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Adviser of the Month: Natasha Broomfield-Reid

Posted: Tue 18th Feb 2025

8 min read

Congratulations to our Adviser of the Month for February, Natasha Broomfield-Reid, founder of Diverse Matters.

With over 25 years of experience in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), Natasha is a distinguished leader in fostering inclusive environments across various sectors.

Using her extensive expertise working in the third sector, she founded Diverse Matters in 2016. As director, Natasha oversees the company's operations and spearheads the development and delivery of tailored DEI solutions for clients in the voluntary, public and private sectors.

In this interview, she shares insights on building inclusive businesses no matter the size and the impact of DEI on growth and success. She says:

“DEI is not a box-ticking exercise — it’s about creating a better, more profitable and more inclusive business.”

What inspired you to pursue a career in equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)?

I’ve been working in inclusion for over 20 years, even before it was called that. My background includes working with marginalised communities, mentoring Black individuals from African and Caribbean backgrounds and heading diversity initiatives in national charities. It was a natural progression to formalise my expertise into a business dedicated to diversity and inclusion.

What led you to start your own business rather than continuing in the charity sector?

I was made redundant and saw it as an opportunity.

People had always sought my advice on diversity, equity and inclusion matters, so I decided to take the leap and turn that into a business. With a bit of redundancy money, I thought: "Now’s my chance." It started as a gradual transition, balancing part-time work while building the foundations of the business. I founded Diverse Matters in 2016.

How did you transition into running Diverse Matters full-time?

It was a step-by-step process. Initially, I worked part-time while growing the business. I built the website, developed policies and procedures and figured out essentials like invoicing and cash flow.

Over time, as demand grew, I hired staff and learnt from other small business owners. It’s an evolving journey.

What are some common misconceptions about DEI, especially for small businesses?

The backlash from certain countries now is that it doesn't make a positive difference. Another is that it’s only for large corporations. Small businesses often worry about the costs or think it doesn’t apply to them. But DEI is beneficial at any scale – it helps businesses reach diverse customers, build inclusive cultures and prepare for future growth.

It’s not just about compliance; it’s about better business outcomes.

How do you explain the business benefits of DEI to sceptical business owners?

The evidence speaks for itself. Studies from McKinsey, CIPD and others show that diverse businesses perform better financially. Inclusive hiring and workplace cultures drive innovation, customer satisfaction and employee retention. Representation can help you do better because if you've got representation, you have a better understanding of who you're selling to, who you're working with.

It’s not just about policies but about embedding real, practical change that benefits the bottom line.

How can businesses address unconscious bias in their hiring and workplace culture?

We all have biases, but businesses can take steps to mitigate them. Strategies include anonymised recruitment, structured interviews, ensuring decision-making processes are fair and implementing scrutiny mechanisms to check for bias.

It’s about continuously refining processes to ensure inclusivity.

What are the key components of a successful diversity and inclusion strategy?

It should align with your mission, values and overall business strategy. It should be embedded across all functions – HR, marketing, leadership, and operations – and not just be seen as an add-on. Regularly reviewing progress, gathering feedback and using data-driven insights are essential for long-term success.

How can businesses measure the impact of these initiatives?

Businesses can track service user feedback, employee satisfaction surveys, recruitment demographics and exit interview data. Analysing these insights helps identify areas for improvement and ensures diversity and inclusion efforts are making a tangible impact.

Apart from training, what DEI services do you offer to small businesses?

We provide policy and procedure reviews, consultancy, diversity and inclusion audits, inclusive recruitment audits, culture audits and tailored guidance on embedding inclusive practices. We also help businesses prepare for growth, ensuring that when they expand, they do so with an inclusive mindset.

Watch this webinar to have a better understanding of the business case and return on investment when embedding inclusive practice:

What advice do you have for small businesses that can’t afford a DEI consultant?

Start by reviewing your current practices. Ask: "Can everyone access my products or services? Am I reaching a diverse audience?" Look at your website accessibility, advertising methods and customer journey. Free resources, like Enterprise Nation’s sessions, can also be invaluable.

