BITCI Launches Report on Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace
Business in the Community Ireland (BITCI), the leading advisers on sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Ireland have recently launched Elevate Pledge 2022 Annual Report on Measuring Diversity to Drive Real Change.
The first report into measuring and setting workforce targets for diversity and inclusion has pinpointed higher levels of female participation at senior and executive levels than the national average.
The inaugural Elevate report, measuring diversity to drive change, indicates 38% female representation at senior executive roles, compared with a national average of 30%.
Spearheaded by Business in the Community Ireland, the study involved 50 leading companies employing almost 120,000 people. The companies last year agreed to begin the task of measuring and disclosing on the inclusivity and diversity in its workforce, across gender, age, disability, ethnicity and sexual orientation.
The report relied on data gathered by Elevate Pledge signatory companies which states its businesses and employees will benefit through championing inclusive and diverse workplaces. The report’s authors said data disclosure on gender and age was “very good” while other areas such as ethnicity and disability were at a less advanced stage – a position it believes will change as companies familiarise themselves with the process and create a culture that will allow employees to embrace voluntary disclosures, a current key barrier in measuring diversity.
Tomás Sercovich, CEO, Business in the Community Ireland, said:
“We no longer need to explain why diversity is good for business. The challenge ahead is how to ensure and sustain true inclusion across society, starting with our workplaces. Diversity cannot be taken for granted. This is as much about building a better society as it is about making our businesses more competitive for the future ahead.”
Mr Sercovich added: “While the study is representative of just 50 companies involving 120,000 employees, it points to good news in the increasing representation of women at senior management level. This is real change and one that we hope will be replicated in the other areas which the Elevate report will capture in succeeding years.”
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