The moral and business cases for diversity are well known—a diverse and inclusive workplace earns deeper trust and more commitment from their employees.
Having a diversity and inclusion policy is simply the right thing to do—leaders have to make their values and intentions clear.
As a company, you’re not legally required to have a written diversity and inclusion policy. Nevertheless, it’s a good idea to create and actively use one.
Diversity and inclusion are ongoing initiatives—not one-off training. (Sadly, diversity classes are sometimes just a tactic for reducing employee lawsuits.) A policy encourages your employees to treat others equally with civility and decency and helps managers value employees for their strengths.
In many discrimination claims, employers may have a defense if they can show that they took all reasonable steps to deter discrimination. A comprehensive policy and recent appropriate training can help employers distance themselves from liability for acts such as harassment by an individual perpetrator employed by your company.
A policy also demonstrates that your company takes its legal and moral responsibilities towards being a diverse and inclusive employer earnestly.
Idea for Impact: A strong diversity and inclusion policy can help your company embed good practices—not only across your organization but also throughout your supply chains, including the customers and the communities your company serves.