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L2C Inclusive Leader's Voices Podcast from Leading to Change in partnership with NHS Education for Scotland.
This series amplifies the real, lived experiences of leaders at all levels who champion inclusive workplaces and communities across Scotland’s health and social care system.
- The episodes will explore:
- Stories of career progression and navigating barriers
- Diversity in talent management
- The overlaps and complexities of our intersections
- What it truly takes to build inclusive cultures
- The realities of culture change in diverse organisations
These are honest, reflective conversations — exploring both the personal and the systemic — to help us learn, grow, and lead with equity and compassion.
Episodes may contain content that is distressing, please use discretion when listening.
© NHS Education for Scotland 2026. You can copy or reproduce the information in these podcasts for use within NHS Scotland and for non-commercial educational purposes under creative commons CC BY-NC 4.0 Deed | Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 International | Creative commons. Use of this resource for commercial purposes is permitted only with the written permission of NHS Education for Scotland.
Episodes
5 hours ago
5 hours ago
In this powerful first episode of Inclusive Leader’s Voices, host Christiana Ekpete sits down with Virginia “Vee” Toyi—an EDI advocate, consultant, author, and long‑standing champion for equitable workplaces. Together, they explore what true inclusion looks like beneath the surface of policies, statements, and well‑intentioned words.
Drawing on more than 20 years of experience, Vee offers an honest and deeply reflective conversation about navigating organisational systems as both an EDI professional and a Black woman—roles that often intersect in challenging and emotionally complex ways. She speaks candidly about performative inclusion, the silent behaviours that shape culture, the emotional toll of advocating for change, and the persistence required to keep going.
Key themes include:
- The tension between real vs. performative inclusion
- Why culture, behaviour and psychological safety matter more than statements
- How exclusion shows up in everyday interactions and organisational norms
- The impact of resistance and microaggressions on underrepresented colleagues
- The role of leaders, allies and accountability in creating meaningful change
- Personal strategies for resilience, healing, and staying committed to the work
Vee also shares heartfelt reflections on trauma, resilience, and the importance of finding allies in systems not built with everyone in mind. Her message for leaders is clear: creating inclusive workplaces requires curiosity, courage, transparency, and the willingness to sit with discomfort.
This episode invites leaders and changemakers at every level to pause, reflect, and ask the uncomfortable questions that drive genuine progress.
Download the transcript here.
Explore more
These podcasts are part of a wide range of resources, events, and programmes offered by Leading to Change. Visit the Leading to Change website for resources, events, blogs, our Allyship hub and programmes. Questions or feedback? Email us at hello@leadingtochange.scot
