The commercial case for diversity and inclusion

Labor markets

Structural changes in the Fourth Industrial Revolution are expected to have major implications for global labor markets. In a world where machines and humans increasingly work together, the benefit of having the right worker in the right place at the right time will likely increase. Having strategies to attract diverse workers to fill talent gaps —regardless of background—will become more important.

Companies that encourage gender diversity and inclusion have been shown to benefit commercially compared to peers. A 2020 McKinsey report concluded that firms with first-quartile gender diversity on their management teams had a 55% chance of delivering above-median EBIT margins (Fig. 1, compared to a 44% chance of outperformance for the bottom-quartile firms for gender-diverse executive boards)¹.

The same study also found that firms with ethnically and culturally diverse leadership teams in the first quartile had a 59% chance of delivering above median EBIT margins, compared to a 43% chance for the bottom-quartile firms.

Fig. 1 – Gender diversity can drive higher chance of outperformance

Innovation

In a world of rapid change, the benefit of having the right ideas for the right markets at the right time will likely increase. Crucially for business owners, entrepreneurs, and executives, the costs of not being innovative in a period of profound societal change will also likely rise.

Research concludes that diversity—whether of thinking, gender, demography, or other attributes—can enhance innovation. One study found diversity can boost innovation by 20% and reduce risks (which may be overlooked in “groupthink” or monocultures) by 30%². In periods of structural change like the Fourth Industrial Revolution, new applications of technology can create previously unimagined risks. Diverse teams may bring a richer perspective that can identify such risks and manage them effectively. Less diverse teams may rely on their status quo thinking or be slower to change.

Diversity benefits businesses because it can bring together people to solve complex problems. These problems require different skills or approaches: analyzing evidence, weighing options, predicting and planning for outcomes, accounting for the impact on people; building of processes; and risk management. It is unlikely any person excels in each of these six fields. Collective intelligence of different abilities and a variety of social connections is therefore important. One study found that building demographically diverse teams can spur innovation, racial diversity can stimulate curiosity within the team (although the research did not distinguish between ethnicity and race), and gender balance can support greater turn-taking in conversing and sharing ideas³.

Diversity in management can also yield innovation benefits. A 2018 study from the Boston Consulting Group found a strong and statistically significant link between management team diversity and innovation revenues. Firms with above-average diversity delivered 45% of total revenues from innovation, compared to 26% for those firms with below-average diversity among leaders (Fig. 2)⁴.

Fig. 2 – Diversity of leadership can spur greater innovation

Market access

The new technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution— especially communication technologies—have increased the benefits of diversity and inclusion as a tool to access new markets. It is becoming more important to have the right people to appeal to diverse, values-driven customers looking for personalized goods and services. Intangible assets, such as brand value, constitute an increasing share of company value, as the Fourth Industrial Revolution favors capital-lite industries. Consumer experiences will increasingly shift to digital ones, raising the potential importance of brand value and reputation over convenience or the physical location of a store. The benefits of being a diverse and inclusive brand —and the costs of having a prejudiced brand—are rising.

Previously, many businesses catered their products and services to the majority to target the most profit for the least risk. This operating model could exclude minorities and fuel prejudice. Today’s businesses increasingly must include and serve a more diverse audience⁵. Today’s consumers increasingly demand personalized goods and services that match their needs or align with their values. The idea of a “one-size-fits-all” offering is becoming irrelevant. Technology has enabled platform companies to democratize content and enjoy economies of scale where the marginal costs may be close to zero. An example would be how visual entertainment has evolved. Gone are the days when the monopoly of studio-produced television catered to a Western, white, middle-class, male audience and was produced by Western, white, middle-class, males. Today, democratized content, produced by diverse groups and posted on video-sharing platforms at zero marginal cost, can be supported by crowdfunding and turned into a full series through a streaming platform.

Consumers are also prepared to pay for goods and services that reflect their values, such as a business's open commitment to diversity and inclusion. A 2015 survey from the Nielsen Company concluded that 68% of shoppers would be happy to pay a price premium for a sustainable product. This share is up from 50% two years earlier. And companies with a demonstrable commitment to sustainability topics experienced four times higher sales growth versus less socially conscious peers⁶.