Accelerating diversity

In diversity there is beauty and there is strength

We’ve included this quote from Maya Angelou in our articles and our Culture of Diversity white paper before but it bears repeating as it sums up key messages about the importance of embracing a culture of diversity in business.  Quite simply, the more an organisation embraces diversity, the stronger it becomes.

Now a white paper from UNC Keenan-Flagler Business School (Accelerating diversity for a better bottom line) has given further weight to the way in which diversity in business can “improve organizational innovation, creativity, decision making, problem solving, adaptability, and the bottom line.” Although the paper is, naturally, US-centric it contains a wealth of examples which would resonate in any organisation.  Its conclusion includes the following key action points:

• Conduct a diversity needs assessment
• Obtain CEO support
• Develop a diverse leadership pipeline
• Develop a corporate culture that allows everyone to be who they are while working together to achieve organizational strategies and plans

Embracing a culture of diversity is no longer a ‘nice to have’ option.  Nor is it simply a tick box exercise which looks good within the annual report.  Businesses can no longer live in their own little bubble.  The world is diverse, the customer base is diverse and businesses have to reflect that diversity if they are to provide innovative solutions which translate into customer loyalty and long term profitability.