziana’s initiatives ranges from organizing powerful ERG-led events with the institution’s President and other executives to working as a D&I university lecturer and speaker. She holds a master’s degree in Diversity Management, that she obtained to during the COVID pandemic, to structure her passion and dedication toward disability inclusion with formal education.

How did you come to co-found the "ECB DiversAbility Network”?

My decision stemmed from a personal connection to the cause when a friend and colleague of mine had a stroke. From one day to the other she found herself in a wheelchair and she could no longer express herself freely. I wanted to support her efforts to come back to work and so I began exploring options of what we called reintegration into the workplace, which included things like making accessibility adjustments to our office building. I realised that she was not the only person with a disability at the bank. We soon formed a small group of people in order to try and address those issues. We realised, however, that the group needed to be structured, in the form of a disability-focused Employee Resource Group, in order to give D&I and disability greater visibility within the institution and the recognition it deserved. We found a great supporter in Christine Lagarde, the President of the European Central Bank and former President of the IMF, who became a big inhouse champion. At the same time our HR department established the enAble working group on disability, to which we were invited to participate. The purpose was to review together the Disability Framework to enhance policies and guidelines that support our mission. We are very proud of the progress made thus far. The Employee Resource Group plays an important role in the bank and will continue pushing for change towards an increasingly diverse and inclusive work environment.

Is the ECB DiversAbility Network your full-time job? 

My “paid” job, as my friend and “PrOUT at Work” founder Jean-Luc Vey once called it, is actually within the International Cooperation Office at the ECB. My role within the DiversAbility network is completely voluntary. I call this my second job because it has become a passion so prominent in my life.

What is the biggest misconception you’ve come across regarding disability in the workplace?

There is a misconception that people with disabilities cannot perform at the highest possible standards and as a result, many are hired out of obligation or to meet quotas. The reality is this couldn’t be further from the truth. People should be hired because they can perform and are seen as assets to an organisation. 

D&I is complex, especially disability as there are nuances (mental, invisible, physical) - how did you approach it in your ERG? 

Firstly, it's important we talk about it in the most emotionally connected, but at the same time pragmatic, way. When you are dealing with people's mental health and physical challenges, a lot of emotions are naturally involved, so we need to be aware of this in order to honour their experience whilst maintaining a proactive approach to support them. We started out by having conversations with our colleagues, where we would listen to their concerns, both bilaterally and in small internal group discussions, and bring them to the attention of the relevant managers. We also pushed for the voices of those within the group to be heard externally: last year, for example, we shared some of their personal stories on our internal platform. These stories took on a life of their own and created so much awareness on the topic and empathy with the people that many more colleagues came to us to share their challenges. Storytelling aside, the bank has a fully-fledged support programme in place led by our HR department, including a Virtual Centre for Wellbeing that offers lectures and plenty of resources as well as counsellors, psychologists and a 24-hour support line.

Does ECB actively look to employ disabled employees?

We are an institution that welcomes all kinds of diversities and are always striving to be better. Our application process encourages people who have a visible or non-visible disability to declare this when applying for a job so that during all stages of recruitment, we can cater to their needs in the most inclusive way possible. The ECB regularly attends specialised job fairs  and will be stepping up its efforts in hiring people with disabilities in 2022.

Rapid Fire

What does your dream day of work look like to you? 

My dream would be to work as Diversity and Inclusion Manager because then I could work at full-speed and make a bigger difference. I would also like to be in a position to do more research and discuss D&I policies at the highest level.

What do you do for fun?

I love music and contemporary art. Before COVID, I suggested to bring music into the ECB. I started organising piano concerts and educational events for staff in-house. I have a broader interest in staff wellbeing and music can surely contribute to it. 

What keeps you awake at night?

Nowadays, it is environmental, social and governance issues (ESG). I believe that companies have an important role to play on all these aspects, in particular, how organisations respond to the social call to action, including the stance they take on D&I issues and their Corporate Social Responsibility plan, it’s key to foster better organisations and a better society.

What book are you currently reading or listening to?

Racism at Work: The Danger of Indifference by Binna Kandola. The book argues that racism has not been eradicated, despite the enormous strides taken over the past fifty years. It has mutated into new and subtler forms and has found new ways to survive. We do not often see abusive and threatening behaviour, at least in Europe: we rather experience microaggressions, not even seen by perpetrators and bystanders. Racism today may be more refined, but it harms people's careers and lives in hugely significant ways. 

What is one thing people don't know about you that may surprise them?

I have a passion for healthy nutrition. My Master’s thesis more than 25 years ago was on the marketing of healthy/biological foods. Nowadays it’s a trend but at the time it was quite an innovative topic. I followed my passion and went on to work for Whole Foods in San Diego, USA.

I dream of a world where…

Everybody is treated fairly and with respect; where everybody has the opportunity to express themselves at the highest possible level and in a way that is most true to who they are.

If you could give all leaders one piece of advice, what would it be? 

Run your business with the wellbeing of your staff at the core making sure there is a coordinated effort in supporting people’s emotional and mental wellbeing as well as their physical wellbeing. When it comes to D&I, my advice for leadership is to strive to create a strong sense of belonging for all, avoiding concentrating on a single aspect of diversity. Ensure diversity and inclusion is embedded in all business processes and soon more creative and inclusive solutions and services will make your companies even more successful.

 Disclaimer: The text includes Tiziana’s views that do not necessarily reflect those of her employer