Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy Research Report from Worldwide ERC®
Eric House - Aug 18 2021Learn how Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) programs have been implemented by leading global mobility and relocation professionals.
It’s more than just a buzzword or business trend: diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) efforts in the world of work are tangible initiatives leaders are undertaking to support the varied experiences and identities of their employees. Worldwide, employers understand that when a workplace has diverse employees who are not only included in strategic decision making, but have equitable resources and benefits, they can bring their whole selves to work every day, no matter where work is going.
What is DE&I?
DE&I is centered in the constant transformation of the global workforce, where it continues to affect mobility professionals at multinational firms who must stay ahead of talent needs worldwide. To understand how multinational firms are navigating DE&I policies, Worldwide ERC® conducted research focused on what organizations are doing, what they are planning to do, and how they plan to achieve their data-driven DE&I goals.
How Corporate DE&I Initiatives Around the World are Shaped by Local Nuance
Our survey reached out to more than 600 senior HR leaders, as well as a subset of corporate mobility and mobility service provider leaders—representing a wide variety of industries, world regions, and company size. This deep dive resulted in findings representing broad, global consensus on the competitive necessity of such initiatives, yet wide variances by region on what DE&I means and how programs are implemented. Results also showed that the vast majority of organizations have specific policies to promote DE&I implementation at every level of their HR functions.
“Employers clearly support diversity, equity and inclusion within their companies, but what DE&I means around the world and how to achieve it gets very local very quickly,” said Worldwide ERC®’s Karen Cygal, VP of Product Development and Strategy. “The talent mobility professionals we represent are the strategic resources employers can rely on to help them figure out how to achieve their DE&I goals, no matter where they are in the world.”
“Our research shows that the increasing corporate focus on DE&I has universally made its way throughout the HR function,” said Worldwide ERC®’s Matt Gilliland, Head of Research. “DE&I as a competitive priority cuts across all regions and organization sizes, yet what it means and how exactly it’s implemented remains locally nuanced.”
- Near unanimous agreement as to the importance of DE&I, with 98% of survey participants reporting that their organization has a DE&I strategy in operation.
- The definition of DE&I is singularly local, as responses display a wide array of interpretations of diversity, equity and inclusion. Participants emphasized differing priorities in their DE&I policies, with snapshots of regional variations uncovering few common themes in the push for uplifting the underrepresented and historically disadvantaged.
- Companies are taking concrete steps to implement DE&I-related policies at every level, with more than 88% of senior HR leaders reporting direct funding and resources committed to specific activities and programs reinforcing a larger DE&I strategy. From acquisition and retention to compensation and development, the survey found organizations using DE&I policies to identify best practices across every facet of key HR functions.
How Mobility Professionals Can Implement DE&I Policies
While the meaning and implementation of DE&I policies differ around the world, the imperative is clear: DE&I will continue to be of utmost strategic importance across multinational corporations worldwide. Ultimately, many organizations will turn to HR leaders and their teams to recruit and retain diverse talent while cultivating a culture of belonging, implementing inclusion, and evaluating the importance of equity.
Along the way, HR teams will rely upon mobility professionals for their expertise in talent deployment in support of their organization’s DE&I goals. It is mobility professionals’ familiarity with the global tapestry of cultural issues and their skills in managing diverse, global talent that will continue to center global mobility as a strategic resource in a world becoming more attuned to DE&I.
There’s more to learn in this report, including insights into compensation and benefits; recognition and development; talent deployment and acquisition; and onboarding and retention. To read The Road to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: What Companies Are Doing and Why report, click here.
Learn More About DE&I Best Practices
In addition to our new research, join Worldwide ERC® on 26 August 2021 at 1:00 PM ET for a webinar to learn some specific techniques that create more inclusive outcomes for our teams, our businesses, and our clients.
Brent Chamberlain (he/him), Associate Vice-President, Inclusion and Diversity at CIBC will lead us through an hour of authentic dialogue addressing best practices that promote inclusive leadership, including:
- Behaviors that drive intentional inclusion and interrupt implicit/unconscious bias
- Reconciliation and Indigenous inclusion
- Accessibility, mental wellness and creating solutions that work for a wide range of human diversity
- Promoting belonging