If you think your Business Case for Diversity is robust, think again

The buzzwords that describe the Business Case for Diversity Management are quickly listed up: Creativity, employer brand, collaboration, market access. But is it enough to be convinced of some value-add that D&I offers? And what if your key stakeholders were convinced of different benefits? Alignment and rigour are needed in order to turn the business case into a driver for D&I.

Continue reading

205 Studien, die (fast) keine Frage zur Wirtschaftlichkeit von Diversity Management offen lassen

Welchen Nutzen bringt Diversity Management? Mehr Produktivität? Mehr Patentanmeldungen? Mehr Marktanteil? Diese Fragen hören Diversity Manager immer wieder aufs Neue. Während es unzählige Umfragen zum sogenannten Business Case gibt, sind belastbare Studien selten. Die neuste (2016) Ausgabe des IBCR fasst 205 Forschungsergebnisse zusammen, die verlässliche Aussagen zu erzielbaren wirtschaftlichen Effekten durch D&I treffen.

Continue reading

A reminder for all of us: Lebanese learning from classroom diversity

A current study by International Alert shows that pupils from different backgrounds view each other more positively when they learn together in mixed classes compared to those studying separately. The finding is particularly relevant with regard to the stereotype reduction effect it shows which is relevant in many everyday workplace situations and for segregated education approaches that still exist.

Continue reading

Pre-orders for IBCR 3.1 (2016) can be placed now: The updated Business Case contains 200+ selected studies

Many studies claim to describe the business benefits of D&I. Critics, however, often challenge the research methodology or other aspects. The updated 3rd edition of the unique International Business Case Report (IBCR 3.1) contains 1-page summaries of 203 studies which were all checked for significance, robustness, validity, reliability and, if applicable, for statistical bias.

Continue reading

How fostering gender equality could add up to $28 trillion to global growth

A study recently published by McKinsey examines the status quo of gender equality around the world and the implications for the economy. They calculated the opportunity costs of missing parity between men and women and conclude: A lack of gender equality is very costly for the whole economy – both in developed and developing countries. In this article, we summarise the key aspects of the study for you.

Continue reading

Survey finds success factors for cross-cultural Diversity Management targeting Third Country Nationals

A large-scale survey in some 100 companies and other organisations from 10 EU Member States investigated, among other fields, the variety of Diversity Management practices of immigrant inclusion and their direct and indirect effects. The focus was on migrants from so-called Third Countries. The research also looked at constraints and criticalities as well as mechanisms and conditions that emerge as facilitating factors so that the programmes and processes lead to the desired outcomes. The focus of the report on migrants from Third Country Nations couldn’t be more relevant today, as the EU is coping with an expected 1.5 million refugees.

Continue reading

Befragung zeigt: Flexibles Arbeiten ist ein Muss – und muss sorgfältig ausgewogen werden

Die veränderten Lebensweisen in einer mobilen, individualisierten und virtualisierten Welt verlangen neue Wege der Vereinbarkeit von Beruf und Privatleben. Dass hierfür keine simple Checkliste ausreicht, sondern zahlreiche Abwägungen zu treffen sind zeigt einmal mehr eine Befragung von A. T. Kearney. Sie bietet aktuelle Zahlen zum Bedarf an Flexibilität und zum Wunsch nach Nichterreichbarkeit.

Continue reading

Gay Marketing 2.0 – VW wirbt mit Regenbogenfamilie

Der Automobilhersteller VW zeigt in einer Marketing-Kampagne für den neuen Sharan unter dem Motto „Familien wissen, warum“ typische Alltagssituationen von Eltern von Heranwachsenden. Das Besondere: gezeigt wird unter anderem auch eine Regebogenfamilie; zwei Väter mit ihrer pubertierenden Tochter. Während schwule und lesbische Paare nichts Neues mehr in der deutschen Werbewelt sind und sogar traditionelle Familienunternehmen wie Brandt mit ihnen werben, ist die TV-Werbung mit Regenbogenfamilien neu. Warum sich Gay-Marketing für Unternehmen lohnen kann und weswegen damit eine weit größere Zielgruppe als nur Lesben und Schwule angesprochen wird, erfahren Sie hier.

Continue reading

New study shows why getting majority members on board of D&I work pays off

Many Diversity programmes are tailored for members of specific minority groups such as LGBT employees, employees from different cultures, religious groups or people with a disability. Does this approach effectively demonstrate the value of differences or is it a reminiscent of Affirmative Action that, at times, leads to exclusion and reinforced stereotypes? A recently published Dutch study provides additional evidence that all-inclusive Diversity approaches which focus both on minority and majority groups are, in many respects, more effective than isolated programmes.

Continue reading

Börse Hannover startet Aktienindex für Gender Diversität

Die Börse Hannover lancierte kürzlich eine neue Orientierungshilfe für private und institutionelle Anleger, die beim Investieren das Kriterium einer hohen Gender Diversität besonders berücksichtigen wollen. Dieser GERMAN GENDER INDEX umfasst 50 Aktien deutscher Unternehmen, die bei der Unternehmensführung durch ein ausgewogenes Verhältnis zwischen weiblichen und männlichen Führungskräften in Vorstand und Aufsichtsrat hervorstechen. Wir stellen den Index vor und werfen einen kritischen Blick auf das zugrundeliegende Konzept.

Continue reading

Timely study for Pride Season: LGBT research review offers insight for D&I practitioners

A systematic literature review on careers and workplace experiences of LGBT employees has recently been published in the Human Resource Development Review. It contains a discussion of empirical findings from 263 manually selected studies dating from 1985 until today. The content emerges from within business, management and broader social sciences disciplines. We have exclusively summarised the most important results on LGBT Diversity as a contribution to this year’s Pride season.

Continue reading

Sudden progress on two LGBTI taboo issues in Europe and in the Catholic Church in Germany

With networks for gay and lesbian employees having become a standard practice, the absence of LGBTI integration in many aspects of work life is often overlooked: transgender persons, gay employees in organisations belonging to the Catholic church, gays or lesbians in top management, homosexual images in advertisement. In two areas, we have seen surprisingly strong progress within a space of a few days: The Council of Europe adopted a comprehensive report on the discrimination of transgender people and a resolution based on this report passed its Parliamentary Assembly. Five days later, the German Bishops’ Conference adopted an amendment to its ecclesial labour law, which is likely to result in a huge improvement for LGBTI employees.

Continue reading

Size and shape of the Business Case for Diversity

Diversity & Inclusion evidently promotes performance, productivity, customer satisfaction, brand image, and competitive edge – we say. The International Business Case Report (2014) now underscores the accuracy of this statement with unprecedented empirical evidence. The 3rd edition of the unique (global) research report summarises 195 studies which illustrate the benefits and value-added from Diversity & Inclusion management in a robust, reliable and valid way. Furthermore, it reflects Diversity in its composition and structure.

Continue reading