Imagine a morning meeting where all attendees connect, digitally or in person, bringing with them their unique ideas and concepts to the table. The conversations and ideas from these gatherings can create radical change and produce incredible outcomes. This same synergy is also present when composing a beautiful masterpiece of a song or in the ingredients that go into making a delicious meal. That same spirit of togetherness and unity, blending different flavors, experiences, perspectives, textures, vibrancy, and colors – that is what diversity is. It’s the collaborative effort that happens only when individuality and humanity gather together to create, share, make a difference, and nurture an idea, a project, a goal, or a business.
Diversity in the workplace is crucial for the success of any business. It creates an opportunity for diverse perspectives and ideas to come together, fueled by the different experiences that each individual brings to the table. When people of varied backgrounds collaborate on a project or business idea, it can be truly magical. It’s a beautiful thing when everyone works together in harmony, leveraging uniqueness to create something that wouldn’t have been possible without their differences. This is when we see the best of humanity – when we come together and celebrate our diversity through collaboration.
Just like the seemingly never-ending sea is home to a diverse range of creatures, the business world is comprised of people of various shapes and sizes, complexions, strengths, and abilities that are unique to them and their existence. Embracing diversity authentically and genuinely benefits both humanity and businesses.
The United Kingdom may not be as vast as the ocean, but it is very diverse. Did you know that the total population of the UK as of 2024 is 67.9 million? This large and diverse population pool comprises innumerable talented individuals, making the UK a melting pot of skills and abilities. A report from Our Global Future (now NOUS) highlights that nearly 70% of the public agree that diversity has helped British culture. Additionally, almost 40% of our most celebrated cultural leaders are from multicultural backgrounds – well above the general population. This figure highlights the UK’s diversity and how it is a valuable asset, and embracing it can help businesses grow and strengthen the economy in the long run, benefiting everyone.
To truly embrace diversity as an integral part of your business, you need to be proactive in consciously promoting inclusivity and identifying and eliminating any signs of unconscious bias. It’s essential to clearly define guidelines to differentiate between discrimination and learn how to take lawful positive action regarding your client relationships. It’s important to treat every opportunity like the imagined Monday morning meeting where diverse teams gather with respect for each other’s abilities and differences.
Diversity and inclusion are related concepts, but they are not interchangeable, and both must be embraced as part of your business culture. That’s because diversity is about the make-up or representation within an entity, while inclusion is about the “how” – how well the contributions, presence, and perspectives of different groups of people are valued and integrated into the company culture and environment. Businesses that intentionally embrace diversity and inclusivity ensure representation of their clients, customers, and team members.
At Credico, we believe that embracing diversity means being open to attracting, engaging, and retaining talents from all ethnic backgrounds fairly and equitably. We encourage businesses of all sizes to cultivate an inclusive culture that regularly evaluates and revises its company policies. By scheduling these internal assessments, businesses can monitor their progress and ensure that they are practicing, endorsing, and supporting diversity and inclusivity in the workplace to make it a part of their culture. We support doing this, and we do it at Credico. Why? Because there is always room to grow, improve and find ways to sustain your business by ensuring your teams reflect the world we live in and do business in.