It is time to move the debate forward a bit. “Diversity” and “inclusion” are more interesting ways of looking at some of these equal opportunities challenges. The “business case” for diversity has been argued by campaigners for many years. Simply put, the business case states that today’s diverse customer base is better served by a diverse workforce, a workforce that looks and sounds (more) like the customers it is trying to please. A diverse organisation is more creative, more energetic, more interesting, more productive. Diverse organisations contain all the talents, not just some of them.
But diversity without inclusion is empty. So progressive and successful organisations do not just want to be more diverse, they want to ensure that they are including all their people fully in their work. When your employer has achieved that happy state of affairs, you can believe that truly equal opportunities are available to all.
