Why Care?

About Why Care?

If you have any form of Inclusion, Diversity and Belonging remit then this is the show for you. From thought-provoking conversations about parenting, gender stereotypes and racial inequality through to neurodiversity, sexuality and more, you’ll build your knowledge and get amazing advice from experts. To be the best in your field, you’ll need this latest thinking in Inclusion and Diversity so you can speak with enhanced confidence and credibility. Join Nadia Nagamootoo each month for inspiring conversations that you can use to accelerate your organisation’s journey towards inclusion.

Publisher

Nadia Nagamootoo

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

5 May 2020

Latest episode

26 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

1 of 73 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   26 Oct 2026

   The Hidden Work Of Fitting In: Why Care? Live in partnership with Unite Group

   In this special Why Care? Live, recorded at Unite Group in Bristol as part of the launch of its Diversity Declaration campaign, Nadia Nagamootoo is joined by Dan Foster, Head of Talent Acquisition and Social Impact, Michaella Henry, Regional People Advisor, and Carmel McCormick, Learning Manager, for an uniquely open conversation about the experiences people carry into the workplace without others ever seeing them. Through personal stories spanning working-class identity, LGBTQ+ representation, neurodivergence, mental health, masking, family expectations and the pressure to fit in, they explore how identity shapes the way people navigate work and what organisations can do to reduce the burden of constantly having to explain, adapt or prove what they need. The conversation ultimately asks what genuine psychological safety looks like in practice: leaders who notice, colleagues who listen, workplaces that adapt and cultures where support does not depend on somebody articulating their needs perfectly. From candidate experience through to everyday leadership, this episode is a powerful reminder that belonging is built through repeated actions, not a single initiative. Key Takeaways Belonging is built through everyday experiences, not statements of intent. People look for evidence that an organisation genuinely cares throughout recruitment, onboarding, leadership and day-to-day work. The person you see at work may be carrying far more than is visible. Confidence, sociability or high performance can coexist with masking, anxiety, hyper-awareness and substantial cognitive effort. Representation matters long before someone enters the workplace. Growing up without seeing people like yourself reflected around you can create isolation and influence how safe you later feel expressing your identity. Fitting in can come at a significant personal cost. Carmel's experiences show how class, difference and social expectations can lead people to study the environment around them and continually adapt in order to belong. Neurodivergence is not synonymous with capability. Different processing speeds or communication needs can easily be misinterpreted as a lack of intelligence or competence when the environment has not adapted. Small adjustments can make an enormous difference. Taking time to explain something differently, allowing processing space or remembering an individual's stated needs can fundamentally change their experience of work. Self-advocacy itself creates cognitive load. Repeatedly having to understand, explain and justify what support you need can become exhausting, particularly when systems assume a neurotypical experience. Psychological safety depends on what happens when work and wellbeing collide. A culture is tested when somebody cannot perform exactly as expected and needs flexibility, understanding or time. Senior leaders can use their visibility to normalise conversations others may not yet feel safe starting. Dan describes this as part of the responsibility that comes with his position and influence. Allyship does not always require having the answer. Sometimes one of the most meaningful things somebody can ask is simply, “What do you need from me?” Links Unite Group: Website (https://www.unitestudents.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@unitestudents?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/unite_students/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@unite_students?utm_source=chatgpt.com) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/unite-group-plc/) Nadia Nagamootoo: Website (https://www.nadianagamootoo.com/) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadia-nagamootoo) | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/nadianagamootoo) | Buy Beyond Discomfort (https://practicalinspiration.com/book/beyond-discomfort) Avenir Consulting: https://linktr.ee/avenirconsultingservices (https://linktr.ee/avenirconsultingservices) Produced by Mauro Kenji Serra (https://www.linkedin.com/in/maurokenjiserra/), Kenji Productions (https://www.kenjiproductions.com/)

2. 

   5 Oct 2026

   66. From Outrage to Action: LGBTQ+ Equality, with Ellen Jones

   In the UK, LGBTQ+ equality is often spoken about as a settled achievement. Author, strategist and campaigner Ellen Jones joins Nadia Nagamootoo to explain why that assumption does not match the reality she sees. They discuss the UK’s position on ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map (https://www.ilga-europe.org/report/rainbow-map-2026/), the uncertainty facing trans people, and the lasting effects of policies and attitudes that shaped Ellen’s childhood. Ellen also shares her experiences of coming out at school, living with the shame left by bullying, and discovering she is autistic. Drawing on her book Outrage and her work through Pansy Studios, Ellen asks what organisations do when public support becomes less comfortable. She explains the impact of excluding LGBTQ+ people from jobs and commissions, and offers practical ways to help: hire and recommend talent, make introductions, share skills, fund community work and give your time. Key Takeaways: ILGA-Europe’s Rainbow Map places the UK 22nd among 49 countries in 2026 (down from 1st place in 2015). The ranking assesses laws and policies. The introduction of same-sex marriage did not settle every question of LGBTQ+ equality. Ellen describes how the belief that the work was finished left other needs overlooked. Ellen’s experiences of bullying and a lack of support at school show how shame can persist long after the incidents themselves. The conversation explores how access to everyday spaces, including toilets, affects whether people feel able to participate in work and public life. Ellen reflects on being both queer and autistic. School offered her structure and routine, while social exclusion remained part of her experience. Workplace values become meaningful through decisions about who is hired, commissioned, recommended and supported throughout the year. Practical allyship can draw on professional skills, contacts, money, transport or time. Guest Bio ⁠Ellen Jones⁠ (https://ellen-jones.co.uk/) is an author, strategist and award-winning campaigner whose work advances inclusion for LGBTQ+, neurodivergent and disabled communities. She received the inaugural MTV EMA Generation Change Award and was named Stonewall’s Young Campaigner of the Year. Ellen is the founder of Pansy Studios (https://www.pansystudios.co.uk/home), a queer-led marketing agency that runs a global directory of LGBTQ+ freelance talent (https://www.pansystudios.co.uk/lgbtq-talent-directory). Her debut book, Outrage: Why the Fight for LGBTQ+ Equality Is Not Yet Won and What We Can Do About It (https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/ellen-jones/outrage/9781035030606), was published by Bluebird, Pan Macmillan in January 2025. The paperback edition (https://www.panmacmillan.com/authors/ellen-jones/outrage/9781035030644), published in January 2026, carries the subtitle How to Fight for LGBTQ+ Lives. Outrage was selected as Indie Book of the Month in February 2026. It examines the barriers LGBTQ+ people face and the actions others can take in support of the community. Cover photo: Shannen Lythgoe. Links Ellen Jones: Website (https://ellen-jones.co.uk/) | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ellen__jones/) | TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@ellen__jones) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen--jones/)| Buy “Outrage (https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/outrage-how-to-fight-for-lgbtq-lives-ellen-jones/d3aaea62f5aaa672?ean=9781035030606&aid=14947)” Nadia Nagamootoo: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadia-nagamootoo)Website (https://www.nadianagamootoo.com/) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadia-nagamootoo) | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/nadianagamootoo) | Buy Beyond Discomfort (https://practicalinspiration.com/book/beyond-discomfort) Avenir Consulting: https://linktr.ee/avenirconsultingservices (https://linktr.ee/avenirconsultingservices) Produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mauro Kenji Serra⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/maurokenjiserra/), ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kenji Productions⁠⁠⁠ (https://www.kenjiproductions.com/)

