Diversity is now almost universally recognised in the corporate world as a value to adopt and promote. As well as being good for the corporate image, diversity in an organisation's leadership and workforce is also increasingly recognised as having measurable economic benefits – the "diversity dividend".
A 2015 study of public companies across multiple jurisdictions by McKinsey & Co. found a statistically significant relationship between companies with women and minorities in their upper ranks and better financial performance as measured by earnings before interest and tax. There are also studies showing the potential benefits to companies and the national economy arising from employing people with disability.
As businesses recognise the benefits of diversity, we are seeing more organisations adopt measures to promote and increase diversity, such as pay equity audits, unconscious bias training and "blind" recruitment or work allocation strategies. However, these initiatives are not without their challenges and raise the question of "How far is too far?".
The articles below consider how anti-discrimination laws around the globe are being tested and developed in new and interesting ways both in workplaces and in the provision of goods and services.
Contributors: George Cooper, Partner; Nataline Fleury, Partner; Jon Lovell, Partner; Andreas Mauroschat, Partner; Diana Rodrigues Redondo, Partner; Julie Mills, Expertise Counsel; Emily Austin, Senior Associate; Karen Mitra, Senior Associate; Hannah Martin, Associate; Cristina Grande, Attorney; Naota Suzuki, Lawyer; and Julian Leicht, Research Assistant.
