Embracing diversity and inclusion in the workplace is no longer a nice-to-have but a necessity. The EW Group report found a 10 percent uplift to diversity and inclusion level among senior leadership, underpinning that the shift in emphasis for D&I training from all staff to senior leaders is now getting better. The report also mentioned that investing in the program could give a boost in terms of employee satisfaction and overall company success, resulting in a higher return on equity, sales, and investments.
However, despite the progression of diversity and inclusion programs in the workplace, Refinitiv reported that there are employers who find it difficult to adopt practice diversity and inclusion programs. Among 7,000 companies globally, Refinitiv listed top 5 companies that have been successful in embracing and investing in their D&I initiative program. Here they are.
“Building a culture of equality where everyone can thrive is key to a company’s real success. Valuing each other’s unique background,, skills and experiences hold a company’s accountability to progress against bold goals. That means, embracing inclusion and diversity is one of the things that makes a company so special in the eyes of every stakeholder, including potential clients and candidates.” – Julie Sweet, CEO at Accenture
See also: On Diversity and Inclusion: Why the Misfit May be the Best Fit
“We passionately believe that championing inclusion and diversity is the right thing to do, and have made it a business priority to shape market leading policies and practices. Diageo Plc rolled out an ambitious global family leave policy that ensures all women at the company receive six months paid maternity leave and set a minimum standard of four weeks paid paternity leave for men, with men in many countries also benefiting from six months paid paternity leave. To be recognised for the ongoing commitment to inclusion and diversity is extremely rewarding, and Diageo will push us to improve and build on our ambitions.” – Mairead Nayager, Chief HR Officer at Diageo
“Our company notices that diverse and inclusive companies are more successful. They drive greater innovation and growth, attract top talent, foster employee engagement, better represent the communities in which we live and work, and deliver stronger results. We also know that being a diverse and inclusive company takes commitment. It requires leadership to speak up and has uncomfortable conversations needed to truly drive change. Making RBC a more inclusive and welcoming place has always been a cote to our company.” – Dave McKay, CEO at RBC
“Natura is the result of a collective construction based on solid beliefs. One of these beliefs, written over 20 years ago, states that the greater the diversity of the parts, the greater the richness and vitality of the whole. For the Natura company, innovation will only really happen if we are a diverse group. Thus, 64 percent of our employees in Brazil are women, 95 percent of our consultants are women, and 54 percent of our managers are women. Our distribution centre is one of the most modern operations of that kind in the world. It uses embedded technology that we can adapt to accommodate workers with special needs, almost 20 percent of its staff have some kind of special needs.” – Joao Paulo Ferreira, CEO at Natura Cosmetics
“BlackRock philosophy is at the core of our commitment to inclusion and diversity. We have made building a more diverse workforce a top priority and foster a collaborative culture based on trust, respect, and integrity. We know that diversity strengthens us and inclusive culture is essential to deliver superior results for our clients.” BlackRock’s D&I philosophy
Survey methodology:
The D&I rating ranks over 7,000 publicly listed companies, as measured by 24 separate metrics across four key pillars, including diversity pillar, inclusion pillar, news and controversies, and people development. The data is gathered from publicly available information sources and is manually collected to ensure that the information is standardised, comparable, and reliable. All of the ESG data collected is quality controlled and verified in a rigorous process by Refinitiv’s experienced analyst and robust automated checks.
Read also: Signs Your Company Doesn’t Value D&I and What to Do About It
