Recently, a Devex reader raised an interesting issue about a growing move in the development sector: More and more organizations are saying they no longer have a headquarters.
Oxfam’s inclusive language guide, published in March, recommends avoiding the term. It said the word headquarters “implies a power dynamic that prioritizes one office over another. In the context in which we work the implication is very colonial, reinforcing hierarchical power issues and a top-down approach.”
Several development leaders told Devex that they are following this practice.