Each year on August 23, we observe the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. This date marks the beginning of the uprising in Saint-Domingue (modern-day Haiti) in 1791, a pivotal event that contributed to ending the transatlantic slave trade.

But this day isn’t only about history. It’s about legacy and the urgent need to acknowledge how that legacy still shapes the workplace today.

“The systems we operate within today were shaped by a painful past. Inclusion means understanding that legacy.”

✊🏽 The Legacy Lives On

The transatlantic slave trade was not just a historic atrocity, it was a centuries-long system of exploitation that built the foundations of many modern economies and institutions.

Its effects continue to echo through:

• Racial wealth gaps

• Underrepresentation of Black professionals in leadership

• Systemic bias in recruitment and promotion

• Workplace norms rooted in cultural erasure and Eurocentric standards

🏢 Why This History Matters in Your Workplace

Inclusion without historical understanding is incomplete. Remembering the slave trade helps leaders:

• Understand how inequities were built into systems

• Make more informed decisions around policy and representation

• Foster cultures that move from performative to transformative

“When we fail to acknowledge the impact of historical inequality, we risk reinforcing it.”

🔍 From Remembrance to Action. What Workplaces Can Do?

1. Acknowledge the History

Don’t stay silent. Share internal comms or host a moment of reflection to recognise the significance of August 23.

2. Educate Your People

Curate resources, invite speakers, or host lunch & learns on the transatlantic slave trade and its modern implications.

3. Audit Your Workplace

Analyse your ethnicity pay gap, progression pipeline, and representation at senior levels. Use data to drive decisions.

4. Invest in Racial Equity

Create long-term strategies to support Black talent. This includes mentorship, sponsorship, leadership pathways, and inclusive recruitment tools.

5. Create Safe Spaces

Open up honest dialogue around identity, bias, and belonging—not just during heritage months, but consistently. 

Remembrance without action is just history, and history without learning is just repetition. Let August 23 be more than a date, let it be a catalyst.

 "Equity isn’t aspirational. It should be expected.”