Leading from the top, determination and setting achievable goals are essential to creating a diverse workforce, finds a new guide published today from Inspire, the global business network for senior Board-level women. The Diversity Toolkit is a series of podcasts with chairman, CEOs and directors sharing their perspectives on changing corporate culture and building an environment where diversity is welcomed and developed. These personal stories provide businesses of all sizes with ideas, guidance and inspiration for creating a diversity strategy that best fits.
Inspire global head and director at Harvey Nash, Carol Rosati says:
“Businesses are starting to recognise diversity as a competitive advantage but many are still thinking about it as a tick box or numbers game. The best policies and procedures will do little to change an organisation unless it is backed up by commitment from the top that is believed by the rest.
The journey will be unique for each business, but the tools in the toolkit offer rare insights and advice from the businesses that dared to think outside the box. We hope their stories of passion, tenacity, learning from mistakes and courage will be an inspiration to those just starting out.”
Executives from PwC, AMV BBDO, Pension Protection Fund, RBS, BNY Mellon, DLA Piper, Atkins Global, Hogan Lovells, Restoration Partners and Eversheds contributed their success secrets. The interviews discuss ten key areas for improving diversity outcomes:
- Levelling the playing field
- Knowing the numbers
- The role of sponsors
- Building successful networks
- Laying the foundations of cultural change
- The S7 model
- The role of education
- Unconscious bias
- Role models
- The ‘FlexAble’ approach
The toolkit will form part of an on-going series related to Inspire’s ‘Simple Acts’ campaign, which will be launched later this year to encourage more businesses to take simple actions to create a more inclusive workforce.