Investors in Diversity scheme launched

A new business standard devised in Yorkshire to encourage employers to value and make the most of diversity in the workplace was launched in Parliament recently by top business and political leaders.

The Investors in Diversity scheme encourages private and public sector chiefs to better harness and understand their employee differences – be they racial, cultural, religious or family backgrounds - to help them fulfil their potential in their respective workplaces.

Created by the Leeds-based National Centre for Diversity, the new standard was given a warm send-off by Cabinet Minister Hilary Benn, as well as the British Chambers of Commerce president Bill Midgely and IBM UK and Ireland general manager Larry Hirst.

Mr Benn, the International Development Secretary and MP for Leeds Central, called the matter of diversity "the single biggest issue we face in Leeds" and warned not all citizens were participating in the city's prosperity "in a fair and equal basis".

"We have got to see diversity as a strength not as a weakness," he said."I think it is a great thing that this initiative is being lead from Leeds which is a city that represents vitality and diversity, which is what this is all about. This is not the first good thing to come out of Leeds and it certainly won't be the last."

Although unrelated to the Investors in People scheme, set up in 1990 to encourage organisations and businesses to improve performance, it will operate in the same voluntary way.

Key business figures also gave their backing to the scheme, Mr Hirst stressing that being attentive to diversity made commercial sense.He said: "The case for diversity is not only a moral imperative, it's a business imperative...these things aren't about us talking about it but ultimately about this flowing down to the bottom line."

A founder member and director of the National Centre for Diversity, Solat Chaudhry, said the scheme would help employees by ensuring workplace cultures and environments were more attentive to their needs.

Meanwhile, managers and the overall business would benefit from happier and, as a result, more attentive and dedicated workers.He added: "What we've done is started a new debate about diversity in the contest of inclusion rather than box ticking.

"It's about proactivity rather than reacting to legislation. And I feel privileged by the response so far."