Faced with a crises, people and systems tend to focus on what they truly care about. This, however, assumes that a deeper purpose exists in the first place and is shared. D&I can offer a strong shared purpose – if it goes beyond numbers and initiatives.
Business Case
315 article(s)
Scaling D&I to reach the mainstream
A new series of articles reframes D&I to shift the focus from special interest groups to large audiences. It was often proclaimed that ‚everyone‘ should be part of D&I and that it is an embedded business topic. Here are three related deep dives.
Why you should clean up your D&I messaging, and how
It is simple and easy to say that D&I is good for business and also the right thing to do. This combined rationale is believed to convince different audiences. However, increasing backlash in recent years shows that positioning D&I does not work smoothly.
Diverse teams are great – but not equally for all
The latest academic study about team diversity provides additional depth to simplistic insight. Yes, diverse teams create superior results – sometimes on the back of those who aided the benefit.
Business-based reactions to anti-Diversity policies
The operator of London’s public transport network, TfL, has banned advertising from eleven countries that breach human (LGBT) rights. The reaction reaches far beyond the individual ‘Brunei case’ and affects global airlines and tourist boards. It raises the question how many more countries could be criticised for other anti-Diversity policies…
Research says: without the right mind-set, targets don’t work
The belief in D&I targets is almost as strong as the resistance they often create. Based on new large-scale, international research, experts now confirm that a consistent, business-based sense-making will create the ‘acceptance’ required to make targets a success.
Diversity in Advertising? Global survey spurs hope
Marketing experts from 5 countries on 4 continents were surveyed about Diversity in advertising. Their answers show that they know what is expected from them. However, mind-sets and actions vary.
How a broader gender approach can improve research in STEM
More gender diversity in STEM can change the way research teams tackle tasks, eliminate blind spots and thus explore under-researched questions. In order to achieve this, the scope of gender diversity would need to be broadened – beyond a simple representation focus – a new analysis shows.
Concrete business benefits of parental absence and how to reap them
A new quantitative survey shows which challenges working parents are still facing before – and what they and the company can gain from managing parental leave well. Many robust solutions are available today to make temporary absence – of whoever and for whatever reasons – a success.
Our most convincing Business Case for D&I
Everyone probably knows some studies that illustrate the value-add of D&I. Is that enough to convince your stakeholders? Do these studies cover, e.g., the dimensions of religious or functional diversity? The latest global business case inventory identified 181 new studies of which 50 fulfilled strong quality standards.
D&I as a direct contribution to your strategy
Your company’s strategic priorities serve as a guideline for D&I. Whether innovation, growth, agility or efficiency: Diversity makes concrete contributions to this.
Measuring the success of D&I (the What and the How)
How should companies measure the success of their D&I work – and which types of success should be defined in the first place? International experts met in Brussels to learn and discuss the different paradigms for measuring success and how they fit into effective D&I frameworks and communication.
How D&I contributes to successful Digitalisation while earning hidden risks
Although the trend is not new, the profoundness of the digital transformation is only about to become clearer. While most areas feel as if they had to follow (or obey), D&I should not only be seen as an object of digitalisation, but also as a driver. An overview of the two-way inter-relations. Continue reading
Bias behindert die Nutzung internationaler Potenziale
Die immer internationalere Wirtschaft benötigt nicht nur Fachkräfte, sondern auch inter-kulturelle Vielfalt. Ausländische Studierende mit deutschem Abschluss wären ideal, jedoch gelingt ihnen der Berufseinstieg eher mühevoll – so eine aktuelle SVR-Studie. Eine weitere Untersuchung, ebenfalls vom SVR, zeigt: Wer ‚anders‘ aussieht stößt auf Ablehnung.
15 Years of Research and Evidence-based D&I
Hard or soft facts? Snapshot or long-term trends? Which type of information are you using in your D&I work? What counts in social media and at conferences (cool images, crisp cases, or surprising figures) might not be what helps you to take the most effective decisions. Take a look at our summary of our 20 research projects.
The Business Case for Leadership Diversity – and Corporate Culture
Two recent studies show that culture tends to be underestimated as a success factor in large companies and that the leadership style (of at least the CEO) should be different from the existing organisational culture. The combination of the findings reconfirms the business case for a need to tackle Diversity, Culture and Leadership in a comprehensive way.
How to Leverage Gender & Diversity in Project Management
Is Diversity naturally embedded in Project Management or does this new and hugely complex profession needs to reconsider the way it is looking at differences? A keynote at the (Gender) Diversity in Project Management Congress in the Netherlands set the scene.
Investment Funds based on Diversity Criteria
Many studies prove that well-managed D&I leads to better performance. Why not use these insights to design investment strategies? A few funds already do so and they were just joined by another one, the Solactive Global Gender Diversity Index, in partnership with UBS.
The Inclusive Power of Small Specific Improvements
Initiating concrete changes to mitigate unconscious biases and eventually make the most of differences. This summarises the ambition of many D&I practitioners. While it sounds easy, experience shows that the practicalities sometimes aren’t. ‘Inclusion Nudges’ are a collection of good practices how to steer behaviour away from bias and towards inclusion.
Wenn Fortschritt nur an Quoten gemessen wird
Während in der Schweiz eine aktuelle Studie klare Worte zum Verbesserungsbedarf in Sachen Gender Diversity findet, stellt eine deutsche Studie fest, alles sei „auf einem guten Weg“. Das Problem: Beide fokussieren auf die jeweiligen Frauenanteile im Management.