3. 

   7 Sept 2026

   65. What The Traitors Reveals About Trust and Ethical Leadership, with Amanda Collier

   What happens to trust and judgement when people are placed under intense pressure? Former Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector and The Traitors contestant, Amanda Collier, joins Nadia Nagamootoo to explore human behaviour, resilience and ethical leadership. Amanda reveals why people instinctively seek safety in uncertain environments, how confidence can make someone a target and what the experience taught her about trust. Drawing on decades in serious crime and counter-terrorism operations, she shares how effective leaders make difficult decisions and create psychologically safe teams. She also reflects on being a gay woman in the Metropolitan Police during the 1990s, the tough persona she developed to survive and the emotional cost of appearing strong. Amanda also shares how medical checks for The Traitors uncovered a serious heart condition and inspired a new chapter of LGBTQ+ visibility, heart-health awareness and public service. This is a powerful conversation about integrity, identity and leading with humanity when the stakes are high. Key Takeaways: Under pressure, people form connections quickly and instinctively gravitate towards those who make them feel safe. Calmness and confidence can build trust, but they can also be perceived as authority, distance or threat. A strong professional persona may support survival and career progression while concealing a significant emotional cost. Effective leadership combines empathy and emotional intelligence with the courage to make difficult decisions. Character, kindness and respect are essential hiring considerations because technical skills alone do not create a healthy culture. Psychological safety grows when leaders trust their teams, protect specialist expertise and give people the authority to do their jobs. Leaders shape culture through the behaviours they reward, challenge and consistently demonstrate. Concealing parts of your identity at work can affect wellbeing, belonging and the ability to lead authentically. Integrity becomes most visible when certainty, familiar structures and control disappear. Unexpected adversity can create new opportunities for advocacy, service and personal purpose. Guest Bio Amanda Collier is a former Detective Chief Inspector with the Metropolitan Police, with decades of experience working at the sharp end of policing, including serious and organised crime and counter‑terrorism operations. Throughout her career, Amanda led complex investigations, made high‑stakes decisions under pressure and developed a deep understanding of trust, influence and human behaviour. In 2026, Amanda became widely known as a contestant on BBC One’s The Traitors, where her calm authority, integrity and analytical thinking resonated strongly with audiences. Since leaving policing, Amanda has used this public platform to champion issues including leadership, resilience, public service and heart health awareness, following a life‑saving diagnosis uncovered during medical checks for the programme. Amanda brings a rare combination of frontline operational experience and public insight, offering powerful reflections on decision‑making, ethics, psychological safety and what it truly means to lead in environments where the stakes are high and uncertainty is constant. Links Spotify Amanda Collier: | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/itsmeamandacollier/) | TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@amanda.collier31) | LinkedIn  (https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-collier-1108073a4/) Nadia Nagamootoo: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadia-nagamootoo)Website (https://www.nadianagamootoo.com/) | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadia-nagamootoo) | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/nadianagamootoo) | Buy Beyond Discomfort (https://practicalinspiration.com/book/beyond-discomfort) Avenir Consulting: https://linktr.ee/avenirconsultingservices (https://linktr.ee/avenirconsultingservices) Produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mauro Kenji Serra⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/maurokenjiserra/), ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kenji Productions⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://www.kenjiproductions.com/)

Inside a recent episode

43. Indivisible with Denise Hamilton

Published 15 Jul 2024 · Transcript excerpt

[…] Right. I mean, that's really devastating. Yes. Right. And one of the things I try to do in my work is to try to really braid empathy throughout every conversation. If I thought my daughter was going to get to go to this college that I went to because my dad went there and I went there and so she should go there. And they change the rules and they make it more open. And now there's more minority kids getting in and my daughter can't get in. I am legitimately sad. Yeah. Now your daughter is not entitled to a spot and clearly she didn't earn a spot. Right. So it doesn't have to be real. Right. It's not authentic. […]

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

5,989

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

3 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

14 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 52 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

47

Social presence

0

YouTube

68

Engagement

77

Questions about Why Care?