The document discusses how inclusion is beneficial for businesses. It states that to be market leaders, teams need to be both diverse and inclusive. It provides evidence that companies with higher levels of diversity and inclusion have greater financial benefits like higher revenue, returns on equity/sales/invested capital, and customer bases. Specifically, the most racially diverse companies have nearly 15 times more revenue than the least racially diverse. Performance peaks when teams are approximately 55% women. Employees who feel included are more satisfied and innovative, while those who feel less included have lower job satisfaction and turnover intentions.

1. Why inclusion is beneficial
for people and business
To be a market leader teams need to be both diverse and inclusive
High
Low
• Low work satisfaction
• High employee turnover
• Weak employer brand
• Low creativity and innovation
• High work satisfaction
• “Healthy” employee turnover
• Strong employer brand
• High creativity and innovation
• High adaptability/agility
• High work satisfaction
• Too low employee turnover
• Strong but narrow employer brand
• Low creativity and innovation
• Low adaptability/agility
Low High
Diversity
Inclusion
Companies with the highest rates of racial
diversity reported having on average
35,000 customers, whereas companies
with the least racial diversity reported
having only 22,700. Companies that even
only marginally increase their racial
diversity gain an average of more than
400 customers.*
Return on equity:
On average, companies with the highest percentages
of women board directors outperformed those with
the least by 53%.
Return on sales:
On average, companies with the highest percentages
of women board directors outperformed those with
the least by 42%.
Return on invested capital:
On average, companies with the highest percentages
of women board directors outperformed those with
the least by 66%.*
www.usa.skanska.com
Sources
Why Diversity Matters - Catalyst
http://www.rbc.com/diversity/what-is-diversity.html
Possibilities
Perspective
Well managed, diverse teams outperform
both homogeneous teams and poorly
managed diverse teams because they:
• Are well-suited for tasks that depend on
out-of-the-box thinking
• Recognize, value and utilize each other’s
differences
• Realize synergy
Partnership
Performance
Employees who feel included are more likely to:
• Go above and beyond the call of duty
• Suggest new product or service ideas
• Innovate new ways of getting work done
• Be supportive of one another
Employees who feel less included:
• Are more inclined to experience decreased
job satisfaction
• Have more turnover intentions
• Experience more conflict and stress,
impacting productivity
Profitability
• Companies with women board members
outperformed in 3 measures:
• On average, the most racially diverse
companies bring in nearly 15 times more
revenue than the least racially diverse.
• Performance peaks when a team has
approximately 55% women.
Performance
Profit Sales
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http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/documents/publications/an_employer_s_guide_to_creating_an_inclusive_workplace.pdf
http://www.americanbar.org/publications/gpsolo_ereport/2013/november_2013/disregard_diversity_at_your_financial_peril_competitive_advantage.html
“Does Diversity Pay?: Race, Gender, and the Business Case for Diversity” by Cedric Herring in the American Sociological Review
Gives everyone opportunities to fully contribute
their experiences and competencies
Reflects the local community and its
customers
Is welcoming and respectful
Is free from exclusion, marginalization and
harassment
Has policies for fair recruitment and procurement
Has no unnecessary hierarchies and occupational
segregation
Links inclusion to specific behavioral expectations
that generate trust and openness
An inclusive workplace: