Diversity
Why is it important?
Diversity is an intrinsic element of leadership, where candidates can reach their full potential, and where organisations can operate most effectively.
And why does it matter? Well, for one thing, companies with more diverse employees perform better financially. Fact.
Diversity is at the centre of all our thinking, and we put before purpose profit.
In our view, diversity goes beyond race, gender or sexual orientation to include aspects such as socio-economic background, accents and culture, and the range of educational pathways that senior leaders can bring.
Crucially, it’s about much more than simply celebrating difference – it’s about reaching the degree of insight where organisations deeply appreciate the advantages of diverse thought leadership.
"Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance."
Verna Myers
Positive business impact
The 2017 McKinsey report Delivering Through Diversity found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 21% more likely to outperform on profitability and 27% more likely to have superior value creation. Companies in the top quartile for ethnic/cultural diversity on executive teams were 33% more likely to have industry-leading profitability.
Diversity and inclusion is central to an organisation’s ability to attract, recruit and retain the talent needed to outperform competitors. Diverse groups make better, faster decisions with less bias and groupthink, and diverse groups are more creative and innovative. So if we believe that diverse teams make better, more considered decisions, our role is clear: to bring businesses and talented individuals together to build those high-performing, fantastically diverse senior teams.
Building inclusive cultures
Diversity and inclusion aren’t mutually exclusive. If employees don’t feel engaged, welcome, and part of their new organisation, they won’t perform at their best. So employers need to work on building a culture where diverse talent can thrive and be recognised for the value they create in the business and can bring their whole selves to work.
Understanding this, our Founder and CEO created INvolve, a ground-breaking family of initiatives – OUTstanding, EMpower and HERoes – to help employers improve inclusion of LGBT+, ethnic minorities and female talent respectively.
INvolve is a membership organisation working with global businesses to create more inclusive workplace cultures. Through an annual series of events and leadership development programmes, INvolve helps members to open boardroom doors and smash glass ceilings and walls. In addition to the membership offering, INvolve also partners with the Financial Times to publish annual role model lists, celebrating the LGBT+, female and ethnic minority leaders and future leaders globally. Keep scrolling down to see the lists.
OUTstanding is a membership organisation for global businesses, working directly with LGBT+ and ally leaders to drive cultural change, creating an environment where everyone can succeed.
EMpower is a membership organisation that exists to challenge the lack of ethnic diversity in business, particularly at the most senior levels.
The FT and HERoes Champions of Women in Business is a role model list initiative promoting and celebrating gender diversity in business.
Celebrating role models
Each year, the OUTstanding, EMpower and HERoes publish role model lists in partnership with the FT. The lists celebrate the incredible achievements of LGBT+, ally, ethnic minority and female business leaders and future leaders.
Click below to see the full lists of these role models.
