The Business Impact of Equality and Diversity

July 2007
The Business Impact
of Equality and Diversity
The International Evidence
Professor Kathy Monks
LInK   Learning, Innovation and Knowledge Centre
Dublin City University Business School, Dublin 9
First published July 2007 by
The Equality Authority
2 Clonmel Street
Dublin 2
National Centre for
Partnership & Performance
16 Parnell Square
Dublin 1
2007 Equality Authority and
National Centre for Partnership & Performance
ISBN: 978-1-905628-62-9

The views expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Equality Authority or the National Disability Authority.

Contents

Foreword 4
Executive Summary 6
Chapter 1
Equality and Diversity:
Towards the Inclusive Workplace 10
Chapter 2
Equality and Diversity in Context 15
Chapter 3
Equality, Diversity and
Organisational Performance 24
Chapter 4
Managing Equality and Diversity for
Organisational Performance 43


References 55
Appendix 1   Measures of diversity
programme implementation, outcomes and
business benefits (CSES, 2005) 60
Appendix 2   The Equity Continuum 68

Foreword

The Business Impact of Equality and Diversity:
The International Evidence provides a valuable and accessible review of the research evidence on the relationship between workplace initiatives on equality and diversity and organisational performance. It builds a compelling business case for investment in workplace equality and diversity.
The National Centre for Partnership and Performance (NCPP) published   in 2005. This report emerged from a broad ranging consultative exercise through the Forum on the Workplace of the Future.   The report establishes a vision for the workplace of the future and identifies a range of priority areas for action to achieve this vision.
The NCPP report identifies that this workplace of the future will be proactively diverse where equality and diversity are linked to both the quality of the employee’s working...