To compete in today’s global markets, diversity and inclusion should be integrated into the company’s daily operations and corporate culture. This opens the doors to recruiting top-notch diverse employees.
-By Donna Chan
All concepts mature at some point as people figure out how they fit into lifestyles and adapt as necessary. In the business world, fitting in the concept of diversity is not enough because it keeps the concept as a separate agenda.
When anything is considered separate and distinct, it usually means it is not integrated in day-to-day operations, operational systems, or strategic planning. Diversity and inclusion should be integral to the culture and the talent management system if a business is to successfully compete for global talent and in global markets. Business success will depend on optimizing current diverse talent and making the internal changes needed to become an employer of choice.
Diversity Integration Creates Value
Pitney Bowes is a leader in leveraging diversity, but it is driven by more than simply doing the right thing. The company deeply believes that a culture of diversity that is embedded in its business model is a value proposition.
Diversity helps the company understand evolving markets, connect with diverse markets, and develop innovative solutions. The company proactively integrates diversity initiatives into all areas of operations – sourcing and procurement, talent management system, project teams, etc.
Diversity and inclusion are “big” factors and the payoff has been big. Pitney Bowes Canada accelerated the leadership development process and one-half to two-thirds of high potentials are diverse, which is driving a high-diversity makeup of senior leadership.
What does it mean to embed diversity and inclusion rather than adding a D&I initiative?
Following the lead of the mail and document management company, embedding diversity means it is a natural part of doing business and not something lingering on the outside of normal operations. Immigrants are embedded into succession planning. Composition of the workforce is monitored to ensure it reflects the local diverse community.
It means forming external partnerships with diverse associations to strengthen recruitment efforts. Diverse talent considered high-potential leaders are offered equal opportunity for leadership development opportunities that include cross-functional training. Global companies form groups like Pitney Bowes’ International Diversity and Council in Europe, which is made up of cross business and cross geography representatives. Embedding diversity also means ensuring the supply chain includes diverse-owned businesses in order to access innovation.
Increasing Diversity is a Long-Term Commitment
The leading Canadian companies that have successfully leveraged diversity also never stop working to increase awareness, expand its commitment to diversity, and relentlessly develop and pursue strategies that drive D&I. Creating a program and sitting back to see what happens leads to stagnant diversity numbers and missed opportunities.
A good example is the challenge of gender equity. Some believe that since women already make up over half of the workforce, there is no need for further effort. Looking strictly at this statistic can lead to complacency.
However, companies should be looking at data that tells the full story. How many women are identified as high-potential leaders? How many women are mentored by a senior leader? What is the makeup of the leadership pipeline? How many women hold executive-level positions? Analytics can support unbiased decision-making concerning performance and potential, and help managers identify the women who are being overlooked.
Pitney Bowes is only one of the many Canadian companies that view D&I as a major element of business success, growth and sustainability. Other companies like Rogers Communication, Accenture, Cargill, Enbridge, KPMG, PepsiCo Canada, Sodexo Canada, and so many more are utilizing a variety of tools and strategies to attract skilled diverse talent and create inclusive environments.
Supplier diversity is another way to leverage diversity, and it is still in its infancy stage. One of the leaders in this area is the Royal Bank of Canada, which has made diversity a core value. The company created the Supplier Diversity Mentorship Program, which partners eight potential suppliers with RBC category team experts in order to help diverse suppliers compete for business. Partnerships with the Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council and WEConnect Canada have been instrumental in RBC’s success.
Leader Support Vital to Success
One of the main roadblocks to embracing diversity is often found in frontline management. This is why Pitney Bowes does not leave D&I to any one person. Executive leaders recognize they need the participation of company leaders.
Pitney Bowes is a pioneer in developing collaborative approaches to strategic planning. Multiple advisory boards were formed, and each one is led by a company director. Membership is composed of leaders representing different cultures, genders and generations, and they also represent the company across functions.
One of the most important steps the company took was developing a Leadership Review Process (LRP) for succession management. An LRP tool includes a talent review summary, which enables employees to complete a self-assessment of their leadership capabilities and report on progress toward meeting career goals. The tool enables the company to identify a diverse group of next generation leaders. Employee performance is not left to the immediate supervisor. The executive team reviews performance for directors and senior managers.
Diversity is a “big” principle for Canada because demographics are shifting, the Aboriginal population is growing four times faster than the non-Aboriginal population, and competition for talent around the world is growing more intense. At the same time, the customer base grows more diverse due to changing demographics and globalization of businesses.
Compliant companies view D&I more as something they are forced to do because of governmental or stakeholder pressures. To become an employer of choice for diverse talent and the choice of diverse suppliers, the organizational culture must be collaborative and inclusive. Successful companies are proactive and not reactive, reviewing every function and operation, creating groups that give diverse people a voice, and leaving nothing to chance.
As some company leaders have succinctly described their effort: We do not want diversity to be a “poster child” that is all talk and no results.