A new report has found that businesses are launching diversity and inclusion (D&I) initiatives without any solid evidence to back them up
The independent Inclusion at Work Panel, set up by Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch, spoke to over 100 people from 55 organisations and looked at the latest research on how UK employers decide on D&I policies and practices. The panel's report, published on Wednesday, said many employers want to "do the right thing", but are introducing measures without any evidence to support them.
Some of those they spoke to gave examples of what "good" practices might look like, but collecting strong data was "rare" and measurable impact was "scarce". The report noted: "The evidence suggests that many organisations' D&I approaches are driven by pre-existing notions, assumptions, and pressures rather than empirical evidence."
It pointed out cases where D&I initiatives were counterproductive or illegal, such as a Ministry of Defence review finding that pressure on the Royal Air Force (RAF) to meet targets for women and ethnic minorities led to unlawful positive discrimination against white men.
The report also found that employers face obstacles such as a lack of accessible data on D&I measures and broad or subjective definitions of terms like "inclusion". Ms Badenoch commented: "Discussions around diversity and inclusion at work are often bogged down by performative gestures."
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"This report by the Inclusion at Work Panel is a powerful new tool for organisations. I sincerely hope that businesses will take time to read this report so that it becomes an important step in helping them achieve more inclusive and productive workplaces."
In her article for the Telegraph, Ms Badenoch pointed out that the report reveals many initiatives have "little to no tangible impact in increasing diversity or reducing prejudice".
"In fact, many practices have not only been proven to be ineffective, they have also been counterproductive," she noted.
The panel, which was made up of leaders from both private and public sectors, suggested a framework for employers that includes five key points for success.
These points are to collect evidence well, to keep checking on how things are going, to use what you learn, to bring in different kinds of people and ideas, and to make sure everyone knows how they're doing.
The report stresses: "Evidence is essential for measuring progress and impact, and evidence exists for many interventions. Easy access to authoritative data and insights, to better understand value for money and effectiveness, would give employers more confidence in their strategic choices."
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