How DE&I Leads to Sustainable Growth

The younger generation is looking toward a future—and a place of work—that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I). A 2020 survey conducted by Monster Jobs shows that 83% of Generation Z say that “a company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is important when choosing an employer.” 

Workplaces that prioritize DE&I don’t just have better chances of attracting top new talent—they can also enjoy increased likelihood of financial outperformance compared to less diverse companies. McKinsey’s 2019 report Diversity Wins shows that more gender-diverse executive teams are 25% more likely to financially outperform their less diverse counterparts, and ethnically-diverse executive teams are 36% more likely to have the benefit of financial outperformance. 

Across the world, we are seeing top companies using DE&I to drive their businesses into the future. For talent acquisition and growth, Madrid-headquartered telco Telefonica—the second largest corporation in Spain—shares that diversity and inclusion management is important. Their DE&I goals for the future include achieving gender parity in the company’s highest governance bodies by 2030, having 40% black employees and 30% black leaders by 2024, and doubling the number of individuals with disabilities in their workforce (currently at 1,482) by 2024. 

Continents away, the Ayala Group—the Philippines’ largest conglomerate—reports that 44% of their senior leaders are women, based on 2014 to 2019 records. With the creation of their Board Diversity Policy, they are aiming to further increase the total number of women in their workforce, including in entry-level positions.

Top performers modeling this level of commitment and action to DE&I is essential in influencing other businesses and industries to do the same. While some progress has been made, post-pandemic numbers are indicating that we need to double our efforts. Forbes reports that in 2023, women in leadership roles dropped to 32% even though women account for 42% of the workforce. Awareness of these statistics is not about emphasizing one gender or ethnicity over another, but rather acknowledging that multiple perspectives lead to tangible advantages.

One doesn’t need to be in the C-Suite to take a step toward creating a culture grounded on DE&I. Take it upon yourself to ask: How am I championing inclusion in my own team at this very moment? Bannering inclusion is not just about highlighting representation, but also about including other perspectives in the conversation. 

As citizens of the world, BetterBrandLabs uses diversity and representation as key pillars in strategic thinking. When we consult with our partners on business transformation, we pay special attention to creating value chains that are both ethical and profitable. Being the consultancy agency of our partners goes deeper than a business engagement—in championing diversity, we encourage different value systems that help foster sustainable growth.