The CEO Activist

2Why We All Need to Be Activist CEOs

Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging – and Why They Matter

If you ever want to see someone's eyes glaze over, ask them about diversity. It's a polarising concept. Is it purely a buzz word for a new fad? Or a box-ticking exercise where underqualified people are hired to make a point and threaten the status quo?

Clearly, the answer is none of those things.

People get really het up over it, but diversity to me is simple. It simply means “difference”. Difference in terms of our backgrounds, difference in terms of our life experiences and therefore ultimately the differences which led us to be where we are, right at this moment in time. What are the experiences that led us to that point? And how have those various different life experiences ultimately shaped our thinking?

The diversity of our experiences leads to a diversity of thought processes, which – translated into the world of business – leads to a diversity in how we perceive problems or handle crises, how we can shape outcomes and how we can bring different perspectives and ideas to the boardroom, to the creative process, and to the factory floor. We are all kaleidoscopes with different visions which can create a beautiful and effective outcome when moulded together.

When people get hurt about diversity, I never fully understand. It's exclusion that's truly hurtful.

When we look at diversity, and when we look at difference, we look at everything from gender and ethnicity to socio-economic ...