DE&I Training That Changes Organizational Culture
The term “DE&I” (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) is becoming increasingly common, but many companies still struggle to find practical ways to implement it in the workplace.
Traditional DE&I trainings often focus on acquiring knowledge or learning coping strategies, which can result in a superficial understanding that rarely leads to real organizational transformation.
What truly embeds DE&I in an organization is not knowledge alone—it’s the process of creation. At SOLIT, our training begins by designing this very creative process.
Designing a “Trigger for Change,” Not Just a Training
SOLIT’s DE&I programs are not merely spaces for learning. They are designed to generate a “trigger” that can shift the organizational atmosphere. Our approach emphasizes not just learning, but experiencing, dialoguing, and making it personal. By engaging with diverse stakeholders—including people with disabilities, sexual minorities, and individuals from different nationalities—participants explore the root causes of challenges from multiple perspectives, fostering creative collaboration within the organization.
DE&I is not confined to a single department; it shapes the culture of the entire organization. By intersecting different perspectives, new discoveries and innovations emerge. SOLIT supports each company by tailoring the training to their specific challenges and stage of development, helping them translate DE&I from principle into practice.Rather than seeking short-term results, we focus on fostering deep understanding and meaningful change through dialogue. This is the SOLIT approach to advancing DE&I.
Key Features of SOLIT’s DE&I Programs
1. Designing Awareness, Not Just Knowledge
Rather than providing textbook-style “correct understanding,” our programs draw out personal insights through real-world voices and experiences. By becoming aware of unconscious biases and barriers present in daily work and decision-making, participants naturally begin to change their behavior.
2. Co-Creation with Stakeholders and the Company
At SOLIT, we prioritize dialogue over instruction. Participants and stakeholders collaborate to explore optimal solutions together. Facilitators with diverse perspectives—including people with disabilities and international backgrounds—join the company on-site, guiding discussions based on real-life experiences. There are no “right answers.” Through shared reflection and experimentation, the organization discovers its own unique way of approaching DE&I.
3. Changing the “Atmosphere,” Not Just the System
Implementing DE&I is not just about creating new policies or initiatives. SOLIT’s training aims to transform the very atmosphere of an organization by changing individual awareness and relationships. By reviewing everyday communication and team dynamics, cultural change naturally emerges—this is the core of the SOLIT approach.
In 2024, SOLIT partnered with Living Corporation (LC), a company engaged in real estate development both domestically and internationally, to implement a three-month experiential DE&I program. Below, we introduce the process of this training and the changes it fostered.
Case Study: Living Corporation (LC)
Experiential Program : Shifting Team Perspectives in Three Months
From October 2024 to January 2025, SOLIT conducted a four-session DE&I training at LC, including one session led internally by LC. The program began at the request of LC: “We want to transform diverse values into organizational strengths, starting by creating triggers for change within ourselves.”
The participants were 12 members of LC’s Diversity Research Group, including four online participants. The program brought together cross-functional teams from sales, design, and construction departments. As a company providing housing, LC aimed to deepen understanding of diverse residents and employees, ultimately enhancing services and workplace environments.
Program Overview and Facilitators
The SOLIT team leading the program included the following members, all contributing diverse perspectives and supporting learning through real-world experiences:
- Misaki Tanaka (PROJECT SOLIT Founder) – Oversaw overall program design and supervision
- Natsumi Wada (PROJECT SOLIT Training Planner) – Facilitated each session and co-designed the overall program
- Mr Ishii (A facilitator who is blind) – Led experiential exercises and dialogue sessions
- Mr Maruyama (A wheelchair user) – Provided participant perspective and discussion support
- Ms Koleva (A foreign resident in Japan) – Provided participant perspective and discussion support
By involving facilitators from varied backgrounds, the program was designed to encourage multi-faceted insights.
Background of Program Design
To maximize insights within limited time and budget, the program was structured in four sessions. In the initial phase, SOLIT conducted careful interviews with LC’s HR and management teams to understand their challenges and goals for the training. Instead of focusing solely on what to learn, we emphasized clarifying why it was needed now.
Session 1: Vision Quest – Discovering What Emerges When Sight is Blocked
The program began with a “Vision Quest,” where participants collaborated while their vision was blocked. By relying solely on voice and tone, participants became aware of often-overlooked senses and assumptions.
