The DIAL Global Diversity Review: The State of Diversity & Inclusion: Progress Made, More Work Needed

The DIAL Global Diversity Review, encompasses ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, mental health, disability, socio-economic background, nationality, religion, and parenthood. Their recent report on diversity and inclusion (D&I) efforts among UK companies shows that while progress is being made, there are still substantial challenges to achieving meaningful change. 

On the positive side, the report found more companies now have D&I leaders and strategic plans compared to previous years. 84% of participating companies indicated they have a Chief Diversity Officer or equivalent, up from 71% last year. Additionally, 90% reported having a clear diversity strategy for their leadership teams, an increase from 81% in 2022.

This is a promising sign that more UK businesses are prioritizing D&I at the leadership level. The data also shows rising representation of women, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and disabled employees in leadership roles compared to previous years. Companies are also increasingly providing D&I training, expanding flexible work and parental leave policies, and focusing on mental health support.

However, the report also highlighted significant gaps and uneven progress across different diversity facets. While women, LGBTQ+, and ethnic minorities saw gains in representation and inclusion efforts, other groups like older workers, those with lower socioeconomic status, and neurodiverse individuals continue to be left behind. Here's what's needed:

• Adopt an intersectional D&I approach considering overlaps between facets like gender, ethnicity, age, etc. 
• Set representation goals for lagging groups like older, disabled, and lower socioeconomic status workers.
• Collect comprehensive workforce data across all facets of diversity.
• Tie D&I metrics directly to leadership performance evaluations and compensation. 
• Audit existing policies and programs to identify barriers certain groups face.
• Implement targeted development programs to grow underrepresented talent.
• Ensure adequate budget/resources are allocated to support inclusion efforts.
• Appoint independent D&I advisory councils to provide objective guidance. 

Other challenges include a disconnect between D&I priorities and business strategy, issues with measurement/data collection, and limitations of current initiatives. Though more companies have DEI leaders, few report directly to the CEO, raising questions about direct accountability.

The report indicates that while advancements are being made, there is substantial progress needed to achieve comprehensive, meaningful D&I in UK business. Genuine, organization-wide commitment is required to move beyond lip service and make D&I a living business priority.