Why Is Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DEI) The Topic of Conversation

The business case for DEI has been made. In today’s corporate world, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is considered a key strategic business imperative. Organisations understand the benefits of DEI and as a result they have reaffirmed their commitment to take action, every year, toward improvement. They have instituted mandatory staff training exercises, created employee listening channels, such as focus groups and surveys, increased access to funding and established new channels for DEI complaints.

Worldwide trends illustrate that now is the time to shift our thinking within the workplace, and the data suggests that more organisations are adopting DEI as a best practice. According to Indeed.com, “Between September 2019 and September 2021, job postings in diversity, equality and inclusion have risen 56.3%”. LinkedIn pointed out that, “the number of people globally with the Head of Diversity title more than doubled (107% growth) over the last five years.

Businesses have been practicing DEI by encouraging their members to contribute, even before the implementation phase. And while they map out their DEI journey, employees must remember that they need to take more than a visionary approach; they need to take a driven one.

For many companies, a large part of their DEI focus aims to ensure that at work, there are staff of different sexual orientations, gender identities, races and nationalities, and in the process, they create diverse teams with a wide range of people from various backgrounds and cultures. The result? A variety of perspectives to formulate innovative solutions for today’s challenges. At its core, however, DEI is about creating a safe and welcoming space for all groups, making sure that they receive equitable treatment and that they feel seen and heard among their peers or their employer.

It is no secret that I’m fascinated by topics that seek to add value to our lives, and DEI ranks highly on that list because its tenets support the growth mindset that our society needs, i.e. it mandates that everyone is present, treated fairly, and has a voice. And in that regard, I congratulate the commitment shown by our leaders to foster new behaviours that, over time, will yield key results in areas, such as cultural inclusion, innovation and profitability. I’m hopeful that, regionally, the business community will continue to allocate sufficient resources to create similar structures that will result in a more respectful and understanding society.

At Republic, we believe in creating a lasting impact by promoting every group of individuals within our communities. Over the next few months, as we embark on a deeper focus, we acknowledge our role in fostering a more diverse, equitable and inclusive world, while contributing to long-term growth for our stakeholders and building engaged employees. We understand that building a path forward, to healthier and more productive businesses and societies, starts with our leaders driving change and amplifying the voices that are trying to be heard.

There is no set manual that governs DEI. It is a broad topic and even the best practitioners in this field are still learning. But tell me your experience, is DEI the topic of conversation in your orgnaisation? How are your leaders implementing it?