For Matt Beetar, inclusion is not a corporate buzzword or a standalone initiative, instead, it is something that should shape every decision an organisation makes.
The South African-born People Project Manager and EDI Lead at Accent has built a career around culture, social justice, equality and helping people feel they belong. Since joining Accent in 2023, Matt has played a key role in embedding equity, diversity and inclusion into the organisation’s wider people strategy and business culture.
A key part of Matt’s role is to ensure Accent is in the best position to support its diverse customers.
Working within Accent’s People Directorate, Matt describes his role as both a “critical friend and subject expert”, helping teams across the business think differently about inclusion and workplace culture.
“I work with different directors and teams to make sure we are embedding EDI into the heart of Accent,” he explains. “It’s about strategy, culture, colleague wellbeing and making sure inclusion isn’t treated as a separate piece of work, but something that runs through everything we do.”
“It’s a collective effort at Accent,” he says. “Everyone has been incredibly supportive and understands the importance of inclusion. So much so that inclusive is one of Accent’s core values with a genuine desire to do the right thing.”
Matt believes embedding EDI into wider organisational strategy is critical for long-term impact.
“To really make a difference, EDI must sit within the overall business strategy. It’s not just a nice thing to have, it has ethical relevance and business relevance. Looking after our colleagues means we can better look after our customers.”
That work has included helping shape Accent’s People Strategy, ensuring inclusion woven throughout colleague culture and leadership approaches. Matt also contributes to customer-facing decisions and policies, recognising the importance of reflecting the diversity of the communities Accent serves.
“Our customers come from very different backgrounds and have different needs,” he says. “It’s crucial that we have a workforce and culture that understands and reflects that diversity.”
The role also requires knowledge and confidence, particularly when challenging decisions or conversations that could impact inclusion and belonging.
“You do have to be confident enough to challenge,” Matt says. “Having a leadership team that really ‘gets it’ and supports the work makes a huge difference. It helps me thrive and it helps others thrive too.”
Before entering the housing sector, Matt’s career followed a very different path. Originally from near Durban in South Africa, he grew up in a family deeply rooted in education and social values. Both of his parents were teachers, with his father serving as a respected headmaster and his mother still teaching today.
“I grew up in a very anti-racist household. My parents were passionate about fairness, equality, education and social justice, and that had a huge influence on me.”
Matt began school at the age of five during a significant period in South African history, as the country emerged from apartheid. Those early experiences helped shape the values that continue to guide him today.
One particularly defining moment came in 2008 when, Matt received the Mandela Rhodes Scholarship and met Nelson Mandela, an experience he describes as transformative.
That moment shaped Matt’s political views and social values. “I was fortunate to learn from incredible mentors such as Shaun Johnson, a famous South African journalist and CEO, Rejoice Ngcongo and Ruth Andrews, two important and influential coaches in South Africa - who taught me about justice, leadership and compassion.”
Matt came to the UK in 2009 through a Commonwealth Scholarship programme, where he studied Cultural Studies at the University of Sussex. After returning to South Africa to lecture for several years, he later completed both a second master’s degree and returned to the UK to complete a PhD focused on policy, legal systems, and social experiences of prejudice encountered by LGBTQ refugees and migrant.
By 2017, after years of intensive academic research and teaching, Matt was ready for a new challenge. He transitioned into the education sector in the UK, eventually becoming Head of Strategic Projects at international education group Brighton College, where he helped shape organisational culture during a period in which the organisation was recognised as UK School of the Decade by The Sunday Times.
Social housing was not initially on Matt’s radar until he was inspired to change career and move into housing after helping his mother navigate moving to the UK.
“When I lost my father unexpectedly to COVID-19, I had to help my mum navigate what her new life would look like, including where she would live and what support she could get. I honestly knew very little about the housing sector,” he admits. “Then I saw the role at Accent, and it immediately interested me because it combined inclusion and meaningful social impact” – both deep rooted in his own values.
Since joining Accent, Matt has helped evolve and strengthen the EDI function by managing flagship people-related projects for the business, ensuring it is fully integrated into wider business planning rather than operating separately.
He is also realistic about the wider challenges facing the profession.
“The political landscape around inclusion-based people management is changing and there are risks associated with that,” he says. “But there’s also an incredibly strong network across the housing sector. I regularly connect with people in equivalent roles at other housing organisations and there’s some brilliant work happening.”
Matt and his work at Accent has been shortlisted for the Social Value category in this year’s Housing Executive Awards where winners will be announced in Bolton on the 6 October.
Away from work, family remains central to Matt’s life. The loss of his father during the COVID-19 pandemic was deeply significant and reinforced many of the values his parents instilled in him growing up.
Today, one of his younger brothers still lives in South Africa while the other works as a teacher in London, continuing the family’s longstanding connection to education and public service.
Reflecting on his career so far, Matt believes the common thread has always been people.
“Whether it’s education, research or housing, it’s always come back to culture, fairness and helping people feel included to make it a high-achieving organisation,” he says. “That’s what motivates me every day.”