Binna Kandola

Professor Binna Kandola OBE is a Business Psychologist, Senior Partner and co-founder of Pearn Kandola. Over the past 35 years, he has worked on a wide variety of projects for public and private sector clients both in the UK and overseas.

Books

As well as leading the practice, Binna is particularly interested in the study of gender bias and unconscious bias in organisations. He is the author of three new and critically acclaimed books on these subjects – ‘The Invention of Difference: The story of gender bias at work’, ‘The Value of Difference: Eliminating bias in organisations’, and ‘Racism at Work: The Danger of Indifference’.

He is also the co-author of several other management books. One of which, ‘Managing the Mosaic’, won a Special Commendation at the 1994 Management Book of the Year Awards. A regular contributor to the HR and business press, he is a sought after and highly regarded conference speaker.

Accomplishments

Binna was the first Chair of the Standing Committee for the Promotion of Equal Opportunities of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and a member of Sir Robin Butler’s Panel of Enquiry into Equal Opportunities in the Senior Civil Service. He has also been a member of the Board of Trustees of the BPS, and in 2002 was elected as Chair of the Division of Occupational Psychology. Additionally in January 2004, Binna was invited to join the UK Government’s National Employment Panel and appointed Chair of the Minority Ethnic Group.

He is currently a visiting Professor at Leeds University Business School and at Aston University Business School. In 2012 the University of Aston awarded him an Honorary DSc. He is a regular contributor to the media and has appeared on Sky News, BBC Breakfast, Channel 4 News and the Radio 4 Today Show.

Binna was awarded an OBE in 2008 for his services to Disadvantaged People and Diversity. He is also on the Asian Power List 2020.

Presentations

• A call to arms for leaders: 5 rules to reduce bias
• Attraction, recruitment, and selection: How we can take unconscious bias out of the recruitment process
• 5 rules for how Learning & Development can reduce bias

Podcasts

Listen to Binna’s podcast series, Racism at Work:

• Episode 1: Micro-incivilities – their impact on individuals and their wellbeing
• Episode 2: Leadership – diversity and the tone at the top
• Episode 3: Education – trusting children with the truth
• Episode 4: Universities – are they still failing BAME staff and students?
• Episode 5: AI – is it bias, and what does that mean for the workplace?
• Episode 6: Racism in sport – does football hold a mirror up to society?

Binna also features in Headspring’s ‘Why We Need Inclusive Leadership’ podcast.

Latest blogs

View Binna’s latest blog posts, part of our series about Racism at Work: The Danger of Indifference:

• What is modern racism? How and why racism has mutated
• Intersectionality: What is it and how does it affect the workplace?
• What is considered racism at work and how do I make a complaint?
• How micro-incivilities can impact wellbeing
• Why the race pay gap deserves the same attention as the gender pay gap
• How Raheem Sterling is shining a spotlight on modern racism
• What exactly is unconscious bias?
• 4 ways leaders can build an inclusive culture
• Are appointments doomed to bias?
• Does a racial hierarchy exist in your company?