- Participants could speak openly without worrying about others’ reactions or facial expressions.
- The session eliminated the assumption of “I already understand,” encouraging genuine understanding.
- Participants became more sensitive to the weight and choice of words.
After the session, participants shared insights such as: “I realized how much I rely on sight daily” and “I understood the importance of trusting others.” Through this experience, participants shifted from seeing DE&I as unrelated to themselves to understanding it as a personal responsibility.
Session 2: Fieldwork – Examining Products and Services from Diverse Perspectives
In the second session, participants visited LC-managed properties to explore the “housing experience” alongside stakeholders. As a real estate development and management company, LC provided actual properties for observation and experience, which lasted about one hour. Participants were divided into two teams: “inside the property” and “outside the property,” each accompanied by SOLIT and stakeholder facilitators who helped articulate on-site insights.
▼Inside the Property Team
- Checked indoor steps, door widths, and the usability of bathrooms and toilets.
- Tested actual movement paths with Mr Maruyama (wheelchair user) and Mr Ishii (who is blind).
- Discussed gaps between design intent and user experience.
▼Outside the Property Team
- Walked the route from the nearest station to the property to experience accessibility barriers.
- Collected real feedback, such as “It seems close on the map, but hard to reach” or “Sign placement is confusing.”
After the fieldwork, participants wrote down observations, potential improvements, and immediate actions. They shared these notes and provided mutual feedback. Instead of listing problems, the team explored why they occurred and how they related to corporate culture, fostering a structural perspective on solutions.
Session 3: Dialogue – Shaping LC’s Own DE&I
In the final session, participants reflected on previous insights and engaged in dialogue to define LC-specific DE&I. Ms Wada and Mr Ishii facilitated discussions, with teams analyzing ideas generated during Session 2.
Discussions focused not only on solving immediate challenges but also on imagining an ideal future for the company. Ideas emerged that bridged practicality and aspiration, such as “Designing plans with color vision diversity in mind” and “Incorporating user experience reviews into the design stage.” Although opinions varied, this process itself represented practicing DE&I. The integration of diverse perspectives led to creative discussions that would not typically arise in regular meetings.
As a result, proposals extended beyond structural improvements like removing steps, to include systemic and cultural enhancements such as “creating processes to incorporate on-site feedback at the design stage.” By experiencing the users’ perspective rather than simply listening to their voices, participants naturally considered “What is necessary to translate empathy into action?”
Participants' Feedback
Normally, I rarely exchange ideas with colleagues from other departments, but discussing with external participants allowed me to deepen my thinking. In particular, hearing the perspectives of people who are blind and wheelchair users helped me recognize blind spots in our designs and services.
Until now, opportunities to consider diversity had been limited, but through this training, I was able to come up with concrete improvements, such as adjusting the height of breaker panels or choosing products with easily identifiable on/off switches.
By rethinking how property plans and information are communicated, I realized that the environment can be made more accessible not only for people with disabilities but for a wider range of users. For example, designing with color vision deficiencies in mind or providing multilingual manuals for residents are actions that can be implemented immediately.
I realized the importance of thinking, “What would I do?” rather than acting solely “for someone else.” Creating a living environment that is accessible to people with disabilities ultimately leads to an environment that is better for everyone.
Building on what I learned, I hope to incorporate inclusive design perspectives in future property development and explore ways to support community building among residents. At the same time, I want to promote awareness of these perspectives within the company.
Conclusion
DE&I is About Culture, Not Just Systems
DE&I is not a one-time training; it is built through ongoing dialogue and action, gradually transforming organizational culture. At LC, even the CEO participated in some sessions, demonstrating leadership and prompting company-wide awareness shifts. Through experiencing, dialoguing, and personalizing, the company has begun to show tangible signs of change.
A Trigger for Change in Your Organization
SOLIT offers customized DE&I programs tailored to each organization’s challenges and stage of development. Companies seeking to practically implement DE&I and embed it as part of organizational culture are encouraged to consult with us. SOLIT does not aim to provide “right answers” but rather plants seeds of change within organizations through collaborative reflection and action.