From Pride to Purpose: Organisations that value diversity thrive

This central message from Dr Covey's 1989 magnum opus views diversity through the lens of organisational and societal cohesiveness, discouraging the reader from idly equating 'difference' with 'otherness'. 

It is a point of view that finds regular validation in the reports on gender inequality published annually by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the World Bank. With each passing year, these augment the weight of empirical data that supports the prevailing economic assumption that an achievement of gender parity in employment and pay would increase global GDP per capita by an average of 20 percent. This has prompted Indermit Gill, the World Bank's chief economist to declare that "women have the power to turbocharge the sputtering global economy".

Empirical research also corroborates the beneficial effects often attested to by organisations - particularly those in the private sector - upon adopting DEI (diversity, equality, inclusion) initiatives. For example, a 2022 study featured in the Harvard Business Review established a clear, positive correlation between employee performance and the psychological safety attributed to an inclusive workplace environment. Similarly, in 2018 Deloitte administered a survey of millennials in 36 countries which found that 74% of respondents associated innovation with a culture of inclusion. The latter was subsequently recognised to be an essential proposition for any company seeking to recruit and retain employees in this age bracket.

On this basis, the full extent of how the world would benefit from embracing the contributions of every marginalised and under-represented section of society can only be imagined. Earlier this year, WEF Managing Director, Saadia Zahidi stated, "Economies that tap into the full spectrum of their talent and human capital are best positioned to navigate an era of transformation and accelerate productivity and prosperity."

At this point, some readers may still harbour doubts that these vaunted gains would leave a substantive and lasting impact that genuinely improves our world. My response would be that while pro-diversity programmes and policies might not directly generate improved business results or innovative breakthroughs, they lay the groundwork for conditions conducive to their realisation. These include:

1. Diverse perspectives fuel creativity. Teams comprising of members with varied demographic characteristics - such as gender, age, ethnicity and cultural background - frequently devise novel approaches to problem-solving. Drawing from a range of experiences and perspectives facilitates open discussion and critical thinking, free from debilitating factors like groupthink.  
2. Diverse input improves decision making. Teams that lack diversity are more prone to in-group bias, which can delay and even derail effective decision-making. Conversely, input from a variety of outlooks, experiences and backgrounds generates better cross-verification, leading to decisions that are better supported and more fully informed.
3. Employees derive motivation and empowerment from inclusivity. Working environments in which diverse standpoints are recognised and encouraged - wherein individuals are not at risk of social exclusion for their perceived 'otherness' - offer psychological security. Lowering affective filters and offering safety in the knowledge that divergent input will be met with respect, encourages freer expression of opinion. This in turn leads to improved engagement and motivation, raising performance levels and helping staff reach their true potential.   

Diversity, equality and inclusion are central to the CP Group's values and mission. This extends beyond their importance in helping the organisation pioneer and prosper; they are principles we uphold with conviction because they are fundamental human rights.

This belief aligns us with the United Nations' Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), which serve as the world's primary framework for addressing infringements or violations of human rights that may result from business practices and operations. The UNGPs' three foundational pillars are as follows:

1. Protect. The State has a duty to protect against human rights abuses by third parties, including businesses, through appropriate policies, legislation, regulations and adjudication.
2. Respect. The private sector has a responsibility to respect and safeguard human rights, acting with due diligence to avoid infringing on the rights of others and to address any adverse effects of activity it has undertaken. 
3. Remedy. The State and private sector must together ensure that the victims of human rights violations resulting from business activity have access - through judicial or non-judicial means - to fast, fair and effective remedial processes.

Using the UNGPs as a cornerstone, CP Group has conceived and implemented a systematic approach to the management of human rights in the business context: CPG Human Rights Due Diligence. It provides corporate entities with clear guidelines for instilling organisational values, conducting Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) processes, and working with external bodies to source independent feedback on performance in this area.

All these considerations lead me to assert that when diversity is not seen as being synonymous with alienation or otherness, and when it is instead understood as a source of equality, of respect for human rights, and of inspiration and creativity, organisations find that a new trajectory is revealed to them with the prospect of reaching new levels of excellence and innovation.

The future is not shaped by divergent thoughts alone, nor is supporting DEI programmes merely an act of social kindness. To truly value diversity is to recognise that it represents the following:

The engine of growth,

The driving force of innovation,

The mechanism of creativity,

And the pathway to equal opportunity in an ever-changing business environment.