Membership Directory - Individual

Joanna Rhule

Diversity, Inclusion and Well-being Manager at M and G plc

About

Bio: Jo is an experienced HR professional with extensive experience in diversity, inclusion and well-being. Previous experience includes talent development, succession planning, learning and development and employee engagement. She is passionate about the benefits that a diverse workforce and inclusive culture brings to organisations.

In her position as Diversity and Inclusion Manager at M&G plc, she is working to deliver a global strategy to support an environment where all colleagues are valued for their uniqueness and are enabled to achieve their full potential. She holds a Chartered MCIPD, CIPD Advanced Diploma in Human Resource Management and Development.

Jo left school at 16, and undertook, what would have been considered a modern apprenticeship now at BT. She started work in the HR team (called Personnel in those days!), and undertook a business studies course at the same time. The role gave her an opportunity to develop an understanding of how HR supports a business to meet its goals, and that took her towards a career in HR. Over many years, she has undertaken many different HR roles, from recruitment, learning and development, general HR, and most recently diversity and inclusion. Jo loves to spend time with friends and family has a of love of cooking and gardening as well as live music - Ronnie Scott's being her favourite music venue.

For as long as Jo can remember, she has an underlying value of fairness and equity, which has led her to her current role in D&I at M&G plc. Some elements of diversity are clearly seen, such as race and ethnicity, but others, such as certain disabilities are hidden, and can therefore add an additional barrier to inclusion in the workplace, and in society more generally.

When the PRIDE employee network started many years ago now at M&G, she decided, as a straight ally, that by joining the committee, she could help the committee to widen the network and help colleagues understand that LGBT issues are actually everyone's issues, and that educating yourself on areas that perhaps don't affect you directly can only help to create a more inclusive workplace by developing understanding.