Why the world needs diversity and inclusion, now more than ever

Diversity entails working with a diverse team of people from different cultures and diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Diversity is understanding, valuing, and accepting the differences in gender, race, age, disability, sexual orientation, skills, and education.

Inclusion is creating a respectful, supportive, and collaborative environment that fosters participation, tolerance, appreciation, and contribution. A global survey found 78% of people rank inclusion and diversity as overly important.

The millennial generation is 16% more diverse and inclusive than baby boomers

Treating everyone with kindness, fairly, and respectfully is extremely important, especially now as the #COVID-19 pandemic has placed an unprecedented set of challenges making it extremely difficult to provide equal access to opportunities and resources.

Whilst inclusion is critical in humanitarian and pandemic crises, addressing and actioning is not always as straightforward as it appears.

Our perceptions and views on what “inclusive” connotes vary. Perceived equality in access to resources, support systems, and opportunities reflect inclusion; however, the awareness and frequency of interactions around people trigger natural favoritism that we pass off as inclusion.

Inclusive environments nurture identification and addressing of unconscious bias. This is extremely important. The behavior of individuals, leaders, and peers play an equally important part. Respectful and fair treatment is inclusive behavior, generates superior outcomes, and can accelerate humanitarian goals.

In the present #COVID-19 times, crisis diversity and inclusion are threatened, but to develop strong and fast track global recovery, patience, resilience, and leadership will be key drivers.

The world needs inclusion and diversity now more than ever. There is a widening chasm between inclusion and diversity, and without true leadership, the fractures will become unsurmountable.

Interestingly, the #millennial generation is 16% more diverse than #babyboomers. By 2025, the #millennial generation is expected to account for 75% of the global workforce. The values, ethics, and novel approach to life that millennials hold, is of huge importance for the world’s future, and for the creation of a stable, #inclusive #society that is not just pushing for individual success.