AS Friday is our busy press day at The Irish Field, I almost passed up the opportunity on time pressure grounds to tune in to the ‘Bridging The Gap’ live virtual event hosted yesterday morning by our sister paper, the Irish Farmers Journal in conjunction with Ornua.

What a mistake that would have been as it turned out to be a virtual treasure trove across a multitude of key areas that are rapidly rising to the fore of any progressive organisation, big or small, traditional or modern.

By listening to the expert business panel, chaired by Irish Country Living editor Amii McKeever, it’s evident that the key themes of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion cannot be simply shelved or given lip service just to tick a box.

In order to maximise bottom line performance, embracing EDI is a ‘must do’ and not a ‘should do’ to ensure businesses are fit for purpose, especially as we collectively face into a myriad of post-pandemic challenges.

When it comes to the issues of equal pay and opportunities - for both genders - and underrepresented minorities in the workplace - setting targets rather than quotas will help ensure that jobs are obtained on merit and not tokenism.

Being mindful of EDI gives us all the chance to re-set the buttons, that of the companies we work for but also for ourselves.

The equine world is of course a traditional one by its very nature but it’s also one that continues to suffer from a labour shortage and is hampered by a perceived lack of advancement opportunities, particularly at entry level.

As we emerge out of Covid-19, spotting and rewarding talent is an area that will demand more attention if businesses are to overcome challenges, thrive and prosper.

Check out www.farmersjournal.ie for more.