If the business case for diversity is nothing new, why are we still talking about it?

The business case for diversity is not new. It has been around for decades. Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) leaders have been sharing the same business case for years. It has been demonstrated time and again that diverse-led organizations are:

• Thirty-nine percent more likely to outperform those lacking diversity
• Twelve times more likely to engage and retain employees
• Nearly eight and a half times more likely to inspire a sense of belonging
• Eight and a half times more likely to satisfy and retain customers

I interviewed Ken Janssens, co-founder and head of social impact at Windō, a platform that provides a clear and open dashboard where Gen-Z can compare everything from LGBTQ+ board representation to company mental-health initiatives. In our interview, Ken said, “There is a high correlation between business performance and diversity. As a leader at JP Morgan leading a team of 300 people, I saw it firsthand. Focusing on DEI does not take away from business, it adds to it. There is no evidence to support that DEI detracts from business.”

Yet, there continues to be a false narrative that diversity somehow distracts leaders from business. Consider these commonplace excuses:

• “Diversity is important, but business comes first.”
• “All this DEI distracts people from getting their work done.”
• “DEI is political and can polarize our workforce.”

These excuses are not based on facts….

In this article Julie Kratz expands on why people fear what they do not understand, and how we need to focus on specific data to tie to DEI to critical business needs.

Read this article by Julie Kratz on Forbes.com

At Next Pivot Point we have lots of resources to help you facilitate successful diversity and inclusion initiatives. Schedule some time with our team today to discuss where to start or how to do better. You can also check out:

• 💻 Our Lead Like an Ally online, self paced program
• 🗣️ Our available workshop topics for developing inclusive leaders.
• 🎓 Our Train the Trainer programs for scalability within your organization
• 🤏 Our Right-Sized DEI micro-content packages for consistent small-drip content throughout the year.