The Guardian (Charlottetown)

Report urges companies to be more courageous about workplace diversity

- BY ROSS MAROWITS

Canadian business leaders need to take “courageous” actions to make sure their companies are more diverse and inclusive in order to remain competitiv­e amid demographi­c and technologi­cal changes in the workplace, according to a new report released Wednesday.

“Actions taken by many firms to date in the areas of diversity and inclusion have delivered more optics than outcomes,” says a Deloitte study advocating the benefits of building more inclusive organizati­ons.

After decades of progress, the country has been stuck in neutral, struggling to advance traditiona­lly under-represente­d groups such as women, visible minorities, those with disabiliti­es and indigenous people, especially to the most senior levels of organizati­ons, it said.

Deloitte Canada CEO Frank Vettese described it as a “perfect storm of forces.”

Global competitio­n, disruptive technology and powerful demographi­c change are pushing companies to do more to maximize the impact of their people in the workplace.

“We see inclusion as not only something that is critical for the individual... but it’s actually the smart thing to do for business,” Vettese said.

The profession­al services firm had lengthy conversati­ons with 25 senior Canadian executives - about half of whom were women or visible minorities. It found that business leaders view Canada’s diversity as a competitiv­e advantage for companies and the country.

Deloitte said a 2016 survey of 1,300 business leaders linked superior financial performanc­e with retaining employees of different background­s, skillsets and mindsets.

But fundamenta­lly changing the business culture to become truly inclusive is hard to do and can be frustratin­gly slow, said the 44-page report.

Only 11 per cent of Canadian companies could be considered courageous and Deloitte is not among them, although it outlined efforts taken to improve its ranking.

Canadian women account for 35 per cent of managerial positions and much fewer board directors while the disabled, indigenous people and immigrants are underrepre­sented in the workforce. Visible minorities held just 4.5 per cent of director positions in the top 500 Canadian companies by revenues.

The report called for companies to be bold and move beyond “colourful window dressing” and pursue real outcomes.

 ?? SEAN KILPATRICK/THE CANADIAN PRESS ?? A pedestrian walk past a Deloitte sign in Ottawa on Sept. 20, 2011.
SEAN KILPATRICK/THE CANADIAN PRESS A pedestrian walk past a Deloitte sign in Ottawa on Sept. 20, 2011.

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