Skyscanner\’s DEI Team is a two-person global function led by the Head of DEI and supported by the Culture & Belonging Manager, but its impact extends far beyond the core team. Through the RISE Framework (Represent, Inspire, Support and Empower), the team has built a distributed model of leadership comprising Executive Sponsors, Senior Sponsors, Network Chairs and Co-Chairs, and more than 45 DEI Champions. Together, these volunteers act as an extension of the DEI function across every region and business area, enabling inclusion to be driven by employees while maintaining clear governance, accountability and strategic direction.
The team inherited a strong foundation of employee passion and grassroots advocacy. Rather than replacing this approach, it professionalised it. Clear roles, responsibilities and governance were introduced, creating stronger links between employee networks, senior leadership and organisational decision-making. This has allowed employee voice to influence company priorities while ensuring initiatives are aligned to business objectives, properly resourced and capable of delivering long-term impact.
A defining achievement has been shifting the team\’s role from delivering inclusion activities to building organisational capability. Rather than acting as the sole owners of DEI, the team has equipped leaders, managers and employees to take shared responsibility for creating an inclusive culture. The RISE Networks now play a central role in shaping policies, influencing organisational commitments, delivering learning opportunities and identifying barriers experienced by different communities.
The team has also embedded a more evidence-based approach to inclusion. Through demographic data campaigns, workforce analytics, engagement surveys and external benchmarking, decisions are increasingly informed by data rather than assumptions. This has enabled the organisation to identify priorities, measure progress and direct investment towards areas where it will have the greatest impact.
Alongside strengthening governance and data, the team has embedded inclusion into manager development, expanded leadership accountability for DEI, and helped position DEI as a core organisational capability rather than a standalone people initiative. Their work has contributed to record employee engagement, progress against representation goals, increased participation in inclusion programmes and recognition through awards including Stonewall\’s Global Workplace Equality Index, The Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality, the British LGBT Awards and the Proud Scotland Awards.
Perhaps the team\’s greatest achievement is creating a model that can sustain itself. By developing a global network of advocates and embedding inclusion into leadership, governance and everyday decision-making, they have ensured that progress is no longer dependent on the capacity of a two-person team. Instead, inclusion has become a shared responsibility, supported by employees and leaders across the organisation, creating a stronger foundation for continued progress as Skyscanner grows.
Skyscanner | London, UK
