Ja, det er akavet at tale om: Men vi bliver ved med, at fastholde en os og en dem

In todays Berlingske I discuss “Et Større Billede” (the bigger picture). This campaign directs attention to a general (and disgraceful) lack of fair representation in Danish film by re-imagining several Danish film posters with a more diverse Danish cast. It’s a simple gesture. In one fell swoop, it presents both a solution, the talent, and demonstrates how easy it can be to think outside the box.

But the challenge of fair representation is not confined to the film industry. This is a widespread issue, and despite efforts within DEI, CSR, ETC., only few Danish companies reach their goals. I ask (rhetorically) why this is? While the answer is not simple, I point to two issues. One is widespread discomfort and seeming incompetence at the core of the challenge, i.e. lack of knowledge and competence in regard to identifying and addressing discrimination, racism, and related inequity. This includes a reflexive insistence on equating Danishness with “whiteness.”

The other is a general tendency to see this area as a personal mission rather than an issue rooted in knowledge and research. This means individuals are often handed the torch but may not necessarily have the required knowledge or organizational support and commitment. The issue is not given real priority, nor is it developed in alignment with national and international requirements for social sustainability in business (as it should be).