Transforming Commitment Into Action
The Business Rationale for Diversity and Inclusion Management in the United Way System
Introduction
When a group of religious and community leaders came together in 1887 to create an organization where people of all backgrounds could work collectively to help those in need, they understood the importance of bringing the entire community together. More than 100 years later, United Way is still influenced by their example and values highly the power of inclusion to achieve its mission.
However, today's challenges demand that we increase our capability to attract and manage the talent we require. United Way has to harness and leverage diversity and more actively practice inclusion as mission-critical strategies in new and robust ways. In addition to being the "right thing to do" from a business perspective, it is the smart and necessary thing to do.
The Business Benefits of Diversity and Inclusion Management
The business rationale for increasing our strategic diversity and inclusion management capability is derived from our challenges, opportunities and operating environment. By engaging the power of collaborative partnerships in richly diverse environments, United Way can strengthen local communities and bring transformative solutions and sustained change to complex community issues.
Being inclusive and diverse, individually and as a system, allows us to:
- Actively live and achieve our mission and values
- Attract, develop and retain more diverse talent
- Grow and broaden our base of support from volunteers, donors and other stakeholders
- Model, facilitate and lead the collaborative efforts needed to make changes in community conditions
- Innovate and develop better solutions leading to better performance and results
- Enhance our reputation and brand in the philanthropic community and global marketplace.
