The British Standards Institute (BSI) has published new guidance designed to help organisations create a diverse and inclusive workplace culture through leadership commitment or adjusting recruitment practices.
Diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace, code of practice PAS 1948, has been designed as practical support for employers to develop and implement an effective diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) framework. Sponsored by the All-In Diversity Project, it is aimed at organisations in all sectors in any country and applies to traditional offices, industrial environments, and workplaces such as zoos, sports arenas or film sets.
The standard covers understanding and implementing concepts such as diversity of thought, dimensions of diversity, intercultural competence and cognitive diversity. It also covers practical measures around recruitment and retention DEI, incorporating the principle of inclusive by design into services, technology, and business models and processes, how organisations can address inconsistent with DEI principles behaviour, and how to engage and support underrepresented social and cultural groups.
Other areas of focus include identifying appropriate DEI learning and development needs, creating inclusive brands, customer engagement and workplace culture, incorporating DEI principles into an organisation’s internal policies, practices and processes, establishing the organisational benefits of creating and maintaining an effective culture of DEI, setting achievable targets and objectives, and measuring progress.
The measures can be taken up by board members, organisational leaders, HR professionals, communications, marketing, branding and technology teams, trade union and employee association representatives, and advisers, auditors and investors.
Kate Field, global head of health, safety and wellbeing at BSI, said: “A diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace culture that prioritises people has the potential to be transformative for individuals, organisations, and society. This starts with leadership taking steps to turn ambition into action to build and sustain DEI across their organisation.
“Seeing DEI as a valuable investment in people and the future of your organisation can offer huge benefits, including attracting and retaining the very best talent and skills, which, in turn, has the potential to support innovation, customer insight engagement and improve performance. PAS 1948 provides the guidance to empower people to make a positive impact by building workplaces that are inclusive and welcoming to everyone.”