DEI is not a box-ticking exercise, it’s about creating a better, more profitable and more inclusive business. Start where you can learn continuously and seek out resources that help you build a truly diverse and equitable company.

What has been the biggest lesson in your entrepreneurial journey?

Business development is ongoing – you can’t take your foot off the gas. I started with a strong reputation, but maintaining and growing requires continuous effort. I also had to learn sales and marketing, areas outside my expertise, but I’m not afraid to bring in specialists when needed.

How has Enterprise Nation supported your business journey?

It is so good for when you are first starting out because you are on your own and it’s useful to find out tips and tricks and information.

I also was part of the Help to Grow programme and the Lunch and Learn sessions have been incredibly helpful, offering insights and validation. Even after years in business, there’s always something new to learn. Enterprise Nation has been a valuable resource for networking and professional growth.

I decided to move to the paid adviser membership because I have been in business for nine years now. I was in that position where I had just started and would’ve appreciated any help that was given to me.

Not yet an adviser member? You can join here or upgrade via your dashboard.

Natasha Broomfield-ReidDiverse Matters

I am the founder and Director of Diverse Matters. I am responsible for the overall running of the company and for the design and delivery of a range of diversity and inclusion solutions for clients across the voluntary, public and private sectors. I have over 25 years experience of working in Diversity, Equality, Equity and Inclusion and can support you with: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training Diversity consultancy, advice and support Diversity and Inclusion audits Review and development of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and People policies Delivery of Listening sessions/focus groups to seek feedback from your teams Equality analysis You can find out more here My background Prior to setting up Diverse Matters, I was the Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for Victim Support. I led the organisation to become a Stonewall top 100 employer, achieve the ‘Leaders in Diversity’ and ‘Investors in Diversity’ accreditation from the National Centre for Diversity and the charity was the first national charity to achieve ‘Leaders in Diversity’ status. Natasha achieved further recognition by being shortlisted in the Excellence in Diversity Awards and ‘National Diversity Awards’ in the ‘Diverse Company’ category. I also worked as the Head of Development for Equal Approach (Now EA Inclusion). EA Inclusion is a leading inclusive recruiter, diversity consultancy and training provider, supporting organisations to attract, recruit, recognise, retain and promote diverse talent, and make workplaces more inclusive. Natasha worked with organisations from a wide range of sectors including finance, recruitment, design, retail, legal and the public sector to support them to become more inclusive in their practices. This included a wide range of services including audits, training, policy and strategy development. I have also carried out the role of Head of Diversity Inclusion and Wellbeing for law firm Mills & Reeve. Due to this experience and knowledge, I have significant experience in delivering a wide range of diversity and inclusion programmes to companies nationally that focused on areas including unconscious bias, disability/mental health and embedding diversity and inclusion, supporting diverse communities, race inclusion and LGBT+ training. Natasha is also an experienced guest speaker, facilitator, and chair and has held senior positions including chairing regional and national panels within the public and voluntary sector. I have carried out Associate roles for Pearn Kandola, Business Disability Forum (BDF), National Centre for Diversity (NCD), Irish Centre for Diversity and Righttrack learning consultancy as a Diversity consultant/trainer. I have been the recipient of Stonewall Cmyru's LGBT+ 'Ally of the Year' Award 2018 and Runner up/Special mention - the National Centre for Diversity 2016 'Inspirational Person Award’ and also named in the Class of 2021 for the Women, Influence and Power in Law UK for her work at Mills & Reeve. Diverse Matters was a finalist in the 2022 Inclusive Companies Award – Best Diversity and Inclusion Consultancy and winner of the 2020 Midlands Enterprise Award for Best Workforce Diversity & Inclusion Consultancy. In 2021, our founder and director was also named in Acquisition International’s Influential Businesswoman Awards. In 2024 I was also honoured to win the MBCC Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion award and Entrepreneur of the Year at The Women's Awards.