Epsiode 45 - Changing the DEI Landscape: Tolu's Inspirational Story Race Forward Pod

Immerse yourself in today's enriching conversation with Tolu, a passionate advocate for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Tolu opens up about his challenging journey that has been coloured with resilience and second chances, and how these experiences shaped him and his approach to DEI strategies. He shares his story of how he turned obstacles into opportunities and transformed his life to advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workspace.

We ventured into a thought-provoking discussion on the role of inclusive leadership in tackling racism. Tolu elaborates on the power of understanding the nuances of our interactions and how this awareness can mould a more inclusive workplace culture. He encourages us to delve into the world of cultural activation and provides crucial insights on how organisations can transcend beyond policy changes to authentically foster diversity and inclusion.

Tolu sheds light on the designing of comprehensive DEI strategies and emphasises the need for accountability when it comes to implementation. He stresses the importance of having separate strategies to address race and ethnicity due to their varied nuances.
He also underscores the value of mental health support in these initiatives. Lastly, Tolu gives us a snapshot of his initiative, Limitless, a fascinating intersection of brands, entertainment, and cultural change. This episode is brimming with priceless insights for anyone looking to cultivate a more inclusive and diverse workplace environment.

About this Episodes Guest: Tolu Farinto
Tolu Farinto, Founder of Limitless, Partner, change-maker & Ethnicity and Social Mobility Specialist Lead at Utopia
Tolu is the Ethnicity and Social Mobility specialism Lead at Utopia - a culture change business that creates more inclusive, healthy and entrepreneurial cultures for clients. Tolu is a central part of a team that takes Utopia’s top-to-bottom, boardroom to the factory floor into clients including household names such as Coca-Cola European Partners, Google, Schneider Electric, Spotify, and Universal Music. 
Tolu is also the founder of Limitless Live - an annual music festival at The Roundhouse in Camen, with a social purpose at its core to reach, inspire, connect and equip aspirational talent from underrepresented backgrounds who are often disenfranchised. This is done through the power of culture change, brands and entertainment, shining a light on existing creative and employment opportunities for young people.
He co-founded The Great British Diversity Experiment in 2015 and is a key advisor to Hackney CVS's flagship Black Men for Change initiative: a strategic pan-London platform, funded by the Mayor of London, to combat structural inequality as it impacts vulnerable communities. He also sits on the creative advisory board for the Ideas Foundation, a charity that ensures career opportunities within the creative industry are accessible to talent from lower socio-economic backgrounds.