THE BUSINESS CASE FOR DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION It’s time to get serious about diversity. No longer an accessory, an authentic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) plan has become essential in today’s market. Even amid the COVID-19 global pandemic, many companies know that DEI initiatives are too important to be placed on the backburner. In fact, we saw in June of 2020 that the racial divide is still cavernous, and communities of color are still experiencing inequitable practices in work and life. Now, more than ever, your employees and customers will be expecting progressive policies and procedures to address these divisions and inequities. BY MEAGHAN CARABELLO Holding equality as a value is not just a matter of fairness or doing the right thing. Nor is it about PR or “optics” or even my own conscience. It’s a crucial part of building a good business, plain and simple. Marc Benioff, Salesforce CEO WHAT IS DEI? Diversity is about representation and the collection of differing identities. Inclusion provides a safe place for those differences to be celebrated and shared—a place where differences and perspectives are valued. Equity ensures that everyone has access to the same opportunities, which sometimes means addressing those with 26 Business in Colorado Magazine 2021 ANGELINA BAMBINA/ADOBESTOCK
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