Summary
A summary introduction to Investors In Diversity
- 'Investors in Diversity' standard encourages commercial organisations and social enterprises to think about how they can achieve business benefits or new opportunities from embracing diversity. It enables Public and voluntary sector organisations to further their aims.
- 'Investors in Diversity' is an exciting and fresh approach to talent management.
- 'Investors in Diversity' proactively promotes the ‘inner well being’ and ‘health’ of organisations by establishing a set of behaviours based on established good practice in diversity management.
- 'Investors in Diversity' encourages leaders to commit to diversity in the workplace strategically and operationally as drivers but also it recognizes that leadership within organisations is fluid and that it can and often does, come, from a range of ‘none designated leadership’ levels. It therefore encourages all stakeholders to use their own initiative.
- 'Investors in Diversity' encourages organisations to continuously learn through self assessment and self analysis by kick starting a series of activities which create and promote communication, dialog, discussion, discourse and debate within organisations.
- 'Investors in Diversity' encourages every individual to develop their own awareness as well as to raise other peoples awareness on issues related to diversity.
- 'Investors in Diversity' enables people to become mobile within the organisation away from, hitherto, static positions around the margins of the organisation’s culture which starts to change and to develop because stakeholders have been encouraged to become involved in shaping an inclusive ethos.
- 'Investors in Diversity' creates the appropriate non physical environmental conditions e.g. ethos, values and tangible changes e.g. changes catering arrangements.
- 'Investors in Diversity' enables organisations to set themselves challenges in terms of recruitment and retention.
- 'Investors in Diversity' sets organisations challenges in how they monitor the impact of how well they manage diversity.
- 'Investors in Diversity' provides an accreditation to organisations who can receive recognition for good and best practice.
- 'Investors in Diversity' allows organisations to become ‘Leaders’ after 2 years.
The standard has been created and developed after consultation with a range of people including senior company executives, HR specialists, Managing Directors of major businesses, Local Authority Chief Executives, psychologists, academics, Teachers, Head Teachers, Lecturers, grass roots community workers as well as diversity professionals.
Amongst the organisations consulted or involved are, Community and Voluntary Sector Organisations, National Charities, the Local Government Association the Employers Organisation, The British Chambers of Commerce, CBI, Ethnic Minority Business Development Networks, IBM, Empire Direct, Investors in People,' Yorkshire Universities’, The DfES, The Police Service, The Association of Chief Police Officers, The Department for International Development, Business in the Community, Race for Opportunity, Connexions, Schools, FE Colleges and several Local Authorities.