Profiting from Diversity: Realising The Connections Between Diversity, Inclusion, Business Innovation and Profitability

The 6th European Work-Life & Diversity Conference will focus on ways to connect diversity with profitability. With strategic input from business leaders, researchers, practitioners and a ‘good practices bazaar’, participants will learn and discuss questions including
• Why inclusion is an essential factor for economic success in Europe
• How the region’s various demographic and other trends affect corporate strategy and profitability
• Ways that cutting-edge companies use diversity to trigger innovation
• Tools to motivate managers to build an inclusive corporate culture
• How to confront specific diversity issues including age, ethnicity or sexual orientation
• Whether Europe can find a business model that delivers both business success and quality of life

Speakers include the author of “The Medici Effect”, Frans Johansson, and other inspiring thought leaders. On the Panel entitled “Having the courage to confront the issues”, a small group of selected experts discuss how organisations get to addressing the less obvious – and more difficult – topics of age, ethnicity (or Race, depending on the context) or sexual orientation. Surinder Sharma (NHS), Kene Umeasiegbu (Cadbury Schweppes) and Michael Stuber (European Diversity Research & Consulting) provide a mixture of topic-related background information and practical experience – and learning – for the audience to consider the approaches in their own organisations.Stuber reports on wide-spread reactions on sexual orientation, including “Not an issue at all!”, “The bed is private!”, “More important things!”, “No business case!” or “Our ___ can’t handle this!”. He uncovers the underlying biases of such expressions and gives a wealth of ideas about how to position the topic nonetheless. He also shares experiences on age diversity and ethnic-cultural background from his pan-EMEA research and consulting work.