Allyship: A commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Although we often hear mention of allyship within the EDI sector, many people don't fully understand what true allyship entails. Join Diversity+ team member Gloria Adetula to discuss what allyship is and how to be a true, genuine ally.

Allyship is a powerful concept grounded in empathy, support, and active engagement. It requires individuals with privilege to stand in solidarity with marginalised or underrepresented groups, advocating for their rights and combating discrimination. As Nicole Asong Nfonoyim-Hara highlights in The Quick Guide to Allyship, allyship involves using privilege to dismantle systemic barriers that hinder equal opportunities. 

Before exploring why allyship is important and how to practice it, it's crucial to assess where you currently stand on the Ally Continuum. Understanding your position on this spectrum can help you set meaningful goals for becoming a stronger ally.

Allyship involves using privilege to dismantle systemic barriers that hinder equal opportunities

The Ally Continuum: Identifying Your Role

Developed by Griffins and Harro (2006), the Ally Continuum defines different levels of allyship, helping individuals recognise where they are now and where they can grow to:

1. Apathetic – Unaware or indifferent to injustice

2. Aware – Recognises inequity but takes minimal action

3. Active – Engaged in diversity and inclusion efforts

4. Advocacy – Proactively champions marginalised communities and takes consistent action.

   
   

Where do you currently stand on this continuum? Acknowledging your position enables you to identify steps for advancing your allyship, whether that means becoming more actively engaged or transitioning into a leadership role in advocacy.

With this self-awareness in place, we can now explore why allyship is essential and how it can drive meaningful change.

Why Is Allyship Important?

Allyship is key to fostering inclusive environments and systemic change. It matters because:

• It amplifies marginalised voices that are often ignored 

• It challenges bias and discrimination, creating fairer workplaces and societies

• It builds stronger communities by fostering belonging and respect

Harvard Business School emphasises that true allies don’t just sympathise — they act as collaborators, accomplices, and advocates. This active participation helps drive meaningful change, whether in the workplace, social settings, or broader policy discussions. But how does one become an effective ally?

How to Practice Allyship: Moving From Intent to Action

Allyship is more than words; it’s about consistent, intentional action. To be an effective ally, you must:

• Build personal relationships with individuals from marginalised communities

• Engage in public acts of sponsorship and advocacy

• Acknowledge privilege and use it for good

• Commit to education and self-reflection — don’t expect marginalised groups to educate you.

Recognising privilege can be uncomfortable, but discomfort is necessary for growth. Instead of avoiding it, allies can turn privilege into a tool for equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice.

Tips for improving your allyship

Even seasoned allies can continue evolving. According to the Rochester Road Justice Toolkit (Understanding Allyship and Advocacy, 2020), allyship is an ongoing practice that requires continuous unlearning and self-reflection.

Here are a few tips on how to strengthen allyship:

• Understand privilege – Acknowledge biases and challenge them

• Listen with humility – Centre marginalised voices

• Speak up, not over – Use your platform to amplify, not overshadow

• Learn from mistakes – Allyship is a process of growth, not perfection

• Stay informed – Actively seek out learning opportunities.

Allyship in the Scottish Legal Sector: Insights from Experts 

So, what does allyship mean within the Scottish sector? The Law Society of Scotland categorises allyship into different forms, including:

• Sponsor – Opens doors for marginalised individuals

• Advocate – Actively speaks out against injustice

• Scholar – Researches and educates others about allyship

• Amplifier – Elevates voices often overlooked

• Upstander – Intervenes in moments of discrimination

• Champion – Leads initiatives for equity

• Confidant – Provides emotional support and guidance

Consider how this applies practically within your legal firm or organisation, and how you can improve your allyship action. It’s also crucial to recognise performative allyship, which looks good on the surface but lacks substance or genuine commitment to change.

The Calculator of Privilege

The Calculator of Privilege (CoP) is an innovative tool designed to help organisations evaluate privilege within their firms or teams. There are two versions: The Calculator of Privegele Lite Edition, for us in all industries and organisations, and the Scottish Legal Edition, developed in partnership with the Law Society of Scotland. In both versions, the Calculator of Privilege invites users to reflect on various dimensions of their identity and background, such as childhood, education, heritage, and current circumstances, to better understand the structural advantages or disadvantages at play.

By promoting honest introspection, the Calculator of Privilege serves as both a diagnostic and developmental resource for setting more inclusive equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) goals. This reflection aligns powerfully with the principles of allyship. Understanding privilege is a foundational step on the Ally Continuum, from awareness to advocacy.

By combining tools like the Calculator of Privilege with sustained allyship practices, organisations can move beyond performative gestures and make lasting, systemic change. The journey starts with knowledge, but it’s the commitment to action that transforms workplaces into equitable, inclusive environments.

Learn more about the Calculator of Privilege

Allyship: Key Takeaways

Allyship is a lifelong commitment, not a one-time action. Diversity+ encourages individuals to reflect on their current allyship status and take steps to improve and sustain their advocacy. 

Use these insights to become a more effective ally, help create a more equitable society, and inspire others to join the movement. 

Allyship is about action, not perfection. Keep learning, keep listening, and keep advocating.

Diversity+ is an equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) consultancy, helping organisations in the Scottish legal sector and beyond with their EDI strategies and training. To learn more about our bespoke consultancy services and how we can help you, visit our services page, or reach out to us at hello@diversityplus.info