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Pilot of “Diversity League” Now Online
European Leaders in Diversity Go Public
BP, Microsoft, Ford, Deutsche Bank and Air Products Showcase Corporate
Practices
Cologne, 30 September 2003 - For the first time ever in Europe, major international
companies publicise their approaches and achievements in the field of Diversity
and Inclusion together on one website. The so-called “Diversity League” is hosted
by the Diversity portal www.european-diversity.com.
Five leading players are
piloting this tool which aims at promoting good practice in Equality and Equal
Opportunities on the European level. With their participation BP, Microsoft, Ford,
Deutsche Bank and Air Products underpin their reputation in and their commitment
to Diversity. “We always welcome the opportunity to build relationships and share
creative innovations with other organisations,” says Sharon Harris, London-based
HR Director in Deutsche Bank’s Global Diversity Team and adds “the European
Diversity League engages a diverse audience, promotes the exchange of
experiences and ideas and facilitates a benchmarking process which will help drive
business success.”
Especially in economically difficult times, the business focus of Diversity initiatives
continues to be key: Microsoft “has firmly embedded its diversity activities in its
business plan” and for Air Products, “Diversity is a key element in Air Products’
‘Deliver the Difference’ strategy.” An increasing number of companies acknowledge
that making the most of all the different potentials their employees provide also
helps to cut costs and boost productivity and market success. … “Managing
diversity is of strategic business importance and leads to sustainable business
excellence,” emphasises Elisabeth Girg from Deutsche Bank’s Global Diversity team
and explains the business linkage and benefits: “An open, respectful and inclusive
work environment attracts the finest talent, fosters creativity and innovation
among different teams to deliver the best possible results for our clients.”
No return without investment
Clicking through the Diversity League shows that substantial, management-led
efforts and fundamental cultural changes are required to ultimately reap the
benefits of valuing differences. But unlearning norms of the past and opening up
for ‘the different’ is no easy step that can be taken over night. "Diversity and
Inclusion is not a project with a beginning and an end but a journey in our way of
thinking, behaving and building our future", Isabelle Pujol, BP Diversity & Inclusion
Manager for Germany and France, points out and goes on, "For BP, D & I is one of
the catalysts to create a great place to work." Providing a productive work
environment for all individual employees is emerging as a major business strategy,
propelled by the two European anti-discrimination directives coming into force this
year. The European Diversity League enables companies to leverage their efforts
with external stakeholders. “We are very pleased to be part of this ground
breaking initiative”, Surinder Sharma, Director of Diversity at Ford of Europe, says
and adds, “We are eager to share and work in partnership with other organisations
in learning and furthering Diversity in Europe.” To visit (or join) the European
Diversity League, point your browser to www.european-
diversity.com/DiversityLeague
For more information, contact:
Michael Stuber
mi.st [ Consulting, Richard-Wagner-Strasse 25
D-50674 Cologne
Tel. +49-221-22212-50
Fax +49-221-22212-51
Email:
consulting@european-diversity.com
Interview with Michael Stuber, mi.st [ Consulting, Cologne
Over
recent years, many blue chip companies have launched Diversity initiatives in
Europe to add value to their business strategies. But the European environment for
this approach is different from the United States, where the approach was
developed in the late 1980s. In this light, Michael Stuber founded his European
Diversity Management and Marketing consultancy almost seven years ago and
became a pioneer for business-focused Diversity strategies. He was a coauthor in
the SIETAR project group which created the study, EuroDiversity:
A Business
Guide to Managing Difference. In September 2003, he launched the European
Diversity League on his portal www.european-diversity.com.
Read some
background from a consultant whose thoughts reach well beyond completing
projects for his client. Press photos: www.european-
diversity.com/DiversityServices/4-0.html
Michael, what was your reason for establishing the European Diversity League on
your website? “To a large extend, we responded to needs from some of our
clients. They had invested in Diversity for a couple of years and reached
remarkable results. Naturally, some of those companies were looking for ways to
leverage these assets and utilise their achievements to foster their images as
employers of choice and good corporate citizens. A second reason was that many
companies that were investigating the potential of Diversity, students, journalists
or NGOs working on related issues, approached us to know more about good
practices in this arena.”
Are these the major target groups of the European Diversity League? “Exactly.
This part of the website reaches out to Diversity specialists, HR practitioners,
academics and the Media. Also, we aim at informing people in charge of equality
and equal opportunity in fields such as gender, age, disability, ethnicity, religion or
sexual orientation, who are working in NGOs or the Public Sector. In addition to the
basic information they all find on our websites, visitors now find concrete examples
from companies that have already achieved a lot with Diversity.”
But why is it those five companies that form the European Diversity League? “We
contacted a number of leading international companies from across Europe. Many
of them were interested but in the end it seemed most effective to start with a
small pilot group which would show other companies the value of an open, pro-
active communication of Diversity. I am convinced that we will have twenty
players in a couple of months time.”
Why do you think are companies investing in Diversity when the economic context
is not all positive? “For exactly that reason. What could be more important than
fully utilising all existing potential in an organisation when budgets are cut down
while shareholders’ expectations remain high? Also, looking at globalisation, the
pace of change, M&A activities and the trend towards ethical, socially responsible
corporate governance, this all suggests that it’s the right time to address Diversity
- not only in terms of managing differences, but also in a broader sense of
openness and inclusiveness. Finally we know from the data that we have collected
over the years that companies will not be left with a choice. All demographic,
cultural and legal trends clearly mark the way towards Diversity and Inclusion
being an effective approach to management in the future.”
Which are your major recommendations for companies regarding the
implementation of Diversity? “Through our work with leading companies, we have
identified five success factors: First, to create a solid base for Diversity by linking
it to business goals, strategies and challenges, and by defining goals and analysing
the current situation. Second, a diversity strategy must be established including
approaches, target groups and development phases for the change process. Next,
the visible and credible commitment of senior management is key for an effective
implementation from the top down. At the same time, interactive communication
with employees is necessary to involve the people who create value for the
company. Finally, it is important to generate quick business wins in an early stage
of the project while not losing sight of the long-term perspective.” |
